Brian Henderson considers himself a late bloomer in men’s curling.
The former Guelph resident didn’t have much in the way of success in competitive curling until he got to the masters level. Now he’s one of the most successful during the past decade.
“I’m somewhat embarrassed,” he said in a telephone interview. “I was out there trying my butt off for many years and I never had much success at all. I’m just one of these late bloomer guys. You feel like you’re cheating time.”
Henderson, who moved to Ottawa three years ago, will be the second on the Ontario rink out of Ottawa’s Russell Curling Club for next week’s Hy-Grade Steel Roofing Canadian Masters Curling Championships at the Guelph Curling Club.
Play on both the men and women's side starts Monday at 9 a.m. and there’ll be three draws most days.
The women’s medal matches (gold and bronze) are scheduled for Apr. 9 at 10 a.m. while the men’s medal matches will follow at 2 p.m.
It’ll be Henderson’s third trip to the national tournament in seven years.
He was the vice on the Guelph Country Club rink that included skip Mike Dorey, second Gary Houghton and lead Paul Knight that won the national masters men’s title in 2010 and went again in 2012. The foursome was inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
“When we won out of Guelph, they were really good players,” Henderson said.
“(Houghton and Knight) were kind of Guelph homegrown guys and there’s nothing like winning with some local talent. Because they were treated so well, so were we, Mike and I. We were kind of adopted as local guys. It was terrific to win with those guys.”
While in Guelph, Henderson met many of the top competitors out of the Ottawa area.
The locals won the provincial title in 2010 and 2012, but it was an Ottawa Curling Club rink skipped by Layne Noble that won in 2011.
Rick Bachand was vice on the Noble rink and next week he’ll be vice on the Ontario rink for his third appearance at the Nationals. Bruce Delaney will skip the rink and Doug Stanley will be lead.
“I noticed when we were playing that whoever came out of Ottawa was usually pretty good. It’s a real deep curling community,” Henderson said. “When I moved to Ottawa, I was really fortunate to already know some of the top players there and I was able to hook up with a good team.”
While Henderson was in Guelph for 10 years, he was never a member of the Guelph Curling Club, but curled there in numerous events.
“I never had much luck there,” he said. “I always got a buzz out of playing there, but I’ve got to admit that my record there was not too good.”
Henderson is wondering what kind of a reception he’ll receive from the local crowd next week.
“I’m really looking forward to going back. I’m real curious on my reception because, you know when you get traded, you’re never real sure of your reception,” he said. “I’m going to be real curious to see if the fans are cheering for me or against me.”
Other skips in the men’s competition are Fred Armstrong (Alberta), Paul Delorey (Northwest Territories), Mark Franklin (Manitoba), Al Hackner (Northern Ontario), George Hilderman (Yukon), Bill Hope (Prince Edward Island), Jim Lyle of St. Thomas Curling Club (Ontario host), Robert MacDiarmid (New Brunswick), Steve Ogden (Nova Scotia), Gary Oke (Newfoundland Labrador), Greg Sleno (Quebec), Ken Watson (British Columbia) and Jim Wilson (Saskatchewan).
Teams competing on the national masters women’s side are:
Dale Curtis of the Galt Curling Club will skip the Ontario team while other skips are Ellen Brennen (New Brunswick), Diane Foster (Alberta), Sandy Hope (Prince Edward Island), Ellen Johnson (Yukon), Janet Klebe (British Columbia), Louanne Labelle (Nova Scotia), Jean Rockwell (Newfoundland Labrador), Delores Syrota (Saskatchewan), Odette Trudel (Quebec), Barbara Ward (Northern Ontario) and Gwen Wooley (Manitoba).
