Larry McGrath rode horses to the curling club. His father would take him via horse and sleigh on Saturday mornings to practice on a sheet of natural ice in Dodsland, Saskatchewan. Larry honed his skills in local bonspiels as a teenager and eventually came up against the famous Richardsons, and won. He initially found success teaming with Darlene Hill, John Gunn and Marlene Dorsett to win back-to-back Canadian mixed championships in 1967 and '68. Another mixed title came in 1971 (with Marlene replaced by Audrey St. John) but a purple heart still evaded him. Larry would reach his only Brier in L ..read more

Orest Meleschuk could accept when an opponent threw a good stone. But he was less tolerant when chaff from a corn broom turned a terrible miss into a made shot. In 1972 the luck of the chaff fell his way and together with third Dave Romano, second John Hanesiak and lead Pat Hailley, they won the 1972 Manitoba Tankard, Macdonald Brier and Air Canada Silver Broom (world championship). Orest reminisces on that magic season and recalls the famous "Labonte Boot." He shares thoughts on the 1989 Brier and a controversial burnt stone against BC's Rick Folk that may have cost his team (John Usackis, Jo ..read more

Georgina Wheatcroft always wanted to be an Olympian. Initially kept out of the evaluation camps, she needed a Scotties victory with Pat Sanders in 1987 to qualify for the first ever Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. She eventually reached her goal, winning bronze at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Georgina takes us through her journey, the high and lows, the close losses, running out of time at a skins game, and considers she might be the only player to have curled with both Joneses; Jennifer and Colleen ..read more

Don Lewis was an innovator. Being a curling icemaker in the 1970s was as much art as science. Don learned the craft in Saskatchewan, honed his skills with winter sojourns to Toronto in the early sixties and eventually became head icemaker for 14 Briers and 18 World Championships. He was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1989 and later joined the CCA board, becoming President in 2001. Don passed away August 11, 2021. Before talking to Don (29:40) Kevin talks with Warren Hansen about his new book "Sticks 'n' Stones: The Battle for Curling to be an Olympic Sport...". Warren also ..read more

Erika Brown started young. At the age of 15 she qualified for the 1988 Olympic Games and would compete in her first World Junior Championships a month after her appearance in Calgary. Erika shares her experiences growing up in the first family of Madison curling, playing third for Lisa Schoeneberg and Patti Lank, then returning to skip and reaching the Olympics 26 years after her first appearance. She looks back on a storied career of 14 World Championship appearances and 3 Olympic games, including 4 second place finishes, and the close calls that kept her from reaching the ultimate goal, a go ..read more

There are many legendary nicknames in curling. The Wrench, Snake, Moose, Arrow, Ice Man and the Round-Mound-Of-Come-Around are only a few.  But you may not have heard the legend of "Rock Bottom". Coach for Team Epping at the 2021 Tim Horton's Brier is Jim Wilson, aka R.B. Jim shares the origin of his nickname, some insight into Team Epping in the Brier bubble and considers a What If? for Wayne Middaugh's 1998 World Championship squad.   ..read more

Rae Kells was prepared for the challenge.  Her experience as a probations officer provided ideal training for work as a curling official.  Her steady approach to controversial finishes at the 1993 Canadian Junior Women’s and ’94 Junior Men’s championships led to nearly 3 decades officiating regional, national, and international events, including four Olympic Winter Games.  Rae was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 2019. Before talking to Rae (30:24), Kevin speaks to Donna Boyle about her involvement with production of the recently released documentary Sticks and ..read more

Don Aitken misses corn brooms. With two players pounding in unison, the sound and rhythm was a thing of beauty. In the 1970s, Don practiced on linoleum during summer months and by winter, helped sweep up purple hearts, winning Quebec Provincial titles throughout the decade-first with skip Bill Kent and later Jim Ursel. His Brier championship victory came with Ursel, Art Lobel and Brian Ross, taking the title in their home city of Montreal in 1977. The Hall of Famer shares stories from early junior success and discovering drag effect in the 1960s, up to his final Brier appearances as a skip in ..read more

Terry Jones wanted to have fun. As a kid he ran errands for the press box during the local baseball tournament and saw the thrill of being a sportswriter. Over his career "Jonesy" has covered it all, including succeeding Don "Buckets" Flemming as the curling scribe for the Edmonton Journal. Terry shares a secret to Don's success, reveals his own origin story, then weaves a history of curling in Northern Alberta, by way of his book World Curling Capital. A limited release, some copies are still available and can be purchased by contacting Curling Alberta. Terry was inducted into the Canadian Cu ..read more

Elaine Dagg-Jackson pursued her passion to coach curling. The decision led her to amazing experiences across the globe and eventually her dream job as National Women's Coach with Curling Canada. Her introduction to the sport came from father Lyall, winner of the 1964 Brier and World Championship. Her first trip to the Scotties was in 1987 as the alternate for Pat Sanders, but it was her work with Julie Sutton in the early 90s that would raise her coaching development to new levels. Elaine shares how her path in curling was not always clear and reflects on the moments that ultimately led to her ..read more