Brier feels like old home week for veteran Simmons
Two-time champion from Moose Jaw looking forward to ‘great atmosphere’
In nine appearances at the Canadian men’s curling championship, Pat Simmons has found there’s nothing quite like playing in front of a hometown crowd.
In 2006, his second Brier, the Moose Jaw-based Simmons represented Saskatchewan in front of local curling fans in Regina.
“You’re definitely pulled in different directions more often in that case. More requests, appearances, and things of that nature,” he said, adding that time management is at a premium when playing at home.
“Once you learn how to manage that side of it, then there’s nothing better than to have the opportunity to play an event of that magnitude at home, just because you’ve got great support and people are there for you if you need anything.”
When Simmons was a young curler, the Brier was always the pinnacle event in which he dreamt of participating. He had the opportunity to attend the 1992 Brier in Regina after winning tickets at a youth event. He took in the 2000 Brier as a fan when the event was held in Saskatoon.
The first Brier Simmons attended as a competitor was in 2005. The excitement of the event has remained with him throughout his career.
“Everyone knows how special the event is, and it’s an honour to get to play in it, for sure, whether you’re lucky to do that once or a whole bunch of times,” he said.
Simmons skipped Saskatchewan at the Brier for four straight years, from 2005-08, finishing third in the latter appearance.
He competed again as Team Saskatchewan in 2011, before joining Kevin Koe’s rink out of Alberta in 2012. That year, the Koe team finished second in the Saskatoonhosted Brier.
After failing to qualify for the Brier in 2013, the Koe rink won the Alberta provincials and the Brier in 2014, before finishing fourth at the world championships.
Koe left the team before the 2015 season and was replaced by John Morris. The rink competed at the Brier as Team Canada. Morris began as skip, but Simmons moved into the role during the tournament and the team won the Canadian title before finishing third at the worlds.
“To have an opportunity to win a couple of times was just fantastic,” Simmons said. “That’s umpteen hundreds of thousands of rocks that a person throws, a lot of them when you’re young, with that thought in mind.
“The era of curling I grew up in, that was the pinnacle and the dream, so to get a chance to play in your first Brier is almost a dream come true and I’ll never forget that feeling.”
While curling with an Albertabased team, he would commute between his home in Moose Jaw and Calgary after joining the foursome.
“Throughout my career, I would say I’ve been a workman in the sense that I work and fight for every little thing,” he said. “Certainly nothing came easy, but again, you don’t expect that.”
The effort paid off as Simmons won long-awaited championships.
“Obviously it took a little longer to get to that stage than I would have liked, but it’s just a matter of getting the pieces in place and learning,” he said. “Everything has to be just right, and even then, there are no guarantees.”
Despite playing in world championships and winning many Grand Slams and Skins Games, the Brier has always been the event that’s remained foremost in Simmons’ mind. Through his many appearances over the years, he said he’s learned how to manage his time and how to strategically approach the competition.
The Brier is an extremely busy week for any team. In addition to playing two games a day, there are autograph sessions, meetings with fans, and managing recovery, nutrition and sleeping. For the home team, it also means family and friends in the crowd, which adds a certain dynamic, especially in Saskatchewan.
“It’s just a great experience, once you get a bunch of people behind you,” Simmons said.
“There’s always a big group or a contingent of Saskatchewan fans, regardless of where you go. That’s always nice to see, and they’re always full of pride and cheering a person on.”
Simmons is excited for the 2018 Brier, not only as a fan, but also as the director of high performance for CurlSask. He’s looking forward to programs that will be set in place for youth to experience the event, hopefully spurring on the next generation of curlers.
“If just a few kids get inspired by having an event in Regina, it’s all the better, for sure,” he said.
“Saskatchewan has just a fantastic history of showcasing themselves in great events. When events come here, I think the curling community gets excited because they all know it’s going to be a great event, and that’s pretty special to be in the middle of and be a part of.”
Simmons expects the Brier will be special for the fans, as well.
“You know it’s going to be a wellattended event. The fans are fantastic,” he said. “They’re knowledgeable. They’re going to enjoy it and be respectful. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
Simmons, a chiropractor and father of two, continues to curl out of Moose Jaw as the skip for a trio of young curlers from Manitoba.
“I still enjoy the process of practising and playing and trying to compete and trying to improve. Where that takes me in the next year or two, we’ll see,” he said.
“I’m at the stage where, certainly I make and set goals for myself, but it’s more around the enjoyment and, like always before, still trying to improve and get better and carry on with it.”
Throughout my career, I would say I’ve been a workman in the sense that I work and fight for every little thing.