100 Mile Curling Club sent its juvenile boys’ team to Salmon Arm at the beginning of February to compete at the Salmon Arm Junior Bonspiel and to gain some important experience.
The event featured 23 teams and nearly 100 participants who came from Kamloops, Lumby, Enderby, Armstrong, Vernon, 100 Mile House and Salmon Arm.
The South Cariboo team finished the weekend with a mix of wins, losses and ties, but coach Maxine Todhunter says it was a good practice run for the upcoming provincial championships, which they will be competing in. That tournament takes place March 3-6 in Lake Cowichan with eight boys’ and eight girls’ teams.
The local juvenile boys’ provincial team includes skip Aidan Fentiman, third Jon McLellan, second Jacob Fisher, and Brady Miller and Mathew Nielsen who share the lead position.
Both Nielsen and Miller are new to the sport this year, and competing in bonspiels is new to all of the team members.
“This was the first bonspiel ever for them. They learned a lot and had lots of fun,” says Todhunter.
“We were so very proud of all our kids. Their etiquette and manner on the ice were superb.”
Todhunter says the junior curling program in the 100 Mile club is growing and they are considering hosting a junior bonspiel here next year.
