Tillsonburg sends off Team King to Montana's Brier

In his remarks, Jayden King gave credit to the support from the Tillsonburg Curling Club for his trip to the Montana’s Brier, and requested a photo of all who supported him at his send-off event Saturday at the club. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

People were shoulder to shoulder in Tillsonburg Curling Club to send Team King off to the Montana’s Brier this week in St. John’s, NL.

The event will be the first time the Tillsonburg Curling Club name will be represented at the Brier, which is the men’s national curling championship. With skip Jayden King being from the local club, the town’s name will be seen across the nation by curling fans viewing the event on television. King and team vice Dylan Niepage, second Owen Henry, and lead Victor Pietrangelo won the Ontario Tankard to represent the province.

The club hosted a send-off event on Saturday afternoon that included speeches and fun games against local competitors.

King thanked his neighbours, Nora and Les Peter, for getting him into curling.

“When I was at their home before I knew what curling was, they had Scotties (Tournament of Hearts) on in their house, and they brought me here,” he recounted.

Playing at the Montana’s Brier is not something he dreamt of.

“Eleven-year-old me would have never imagined being here today,” he said. “It’s the dream of every curler, but we’re not going alone; we’re bringing all of you.”

King gave credit to all those who supported him through the years, the volunteers who made sacrifices for the team, and thanked the curling club for the use of the ice for practices.

“Curling is often seen as an individual sport, but success is never individual,” he said. “Today is proof of that.”

Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy, assisted by Coun. Chris Parker, presented the team with Tillsonburg swag to wear at the Brier.

“Moments like this remind us how deeply curling is woven into our community,” she said. “To see a curler who was developed by this club go on to the provincial and national stage is astonishing.”

Greetings were read from MP Arpan Khanna, and MPP Ernie Hardeman also presented a congratulatory scroll.

Jennifer Cuddy, who coached King from the time he was 13 until recently, provided some background on the team members. When she realized the players were headed, it was agreed the team needed someone who had played at a high level. Morgan Lavell, who been to the Olympic trials and played in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts (women’s nationals), stepped in.

Cuddy recalled when she started coaching King at the age of 13.

“He slid like he’d been sliding all his life,” she recounted.

Pietrangelo, who is from Niagara Falls, won a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the World University Games. A London native, Henry competed in the mixed doubles at the U21 nationals. Niepage calls the Coldwater Curling Club home and skipped the Guelph Gryphons to the nationals. He and King swapped positions from vice to skip.

“Dylan hadn’t swept a rock more than six feet,” Cuddy said of the switch.

Alternate Spencer Dunlop will accompany the team.

Speaking of King, she gave him credit for juggling his studies to become a physiotherapist, practicing, and being a board member at Tillsonburg Curling Club.

With the Olympics men’s gold medal game playing in the background at the club, Cuddy predicted, “You will see these boys for a long time to come, and the Olympics is not out of the question.”

The event also provided an opportunity for the curling club to present funds raised through local initiatives to the national-bound curlers. This included $1,920 raised from the sale of hats and hoodies created by Tillsonburg member Rob Jordan, $615 raised at an event at Montana’s in Woodstock, $900 donated from Thursday night men’s league, and $1,000 from the senior men’s league. Tillsonburg Canadian Tire will also donate $1 to the team from every jug of windshield washer fluid sold until Feb. 28.