Bryden reflects on 50 years in curling
Kathy Bryden is moving on after 50 years of curling.
Over that span, Bryden has curled, coached and served as president of the Regina Ladies Bonspiel, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Callie Curling Club.
Bryden is retiring as a player and as president of the bonspiel’s organizing committee, a role she has filled for 10 years.
“I’m finished, but I’m still organizing (the bonspiel),” Bryden said. “It’s just time for the younger people to take over.”
Cathie Flood, who has worked on the organizing committee during Bryden’s decade as the chair, has plenty of praise for her longtime curling colleague.
“Her contributions have been major,” Flood said. “She has gone out of her way to find sponsors. She’s always on everyone’s back to make sure that we get everything done on time. We’re going to miss her very much. We’re all very sorry to see her pull the pin, but we understand.
“We understand why, because she’s not curling anymore. If you’re not actually curling, the bonspiel doesn’t have the same appeal. It’s more about the fact that she has decided that it’s time to hang her broom up.”
Bryden had planned on focusing on the organization of her final bonspiel. That’s until the organizing committee and her friends encouraged her to revive her curling career for one last bonspiel.
A cool aspect to Bryden’s final bonspiel is that two of her seven grandchildren — 14-year-old twins Riley and Jayda — are participating as members of a junior women’s team.
“The girls and their mom curled with me in the bonspiel three years ago,” Bryden said. “I’m so happy for my last one that they will be playing this weekend.”
Bryden’s immediate family is well known in curling circles. Her husband (Gary), sons (Randy and Russ) and daughter (Renelle) all have enjoyed success at different levels.
Bryden remembers when the bonspiel struggled to fill its quota of 32 teams. Part of the issue was that the bonspiel was held in January.
“Our entertainment then was freezing because it was always in the first week of January,” she recalled with a laugh.
The bonspiel was eventually moved to November, when it has flourished. For the past four years, the bonspiel has reached its maximum number of teams, with a waiting list.
“It’s in great shape,” Flood said. “It kind of fell apart when it was in January and we curled in every single club. Kathy was the one who got us going and that we had to pull this thing together and get it active again.”
Bryden will still be around the rinks watching her kids and grandchildren curl. Looking back, she has enjoyed the social aspect of the roaring game.
“It has always been entertaining because of the people that you meet,” Bryden said. “It has always been about the people.”