Falcons' curling teams sweep into new season

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: FANSHAWE ATHLETICS
Fanshawe Falcons' curler Lauren Massey returns to the ice to sweep into a new season.

The Fanshawe Falcons’ curling season kicked off with two victories during a pair of exhibition games at the Sports Centre at the Western Fair District.

Both of the Falcons’ men’s and women’s curling teams saw victories during their exhibition games with the Western Mustangs. The women’s curling team won 7-6 on Jan. 9 and the men’s team won 13-1 on Jan. 10.

The exhibition games happened the same week as the Continental Cup, a tournament featuring the world’s top curlers. Barry Westman, the head coach of Fanshawe’s curling teams, said the tournament presented several learning opportunities for the Fanshawe student-athletes as they prepare to secure a spot in both the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships.

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“Playing in an arena, in front of a large crowd, during a nationally televised event is bound to generate some nerves,” Westman said in an email interview with Interrobang. “Being successful under these conditions will make it easier handling the pressure our players will experience as we attempt to win Provincial and National Championships ourselves.”

He added that the opportunity to play on arena ice, compared to playing on the ice in the curling club, is a unique and rare opportunity. The Falcons gained an edge after the first exhibition games, because Nationals are also held on arena ice.

“We had this same opportunity in 2018 and I believe that that experience was instrumental in winning gold and silver at Nationals that season.”

The Falcons’ men’s curling team’s sole returning starter Charlie Richard, (business-human resources) is back for his fifth year. Richard played as a skip for the past three years and earned several All-Star awards and a Gold and a Silver CCAA medal during his student athletics career. Also returning are fifth-year player Erin White (graphic design) and last season’s Fanshawe curling rookie of the year Lauren Massey (architectural technology).

Two Fanshawe Falcons alumni, Chris Jay and Shannon Jay (née Kee) return as associate coaches. During their time at Fanshawe, the Jays won three National Championships between them. The pair also represented Ontario during the 2016 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championships.

“We are fortunate to have been able to add them to our coaching staff as we prepare our new mixed doubles teams,” Westman said.

The head coach explained that the mixed team format is a game changer for this season’s OCAAs.

“The traditional four player mixed game has been replaced with two player mixed doubles formats. This is a significant change and the rules and strategy are very different than the traditional game.”

Exhibition games continue until the OCAA Curling Championships, which will be hosted by Fleming College from Feb. 13 to 15. The Falcons next head to the East York Curling Club for the Humber Bonspiel on Jan. 17 to take on the Hawks. The teams will then host the Fanshawe Bonspiel at the St. Thomas Curling Club on Jan. 25.

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