I was introduced to curling through my parents when we lived in Calgary. As a 10 year old every Sunday evening my sister and I would go to the Big Four building in Calgary (24 sheets of ice on 2 levels). As a kid I was pretty wide eyed being able to look at 48 sheets of ice in one building. I sat for the 2 hours every week watching intently as my parents curled, taking in every shot.

Two years later my Dad and a friend of his thought it would be great for them to have their kids curl with them in the league, and so it began. I started with both feet in the hack to get the rock down the ice then hopped along as I swept with a corn broom. Two dads and two kids somehow ended up winning the Cross Town Curling Club Bonspiel in 1978. I still have the engraved platter we won and cherish it the most.

When I moved back to Manitoba when I was 16 I joined the ladies club and at age 18 I became a member of the executive and have been involved ever since. My love for the game has carried through to coaching juniors for the past 33 years and organizing the junior league in our club. I also carried on my curling career by curling competitively (I’ve been to 17 different provincial championships) and a highlight was going to the Legion National Championships twice. I’ve also volunteered at several curling events and have now become an umpire.

When you see your parents having fun and you’re able to join in it’s pretty special and curling became such a large part of my life. So many friendships and memories have been made. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to have all of our kids love the game as well and are now working on our grandchildren. It is a life long sport and something you can do as a family which is quite special.