Junior Athlete of the Week: Kevin Rivest

This week’s junior Athlete of the Week is Kevin Rivest of Montreal

Kevin Rivest

Birthdate: July 11, 1991 Birthplace: Montreal Hometown: Montreal Curling Club: Longue-Pointe Current Team: TBA Position: Skip Delivery: Right Nickname: Tiger Getting to Know Kevin Rivest Kevin Rivest’s first trip to the M and M Meat Shops Canadian junior men’s curling championship didn’t exactly go as planned. The young Montreal skip was dealing with high expectations as the home-province hopeful, representing Quebec at the Sorel-Tracy event. And the Rivest squad — including vice-skip Jeremy La Salle-Pike, second Harrison Pollock, lead Jean-Michel Crête and coach Norman Birrell — couldn’t have asked for a better start, beating Colin Miller of the Northwest Territories in its opener. But from then on, it was a series of losses as the Quebec champs posted a 1-11 record, leaving Rivest hungry for another shot at the national level with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Rivest had come close to the nationals before, finished second at the Quebec junior championship during the 2007-08 season, and prior to that, he’d claimed gold medals at the 2005 and 2007 Jeux du Quebec curling competitions. When he’s not practising and playing, Rivest is an avid poker player, golfer (he has a hole-in-one on his resume; now all he needs is an eight-ender!) and hockey player, who once helped his team win a tournament with an overtime goal in the tourney final. As well, Rivest has helped instruct new curlers at his home club in Montreal.

Click thumbnail to enlarge (Photo: CCA/Brennan Schnell)

Click thumbnail to enlarge (Photo: CCA/Brennan Schnell)

Click thumbnail to enlarge (Photo: CCA/Brennan Schnell)

Quick Hits with Kevin Rivest Do you have any superstitions? “I try to keep doing the same things I do when I’m winning, like listen to the same music.” Three people, living or not, whom you would invite to a dinner party. “Phil Ivey (pro poker star), Mauriche Richard and Kevin Martin.” If you could be a star any other sport, what would it be, and why? “I would say hockey because I love the sport, it’s a winter sport and it’s more my type of sport. I could travel to a lot of places in the world with my team and I think the salary would be great, too! Earning money to play a sport would be amazing.” If you could change any rule in curling, which one would it be, and why? “I don’t have any serious suggestions, but to make it a fun game, you could use the side boards to bounce your rock off of during a slide!” What music do you like to listen to before a game? “It depends; I was listening to more metal music before and now it’s more rap, like Eminem.” Favourite: — Website? :I think I have to say Facebook, like everybody!” — Order from Tim Hortons? “Ham and cheese sandwich.” — Vacation destination? “Cuba.” — Junk food? “I live in Quebec: poutine!” Three things you always travel with? “I always travel with my laptop, cards and a book.” Favourite pastime between draws at cashspiels? “We play a lot of cards (poker) and we try to do what we can do around the whatever city we’re in.” One thing most people don’t know about you? “If I tell you, then people will know ;-)” What is the biggest misconception about curlers? “How and why the broom is used.” Your ideal shot to win an Olympic gold medal “Angle-raise double-takeout.”