There will be rising stars, familiar faces and veteran curlers in the field at next months Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Several top rinks recently qualified for the 12-team competition at Kingstons K-Rock Centre. Albertas Heather Nedohin is back to defend her title and shell be challenged by Manitobas Jennifer Jones, B.C.s Kelly Scott, Mary-Anne Arsenault of Nova Scotia and Suzanne Birt of Prince Edward Island. Nedohin, who defeated Scott in last years final in Red Deer, Alta., said shell be comfortable with the additional pressure that comes with wearing the Maple Leaf jersey as the Team Canada entry. "I know what its like to play against Team Canada -- everybody raises their game," Nedohin said Tuesday from Sherwood Park, Alta. "But that also raises our game." Ontarios Rachel Homan has enjoyed a successful season and will get a boost from the home crowd at the Feb. 16-24 event. The Ottawa skip, who won the national junior title in 2010, will be making her second Scotties appearance. The Northwest Territories/Yukon entry will be led by Kerry Galusha, who will be competing in her 11th Canadian championship. Kristie Moore will skip the Alberta rink and Allison Ross will guide the Quebec side. Saskatchewans Jill Shumay and Newfoundland and Labradors Stacie Devereaux are also in the field. New Brunswicks entry will be confirmed Sunday. Shumay is making her tournament debut while Ross and Moore are skipping at the Scotties for the first time. "I think its a really good field," Scott said from Kelowna, B.C. "I think its hard to know how the teams who have never been there before, how they will adapt to that environment. "But obviously anybody who wins their province and beats the teams within their province, certainly you know they can play." Jones finished first in the round robin last year but lost to Nedohin in the Page playoff and had to settle for bronze. Nedohin edged Scott 7-6 in the final. "Once we get to the Scotties, no matter what province or territory were from, the game rises," Nedohin said. "Everybody is out there to win." The Alberta skip went on to represent Canada at the Ford world womens curling championship in Lethbridge. She finished third behind Sweden and champion Switzerland. Nedohin also reached the world championships in 1998 as a third on Cathy Borsts rink. Jones will be making her 10th appearance at the Scotties. The 2008 world champion has won the national title on four occasions. The Nova Scotia rink is also loaded with experience. Arsenault will be playing in her 11th national championship. She has reunited with vice-skip Colleen Jones and second Kim Kelly, who will throw third. They teamed with Nancy Delahunt to win five Scotties and two world championships. Jones, who will be making a record 21st appearance at the tournament, is the third but will be throwing second. Jen Baxter is the lead and Delahunt is the fifth player. "I think theyre going to be a hoot, theyre going to be so much fun," Scott said. "Theyll probably lighten up the field a bit as far as their approach to the game. Theyre true competitors but theyre also a lot of fun." The winner of the 2013 Scotties will represent Canada at the March 16-24 world playdowns in Riga, Latvia. In mens play, this years Tim Hortons Brier is scheduled for March 2-10 at Rexall Place in Edmonton. The winner of that event will represent Canada at the mens world championship March 30-April 7 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria. Hockey Jerseys China . -- Japanese teenager Yuzuru Hanyu dominated the short program Friday night at Skate America. Wholesale Jerseys . The Rogers Centre roof was having difficulty closing on Tuesday but the Toronto Blue Jays had even more trouble with the surging Baltimore Orioles who pounded out a 12-0 victory. http://www.wholesalesportsjerseysshop.com/ . Nesbitt finished in one minute 56.07 seconds, well ahead of defending champion Ireen Wust of the Netherlands, who was second in 1:56.40. Wusts teammate Linda de Vries was third in 1:57. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . Saskatchewan announced a deal Friday with the defensive back/kick returner, who joined the Riders last season in a trade with the Edmonton Eskimos. Jerseys China Cheap . The new rule allows a player placed on the list to return to practice after six weeks, but not play for at least eight. If McGahee were to return in eight weeks, he would be available in the AFC Championship Game, should the 7-3 Broncos make it that far.The Brooklyn Nets hired Jason Kidd as their coach Wednesday, bringing the former star back to the franchise he led to its greatest NBA success. Kidd retired earlier this month after one season with the New York Knicks, his 19th in the NBA. The Nets decided to hire him to replace P.J. Carlesimo despite his absence of coaching experience. "Jason Kidd has a long and legendary history with the Nets and with the city of New York," Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. "He has the fire in the belly we need, and has achieved as a player everything the Brooklyn Nets are striving to achieve. We believe he will lead us there. Welcome home, Jason." The move reunites Kidd with the franchise he led to consecutive NBA Finals in 2002-03, when they played in New Jersey. He spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Nets, averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 assists and 7.2 rebounds, and is their career leader in numerous statistical categories. "Jason is a proven winner and leader with an incredible wealth of basketball knowledge and experience," general manager Billy King said. "This will be a natural transition for him to move into the role of head coach, as he embodies the tough, smart and team-first mentality that we are trying to establish in Brooklyn." Terms of the deal that made Kidd the 18th coach in franchise history were not disclosed.dddddddddddd The Nets will introduce Kidd on Thursday during a press conference at Barclays Center. Carlesimo wasnt retained after leading the Nets into the playoffs, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in the first round. He went 35-19 after replacing Avery Johnson, who was fired in December. The 40-year-old Kidd was considered one of the smartest players in the NBA, which he believes will help him make the transition into coaching. "This is a tremendous opportunity to be named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, and its a role I have been studying for over the course of my playing days," Kidd said. "Championship teams are built on being prepared, playing unselfishly and being held accountable, and thats how I expect to coach this basketball team." The Nets interviewed him this week and chose him as their coach after talking with Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw earlier Wednesday. Kidd has a close friendship with Nets point guard Deron Williams and the respect of many in the organization for his achievements as a player. He is second on the NBAs career list in assists and steals, won an NBA title with Dallas and has two Olympic gold medals. ' ' '