So, I am sure I have thought of a million ways to write this and still haven’t come up with the best way, let’s face it I am not a writer.

This is a story about my son, Elex and his true love for the game. Starting at just 4 years old we decided to put him in both skating and curling see where his path would take him. While other kids were shooting pucks and talking hockey our son soon took the path to the complex game of curling. Through the years he has played with multiple kids who have come and gone through the junior program, and he still had the determination to stick with the game and continue to learn and grow.

At the age of 8 while playing mate his team managed to get an 8 ender in a spiel in Liverpool NS. I am sure at the time the crowd was more excited than the kids, but it wasn’t long before he realized what an accomplishment it was.

As years passed and more kids came and went our son still stuck with it. Last year at the age of 13 not only did he curl with the juniors he also took the opportunity to curl with adults in the fun league on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This past year has been a real turning point, with no full junior team from our club we reached out to another club to see if there were a couple boys who would be interested in playing as a more competitive team at the U15 or U18 level. Well low and behold a team was formed even though late in the season by the time it came together they were not long forming a bond and team. After only a couple practices they went to their first spiel and finished as Finalist!!!! What an accomplishment but it has not stopped there… so far, they have played in multiple spiels including the U15 provincials and have either come out champions or finalist. What this team has become in such a short few months, has been nothing short of amazing to watch. Thought they have been winning and losing, it’s not all about winning it’s about the game!

This year Elex has also been invited to other clubs to curl with other teams and he is jumping on every opportunity to do so. Though normally the skip on both his regular junior team and adult league teams he plays with … he will gladly jump in and curl lead or any other position with any team that asks him. You see it’s about the love of the game for him. Learning and developing skills, playing with likewise players both young and old. He took his first stab at coaching a U12 team for a spiel this year too! He also was able to play one of the Scottish teams this winter as part of the 2023 Scottish Men’s tour to Canada, Elex played with his Wednesday night adult team which he skips. They may have even won! I heard about this game for the days before and the days after and what an amazing opportunity it was! For the record I do get to curl with him from time to time and it truly is a great feeling to be able to do so.

Outside of curling Elex also works part time, is a grade A student and enjoys acting in plays at our local theatre. So as this season will come to an end, and he will hit the field playing ball and golf he will still be talking about this season of curling and the next season to come, if summer curling was a thing in our area, I am sure he would spend the summer on the ice curling too. Being able to go to the Brier would be an amazing opportunity of more firsts, from the plane trip, to being able to sit and watch live professional curling not on a screen!

So, to finish out this rambling story of our son and his love for the game. Just want to say Good Curling!