HOG LINE: Special Olympics curling back underway in Brandon

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This article was published 07/12/2022 (749 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a long two years for Special Olympics curlers in Brandon.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began to make its presence felt in March 2020, those involved in the sport had to finish up their season early.

While no one was sure when exactly things would get back to normal, those involved never expected a period of uncertainty to last until the fall of 2022.

“We kind of started things back up again last December, but then we shut things down again with omicron and didn’t get back going until the end of the season with a handful of curlers,” said Jodee Webster, one of the coaches for the Special Olympics curling team in Brandon.

“It was a pretty difficult time for everyone, but especially for the athletes. There were some that didn’t quite understand what was happening with everything being shut down, so I’m sure it was pretty tough on them, especially in terms of their overall mental health.”

Thankfully, the 2022-23 season has gone well thus far.

Anywhere between 16 to 20 athletes — which is where the numbers were prior to the pandemic — show up at the Riverview Curling Club each Sunday evening for two hours of curling.

The majority of those involved with the program have played the sport for years. Some of them use sticks to send rocks down the ice, while others get into the hack to make their deliveries.

In addition to their weekly leagues, the curlers also compete in bonspiels. Their first event of the season is on Sunday at the Charleswood Curling Club in Winnipeg.

“I think our athletes can probably teach the able-bodied athletes a thing or two about sportsmanship,” Webster said. “They are certainly competitive and like to win, but they just want to go out there and have fun.

“If they lose, they are happy for the other team. There’s no broom throwing or anything like that out there.”

The athletes are currently working towards the 2023 provincial championships, which will be held at the Charleswood from Feb. 24 to 26.

One of the division winners from that event will then be selected to attend the next national championships. The date and location for that event have yet to be announced.

In addition to curling, the athletes are also involved in a variety of other activities during the winter, such as floor hockey, bowling and snowshoeing.

“They are pretty fortunate to have a lot of sports to choose from all year,” Webster said. “If you got a place like Winnipeg, they can only take part in one activity.”

Webster’s involvement with the program began five years ago when the lifelong curler was invited to come and help out by longtime coach Linda Laminman.

“I just kind of fell in love with it right away, especially when I got to know the athletes,” Webster said.

“They are an amazing bunch to coach. They are so appreciative of your time and it makes it very meaningful to come out and help them on a weekly basis.”

Those who are interested in attending a curling session — which runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. each Sunday from October to March — are asked to contact Kathleen Martin via e-mail at specialo.westman@gmail.com

“We’re always encouraging other athletes to see the sport or to come out and try it … but we also realize that it may not be for everyone,” Webster said. “You have to feel comfortable out on the ice because there’s a very good chance you might injure yourself if you fall.”

• • •

Regional qualifier season is about to kick into high gear.

Butch Mouck of Minnedosa, Dale Brooks of Hamiota, Kevin Paramor of Arden, Mark Anderson of Minnedosa and Ray Baker of Dauphin will square off for two provincial senior men’s berths at an event in Arden on Saturday and Sunday.

Carberry’s Brad Edwards, Souris’s Paul Kruk and Murray Warren’s Brandon-based rink are also to set battle it out for two provincial spots this weekend in Virden.

Meanwhile, the Hamiota and Brandon Curling Clubs are hosting masters men’s regional berth events next week.

Seven rinks — Brian Manns of Minnedosa, Brian Tolton of Hamiota, Lawrence Daniel of Hamiota, Lee Robins of Minnedosa, Mouck, Brooks and Baker — are competing in Hamiota on Monday and Tuesday for four provincial spots.

A pair of berths will be on the line at Brandon’s event, which runs on Tuesday and Wednesday. Gerry Haight, Gil Van Daele, Harvey Heise and Jim Renwick are competing on their home ice and will be joined by Kruk.

The 2023 provincial masters playdowns will be held from March 8 to 13 in Thompson, with the seniors taking place in Dauphin from March 22 to 27.

• • •

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Curling Tour championships are taking place in Carberry from Friday to Sunday, with provincial berths going to the winners in the men’s and women’s events.

A spot at January’s Manitoba Scotties in East St. Paul will also go to the MCT women’s points leader, with the two highest teams in the overall men’s points earning spots for February’s Viterra Championship in Neepawa.

Heading into this weekend, Abby Ackland and Beth Peterson lead the way in the women’s standings. Ackland has yet to clinch a berth to the Scotties, while Peterson earned her spot through a qualifying event in Minnedosa last month.

Corey Chambers, Ryan Wiebe and Jordon McDonald are the top three skips in the men’s standings. Of that group, Wiebe’s rink is the only one that hasn’t nabbed a spot at the Viterra.

• • •

Terry Ursel and her rink from the Neepawa Curling Club were eliminated from championship pool contention in the women’s event at the Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Yarmouth, N.S., on Wednesday evening after a 9-3 loss to Quebec’s Chantal Osborne.

Ursel, who is joined on her rink by third Wanda Rainka, second Brenda Walker, lead Tracy Igonia, fifth Christine Hamblin and coach Lorne Hamblin, finished in a tie for sixth in Pool A with a 1-5 mark. Her lone win came in an 8-1 contest against New Brunswick’s Sandy Comeau on Monday.

The Manitoba squad will compete in seeding pool games to finish out the tournament.

Randy Neufeld’s rink from La Salle is a perfect 6-0 heading into championship pool play, which begins today.

The men’s and women’s competitions both wrap up on Saturday, with select games being streamed on YouTube.

» lpunkari@brandonsun.com