麻豆社区

There was a lot of curling crammed into a five days from Nov. 25-30 in Leduc, Alta. Teams from across the country competed in the 2019 Canadian Curling Club Championships, including a men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 team from the Yukon.

Both teams saw success while in Leduc, making it to the bronze medal games.

The men representing the Yukon were, Tyler Williams, Kevin Yost, Matt Johnson and Trent Derkatch. The women鈥檚 team was Peggy Dorosz, Laini Klassen, Kandice Braga and Inge Brown.

To be able to go to the Club Championships, the men鈥檚 team had to compete in a play-in at the Whitehorse Curling Club against five other teams. The women鈥檚 team was the only one eligible to go.

Teams can only have one player who has played in a provincial men鈥檚, women鈥檚 or seniors event that season or the previous season or in a Grand Slam of Curling event that year or the previous year.

Dorosz said it gives the grassroots curlers a chance to curl at a National level. Williams said it was the top club curlers from the country.

The Championships featured 14 teams, from all the provinces and territories plus Northern Ontario.

The teams were split into two pools.

The women鈥檚 team conceded their first game against Quebec before rattling off four wins in a row. Dorosz said they faced good competition.

鈥淎t the club level teams are much more even across the board,鈥� said Dorosz. 鈥淲e felt equal to the pack. That鈥檚 the great thing about this tournament.鈥�

Dorosz said the team鈥檚 goal before playing a game was to make it out of the round-robin. Four teams advanced from each pool.

鈥淲e exceeded that expectation,鈥� said Dorosz.

With a chance to play for a gold medal on the line, the team played Alberta in the semifinals. Although they dropped the contest to Alberta, the eventual winners of the championship, 8-3, Dorosz said it was the team鈥檚 best game.

鈥淥ur strongest game was against Alberta,鈥� said Dorosz. 鈥淭hey definitely won that game and deserved to win but we made them work for it.鈥�

In their bronze medal draw, they once again played Quebec, who they conceded to in their opening game.

鈥淲e thought we could go out there and pull it off,鈥� said Dorosz. 鈥淚t was a good game.鈥�

Quebec came out on top 9-5.

Throughout the championship, Dorosz said the team got better.

鈥淭he first game you are getting a feel for it and there were some nerves involved,鈥� said Dorosz.

鈥淲e were able to regroup and continued to get better. The whole team worked together and developed together.鈥�

Representing the Yukon, Dorosz said was a proud moment for the team.

鈥淲e were definitely motivated to do our best and represent,鈥� said Dorosz. 鈥淣obody likes to miss a shot and the intensity is up. I was real excited and proud to represent the Yukon.鈥�

The men鈥檚 team opened their tournament with an 8-6 win over B.C., in a game that was broadcast on YouTube.

鈥淚 was worried about that first shot on the TV sheet,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淭he camera is right in your face by the hog line. Once you get into the game it becomes natural.鈥�

Williams said team鈥檚 began to notice the Yukon side after their first draw.

鈥淥ur first game did that,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淎 lot of others watched the game (on YouTube). It surprised a lot of people.鈥�

Like the women鈥檚 team, Williams said the team was looking to get out of pool play.

鈥淚 thought we had a realistic chance to get out of the group and that was a good goal for us,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淲e went 4-2.鈥�

Williams said the team showed improvement from start to finish.

鈥淲e got better as the week went along,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淲e gained confidence along the way. When we looked at our pool we figured the teams would be tough. We beat B.C. and Manitoba.

鈥淲hen we beat Manitoba, a powerhouse in curling, we started believing.鈥�

Williams said the teams best game came in the semifinal against Ontario, a game they eventually lost 7-4.

鈥淲e had a 4-3 lead with hammer and we made them make shots,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淭hey earned it.鈥�

In the bronze medal game, they fell to Northern Ontario 12-0.

鈥淏y that point, we were gassed,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淭hey scored three points in the first and it鈥檚 tough to come back from that.鈥�

Both Dorosz and Williams said it was special to have two Yukon teams at the championships.

鈥淢y favourite moment was after our Saskatchewan win,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淭he women were playing at the same time and we both beat Saskatchewan. There were big high-fives and it was beyond that moment.鈥�

鈥淵ou do have a partner team with you to support you through the week,鈥� said Dorosz. 鈥淲e got to celebrate together.鈥�

Williams believes the Club Curling Championships have been beneficial to curling clubs in all jurisdictions.

鈥淭his event has done a lot for competitive club curling,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淚t pushes everyone in the club to get better.鈥�

The championships are an annual event. A team competing in it cannot go two years in a row so the Yukon will have new representation for next year鈥檚 tournament.