Our love for curling began when my son, Jesse, joined the local youth curling club in Grand Falls-Windsor, NL in 2008. As we cheered him on, we were “swept” up in the excitement of the sport. The team spirit, close knit community, and overall fun of the game is what brought us together. On August 15, 2023, Jesse passed away unexpectedly at the early age of 27. Though he was not involved in curling then, it was part of his childhood, creating many lasting memories, such as attending our first big curling event together at the 2017 Brier in St. John’s, NL. It makes our hearts so happy to see our home of Newfoundland and Labrador being proudly represented around the world by such outstanding players.
Within recent years me and my husband have recruited new curling fans! We shared our passion for the sport with my sister and her husband. It didn’t take long before they were hooked too. We get together to watch just about every game and when we can’t get together, we are messaging each other throughout the game:
“Did you see that shot?!”
“They got it!”
“Whooo hooo!”
This past November we took our team spirit out of the living room and into the stadium! We cheered from the stands, instead of our couch, at the Kioti Grand Slam in St. John’s, NL. It was an experience we will never forget. The four of us wore our Team Gushue sweatshirts and although it did not bring them much luck, we still had an awesome time. Talking to other fans, learning more about the sport and getting familiar with other teams brought a new appreciation. The players of curling are unlike any other athletes. Upon meeting many of them at the after party, we were overjoyed to see how welcoming and down-to-earth everyone was. We really felt like we were a part of the community and that our cheering does not go unnoticed. This encouraged us to try our own hand at curling. When our local Fire Department posted an advertisement for a Curling FunSpiel, for Feb. 7-8, 2025, as a fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy, we couldn’t think of a better time to give it a go! We made up a team name, “A Bit Rocky” which holds true considering we lost all three of our games, but we had a wonderful time! We went into the fundraiser a little hesitant, as we knew
we would be one of the few teams who have never played before but once again, the support from the community continued to make us feel at home. We received many helpful tips and advice from more experienced players who were happy to share their knowledge. We are now considering taking adult curling classes as the sport has brought so much light into our lives.
In the picture, attached, you will see us wearing our Team Gushue sweatshirts at the curling fundraiser, but most importantly you will see Jesse’s broom which I used so he could be with us. I am sure he was looking down and having a big laugh for himself, but most importantly he would be proud of us for never giving up, for not taking life too seriously and for getting out there and having fun! It is never too late, and you are never too old to try something new!
Note: I have also attached a couple pictures of my son, Jesse, when he was curling.
Curling-b50ec9c88611b3c9a61c2b03f37d3621.pdf