GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, N.L. — It is the Exploits Hurricanes' curling night at the Exploits Curling Club in Grand Falls-Windsor.
Divided into two groups, about a dozen Special Olympic athletes and their coaches take turns on Feb. 18 making shots and sweeping.
One of the teams is there for recreation, while the other is preparing for the upcoming Special Olympic Winter Games in Thunder Bay Feb. 25-29.
“This will be the first national Winter Games for me and my team,” said team skip Joshua Gardner. “It will be very cool.”
Clad in fresh Team NL gear, the Hurricanes competitive team is made up of Gardner, Kim O’Neill, Tony Kryitsis, Margaret MacNeil and Gary Wicks.
On this night, each take their turn attempting to navigate a set of curling rocks down the pebbled ice of the curling club’s third lane.
Each shot is done under the watchful eyes of coaches Joe Tremblett and Sara Pinsent. After each team member takes a shot, their coaches offer encouragement and tips to help improve the next one.
It is one of the last practices the team will have before they head to the games in Ontario.
The Hurricanes enter the competition on a bit of a roll. They were recently named the Special Olympics Team of the Year for Newfoundland and Labrador.
To earn that title, they won the gold medal at the provincial Special Olympics Winter Games in March. They followed the win with their selection as Grand Falls-Windsor's Team of the Year.
The team is entering this tournament with a very simple plan. They’re going to give every game an earnest effort, have fun and let things fall where they may.
They approach the game with the same attitude every time they hit the ice. At practice, there are laughs and plenty of hard work.
It is a fine blueprint for success.
“I’m looking forward to meeting new people, giving it our best shot and having fun,” said Gardner.
