Love of the game keeps senior curlers playing
Flight delays added to the chaos at Community First Curling Centre in Sault Ste. Marie as teams taking part in the Canadian Seniors Curling Championship waited for equipment to arrive.
But, once flights arrived, the teams took to the ice to throw some rocks ahead of the competition which begins Monday, Dec. 6.
Many of those competing in the seniors tournament have been curling for decades, some since they were children. Team Saskatchewan's Sherry Anderson has been curling for nearly 50 years.
"It's just a great social sport and it's good competition and it's a good thing to do when you're in 40-below weather," she says. "It gets you out of the house in the wintertime to go and play a sport. So, that's why I enjoy it."
Olympic medalist Cheryl Bernard brought her squad in from Alberta. Despite retiring from the sport, she's found her way back.
"It's hard to walk away," says Bernard. ""It truly is the people. It's a great community across this country. You know, you come to Sault Ste. Marie and I can phone Brad Jacobs and chat with him, or EJ or Ryan and that's a neat part about our game."
Both Anderson and Bernard say getting involved in the sport is as easy as making a call to your local curling club. They say there's plenty of reasons to give the sport a try.
"The beer is always cold, the red wine is just a nice temperature in the lounge, it's really, like I said, a very social sport and it's great for our winters in Canada here to get out and do something," says Anderson.
"The number one comment I get is how hard it is compared to what it looks like," says Bernard. "I've always said you're watching professionals, and so it's going to take a while to get to that level. But I think it's very easy to get a hold of a club and ask for a learn-to-curl, and then you can you can kind of go in some of their open leagues and try the game from there."
Opening ceremonies for the 2021 Canadian Seniors Curling are set for Monday evening (Dec. 6) with the finals set for the following Saturday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city, marking the first franchise in Canada
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.