Giving all of curling its due

From the 2004 and 2008 Grand Slam championships, three players’ championships and one Masters tournament were held here in Newfoundland and Labrador — more specifically St John’s and the Northeast Avalon.

There are some meanderings about whether or not we are a curling province or Gushue province.

Yes, we are largely a Gushue province and that is well-deserved on the part of Brad Gushue, but I think it’s unfair to say that we are just a Gushue province.

I think that things are slowly changing and that the number of teams in the Tankard last year with the opportunity for a second Newfoundland and Labrador team to play in the Brier changed a lot of minds and I think you will see a whole other level of competition and interest not from just players but from the fan side of things.

But a national or national/ world tournament is a national/ world tournament, if you get what I’m saying it draws people from all over the country as well as the world in some cases.

The grand slam of curling and the world curling tour are not the only national-esqe events to be held here in St John’s.

In March 2019 Baly Halley Curling Club will play host to the 2019 National Police curling championships.

Now, I know there are some people that will have a little chuckle at that because it will not be broadcast on Sportsnet or TSN or any other major network but there are a couple other things we need to take into consideration. These are national class athletes who played all in provincial playdowns to be the best of that province to represent themselves at a national level.

And with the proper marketing and right Attitude we also have to

There are some meanderings about whether or not we are a curling province or Gushue province. Yes, we are largely a Gushue province and that is well-deserved on the part of Brad Gushue, but I think it’s unfair to say that we are just a Gushue province.

understand that this truly is a national class event, not unlike the one recently held in C.B.S.

And yes I know I know that people disagree with me, but the fact of the matter is that yes, one may be a little more difficult to compare to the other but there are four things you must consider: 1) this is a national curling event; 2) these are national class athletes; 3) it’s being hosted in our city and in our province; and 4) it’s curling!

Whether we are a Gushue province or not we are still a curling province, too. We may be in the infancy stages of it, but we are there. So I feel a little more media attention, a little more social media attention and a little more word of mouth could really help catapult such an event as the 2019 National Police Curling Championships too amore appropriate level instead of being pushed to the back burner.

Give it some respect and attention that it sorely needs and most definitely deserves and truly demonstrate our true Newfoundland pride!

Jason Pike St. John’s