Ford World Men’s Volunteers Highly Skilled On and Off the Ice

The start of the new curling season is underway in Victoria and that means the momentum is building for the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship March 30-April 7 in the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Team BC at the 2007 Brier: Chris Atchison, David Nantes sweeping for skip Dean Joanisse (CCA Photo)

A number of the volunteers for the event are accomplished curlers in their own right, including several members of the Host Committee – starting right at the top with Co-Chairs Chris Atchison and Keith Dagg. The crowning achievement in Atchison’s career came in 2007 as part of the B.C. team led by Dean Joanisse at the Tim Hortons Brier.  “The final game against Greg McAulay in the provincial playdowns in Langley was the culmination of years of training and competition… and something I’ll never forget.” At the organizational level he served as Vice-Chair, Special Events and Volunteers for the 2005 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship, Chair of the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and has been Vice-Chair of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation since 2010. “As a competitive curler B.C. finals were not kind to me,” notes Dagg.  Playing with brother Lyall – 1964 Brier and world champion – the Vancouver team lost the provincial final in 1959, 1960 and 1961.  After moving to Victoria in 1962 and into the skip position, he came up short in finals against Bob McCubbin in 1968 and again ten years later facing Bernie Sparkes. The long-time competitor suffered a similar fate in three B.C. Mixed Curling Championships. Dagg took on Host Chair responsibilities for the 2005 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship and is also Chair of the Victoria Legacy Curling Foundation. Two of the Vice-Chairs for the Ford World Men’s, both part of the volunteer force when Victoria hosted the 2009 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, have also had considerable success on the ice. Jay Tuson is a two-time Brier competitor, playing third for Joanisse in 2001 and as team alternate in 2007 in Hamilton.  He has also competed in World Curling Tour events across the country.

Coach Todd Troyer with the BC Junior Men’s Provincial Champions at the 2012 M & M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Curling Championships (l-r) Zac Capron, Nolan Reid, Corey Chester and Josh Hozack. (CCA Photo)

Todd Troyer played second on the Mike Wood team that won the 1988 Canadian Junior Men’s Curling Championship and captured the silver medal at the 1989 World’s.  Along with a competitive career that includes a shot at the 2011 provincial men’s championship, he has been active in the coaching ranks over the past five years.  A three-time winner of the Asham Provincial Junior Men’s Coaching Award, Troyer coached the Josh Hozack team from Victoria Curling Club to the provincial Junior Men’s title and the Canadian Junior Men’s Curling Championship in 2012. Colin Mantik, serving as a Director on the Host Committee, has also recorded an impressive record on the pebbled ice surface.  He has competed in the B.C. men’s provincial playdowns four times and been part of 10 winning teams at the B.C. Firefighters’ Provincial Curling Championships.  At the national level he has earned four silver and four bronze medals at the Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship. “You Gotta Be There” for the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship – when all the talents and experience of the volunteer team come together to present one of international curling’s most exciting events.  Excellent seats in Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre are available by clicking here.