Two Okotoks curlers are making their debut on the international stage in what will be a sure test of their skills.
Okotokians Kyler Kleibrink and Christian Sprinkhuysen will be looking to launch their promising careers by using the Optimist International U-18 Curling Championships, March 27-31 in Surrey/Langley, B.C., as a stepping-stone.
The prestigious event has served as a launching pad for the who’s-who of young Canadian talent, boasting impressive alumni in current Canadian Scotties champion Rachel Homan and Junior national titleholder Corryn Brown.
“I feel like this is a really good opportunity for our team and it’s going to help us come together,” said Sprinkhuysen, who plays lead. “It’s going to be a great experience.”
Experience against opposition won’t be a luxury the Southern Alberta rink will have in British Columbia as it will square off with a completely unfamiliar field of 10 provincial champions, the top-three American rinks and Japan’s select squad.
“It’s sort of scary,” Sprinkhuysen said. “But at the same time I think it’s kind of cool we’re going to be playing against teams we’ve never seen before.”
The team, rounded out by Nanton skip Jeremy Harty and second Jeremy Burnett from Brooks, competes around the province on the Alberta Junior Curling Tour (AJCT) and in Junior-aged playdowns, but a particular focus this year was placed on preparations for their final shot at a Juvenile (18 and under) provincial title.
“We were working very hard on getting to provincials this year and just getting there our energy levels and intensity went way up,” Sprinkhuysen said. “By the end of it, going undefeated we felt on top of the world.”
The time for celebration was short lived.
After winning the provincial title in early March, Harty, Kleibrink, Burnett and Sprinkhuysen turned their attention to practice and skill refinement up to 11.
Simulating game situations can only take you so far. The Okotoks Curling Club rink has been busy in bonspiel season in March, with entries into the AJCT Players Championship in Airdrie and this past weekend’s Okotoks Men’s Bonspiel.
“We’re playing every day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and taking Thursday off,” Kleibrink said. “And really refining and getting used to each other as a team.”
As the primary sweepers, Sprinkhuysen and Burnett will need to be in constant dialogue about how to tackle each shot and how the ice is reacting to the granite stone.
“As a sweeper we just have to be really loud, be intense and lots of communication is the main thing for our team,” Sprinkhuysen said.
Kleibrink, who’s typically skipping his team featuring Burnett, Sprinkhuysen and the overager Colin Peterson, will be sliding down to third as Harty assumes the role of throwing last rock.
“I have to sweep now so I have to do cardio,” Kleibrink said of the position switch. “The third is also the guy who’s running between the front-end and the skip so I’ve got to be more active and communicate more.
“It’s good, you’re sort of the person who holds the
team together.”
Harty skips a successful Juvenile-aged team out of Nanton, but is no stranger to back-row duty alongside Kleibrink. Harty helped the foursome to a silver medal at the 2012 Alberta Winter Games.
“For the most part team dynamics are just awesome,” Sprinkhuysen said. “We seem to work really well together.”
As first time competitors at a bonspiel of this scope the Okotoks curlers are going in to the lower mainland with ears perked and eyes wide open.
“Really, we’re just expecting to meet a lot of teams,” Kleibrink said. “It’s our first international so just learn what it’s like and hopefully go to more later in life and have that experience to back it up.”
They won’t be the only ones feeling first time jitters on the international stage as nerves and anxiety will be part of the package for each foursome.
“I expect to see the same as we’re going to feel,” Sprinkhuysen said. “They went through the same thing we went through and they’re probably feeling the same excitement level and intensity as us.”
The Optimist International opening draw is March 27 with matches being held until the finals on Sunday March 31. To follow the results and schedules go to u18curling.ca.
