Rink ready for games

WINTER GAMES.

HUNTSVILLE - Al Bourgeois, Laura Thompson, Ian Burgess and Phyllis Harris have a great deal in common.
As well as a love of the sport of curling, the four Parry Sound-area residents are also members of the local curling club and have competed against, and with each other, over the years, but never together as a team.
“I curl fairly often with Ian,” said Bourgeois. “I also coach bantam curling with Laura and I curl against Phyllis quite often.”
That all changed this past fall when the Parry Sound Curling Club was issued an invitation to send a team to a qualifier for the 2013 Ontario 55-plus Winter Games.
The qualifier, which was held Nov. 27 at the Huntsville Curling Club, would determine which team would represent the Muskoka Parry Sound District 4 region at the Feb. 26 to 28 games in Huntsville.
Bourgeois said he asked Thompson, Burgess and Harris if they would consider forming a rink with him to possibly compete at the qualifier. They agreed, but had to overcome one hurdle before heading to Huntsville – another rink in the club also wished to compete at the qualifier.
“This was the first time we curled together as a team,” he said. “We played off against the other rink at the club and we won.”
The chemistry that helped them to win the right to represent their club continued in Huntsville in late November, as the rink also won the regional qualifier and will now represent the region at the winter games.
Bourgeois, who is the skip of the team, said he and his teammates are looking forward to returning to the Huntsville club at the end of this month when the senior curlers gather for the tournament.
“We were happy when we won. We don’t know what to expect (at the senior games) … we haven’t met any of our competition. ”
Since they won the qualifier, the rink has tried to practise together at least once a week in preparation of the senior games.
He added the winter games is perhaps the largest-scale event he and his teammates have ever competed at during their curling careers.
“I have competed at zone and the regional level before, but not at provincials. We think it is going to be a really neat experience, especially for the curling experience and the social experience.”
More than 1,000 athletes, officials and fans will converge on Huntsville for the Ontario 55-plus Senior Winter Games.
The 10 competitive sports include alpine skiing, badminton, bowling, curling, duplicate bridge, hockey, Nordic skiing, prediction skating, table tennis and volleyball.
The Canada Summit Centre, Lake of Bays Community Centre, Huntsville High School, Riverside Public School, Huntsville Curling Club, Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area, Delta Grandview Resort and Arrowhead Provincial Park will host events throughout the last week of February
The event is a provincial multi-sport championship that will showcase athletes 55 and older and is an excellent example of what a healthy, active lifestyle can contribute to improve quality of life in your senior years. For more on the event, visit www.ontario55pluswintergames.com.

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