NORQUAY - The Canadian Firefighter Curling Championship recently took place in Prince Edward Island, with teams from across the country participating.
Ken Newell, a member of the Saskatchewan team originally from Kamsack and Norquay, spoke with the Kamsack Times about his team's experience at the championship. He said, “Well, it was an honour, that's for sure. It was an honour to represent Saskatchewan and our little town and all of the fire departments in Saskatchewan. It was, it was quite an experience. We've never curled in anything like that before in our lives. So it was a learning curve for us a little bit. The people there were phenomenal. Fantastic. The camaraderie between the fire departments and the firemen themselves was just unbelievable. So, I'm looking forward to trying to get back next year already. It was a real good experience.”
Newell's team went three and six overall, finishing sixth, which he said was not too terrible for a first-time team, saying, “There were a couple of teams there that were really, really good. And we gave them a run for a little bit, but then they ended up beating us. So overall, I think we performed fairly well. Everybody said that we represented well, on and off the ice. So that means a lot.”
He hopes to make it to the championship again next year, which will be held in Moosomin, Sask. “I've been trying for the last eight or nine years to make it and my team has lost the provincial final three out of the last six years, and I think a semi-flat final one other year out of that. So we've been there, like right there for over the last six years. We finally made it this year, and you just have a little more incentive to get there since now we know what it's about. The people you meet and everything is just phenomenal, just unbelievable. It's an experience that since I've curled for 41 years I've never felt anything like this experience that we've just had. So it was unbelievable,” said Newell.
The championship is open to any interested fire departments that meet specific regulations, and the provincials will be held in Prince Albert next year.
