Scotch Doubles Bonspiel ‘biggest in club history’

Courtland’s Jayden King, left, shown with Tillsonburg Curling Club president Diane Kleer, brought the Ontario Tankard Trophy to the annual Scotch Doubles Bonspiel he convenes at his home club in Tillsonburg. (Chris Abbott Photo)

Chris Abbott, Grant Haven Media

There was a much bigger trophy beside the Scotch Doubles Bonspiel trophy in Tillsonburg this year.

Enormous, in fact.

The Scotch Doubles trophy at the Tillsonburg Curling Club does have weight – it includes a curling rock – but it could not match the height and width of the Ontario Tankard trophy brought by Scotch Doubles convener Jayden King, who went on to play in the national Montana’s Brier.

“Third annual Scotch Doubles Bonspiel,” King noted on March 15. “Some other clubs in the area (within a 90-minute drive) do it quite successfully, as a season-ender, and we were looking for something new and fun to do here. So a couple years ago we tried it and it was an instant hit.

“It’s great to bring people to Tillsonburg, get people in Tillsonburg together. It’s especially great given all the support we’ve had the last couple of weeks at the Brier, to be able to come back to play in Tillsonburg and do something good for the club.

“Some people we meet for the first time on Friday night, some people learn to curl on Friday night and they play the weekend. Most people, once they get the hang of it, they love it. It really is just getting people in the door. Understanding that curling ‘is a thing,’ first off, and then where and how to find it. It’s been really good.”

This year’s Scotch Doubles Bonspiel, March 13-15, had 52 teams in three divisions (rec, intermediate and competitive), two players per team.

“The first year we had 24 teams, the second year 36. This year’s event was the largest bonspiel the club has ever hosted…”

“Probably the largest in club history,” nodded Walter Kleer, who was volunteering at the bonspiel.

“Because it’s doubles, there’s less curlers on the ice at a time, and games only take an hour,” said King. “Games move quick, six ends, three rocks by player one, three rocks by player two.

“It’s a little different from Olympics doubles, but the speed of the game is the same. For us, it’s a good switch from the normal ‘fours’ that we play year-round, and it’s great to see so many club curlers that like it recreationally. They come out, have fun, and on Sunday their competitive juices start to go. There’s some competition this weekend, but it really is – especially in the rec – about having fun. It’s really just focused on enjoying the game.”

The recreational division was the biggest with 28 teams.

For King, who also played in the Scotch Doubles’ competitive division with teammate Owen Henry, his season summit was the Montana’s Brier.

“It just sums up your whole (men’s) season. That’s where every curler wants to get to, and obviously everyone wants to win the Brier and hopefully the Worlds a couple weeks later, but if you can’t be that successful team, then you can reflect on your year and look at how you can build up for next year.

King said his immediate plans after the Scotch Doubles included catching up on school and work.

“Today (March 15), just relax, make sure things are still running, study for my mid-term tomorrow, and play.

“I am lucky enough to have a good group of volunteers here that help run this. It takes about 20 people who are giving up their time, because we’re here all weekend from 7:30-8 a.m. to 1 a.m. It has almost wrapped the clock.”