Former Yorkton resident Steve Laycock and his curling team of Dallan Muyres (lead), Colton Flasch (second) and Kirk Muyres (third) might not have won the Brier this past weekend in Calgary but they did take the bronze game, downing their recent rival, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue 7-5, thanks to a steal of two in the 11th end to gain a measure of revenge on Gushue, who handed Laycock a 6-5 loss at the Canadian Open in Yorkton in December.
But initially Laycock and company weren’t exactly ecstatic about finishing third at the 2015 Brier, despite being one of the only teams to end the tournament with a win.
Yet a year ago they would have been.
Two years ago they’d have been happy to just compete at the Brier.
This year however, first place, the gold medal, THAT was what they were after.
But then they had some time to themselves. Some time to ponder about just how impressive bronze actually is. “After a little bit of time to reflect on it now, I think we’re pretty happy with where we placed,” offered Laycock Monday evening. “More than that, our performance level was significantly better than last year.”
That it was. In fact Team Laycock, who finished last year’s Brier round-robin out of playoff contention in fifth place, very nearly eliminated eventual 2015 Brier champion Team Canada in the 3 vs. 4 Page Playoff game and would have too, if not for Laycock’s final shot in the 10th end being just a little bit off. “It was a couple of millimetres from being perfect and that would have been all the difference,” said the Team Saskatchewan skip. “For three quarters of the way down the sheet it looked perfect and when we called the sweep off at the second hog line it just needed to finish a little bit and it never did.”
However the missed shot, which eventually led to an extra end loss, did not deter Laycock and company.
Instead, it once again proved to them something that they’ve come to realize over the past year and a half.
They’re good. Darn good.
Good enough to not only compete with the best in the world, but good enough to beat the best in the world; even if it didn’t happen that particular time. “I think last year we got the confidence that we could beat everyone,” suggested the Saltcoats native and former Yorkton resident. “There weren’t any of the top teams that we hadn’t beaten anymore, but the step forward this year has been that we’re consistently beating the top teams.”
That gradual realization, the realization that they’re now one of the best in the world at their chosen profession, is something that not a lot of people can claim to have experienced, no matter what they do.
But Laycock can. “Knowing that gives us a lot of confidence,” offered Laycock. “Knowing we’re beating the exact same people we’ll have to play against for the 2018 Olympic run is a pretty good feeling.”
It’s also the exact same people that Team Laycock would have to beat should they want to be 2016 Brier champions.
However they’re certainly not going to count their chickens before they hatch. “There are no guarantees in life,” offered Laycock. “A lot of people don’t even get the chance to go back to a Brier, never mind to go back and finish two spots higher, so we’re going to work hard to get ourselves that opportunity again but obviously we can’t take for granted that we’ll come out of the province every year because that in itself is a challenge as well.
“And then the Brier, that might be the hardest one to win.”
Then, as if to drive his point home, Laycock pointed out one currently great curler who has yet to win a Brier, despite making 12 appearances at the tournament. “Brad Gushue is a good example of a great player that hasn’t won a Brier,” mentioned the Saskatchewan skip, before adding “But if we put ourselves in a position to perform our best in the closing weekend of the Brier in the future, then I think that we can win it.”
And if their recent exponential improvement is any indication, the title of Brier Champions will be one that Team Laycock can boast about sooner rather than later.
