For some going to the Tim Horton’s Brier is a dream.
For a pair of Bruno School students it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Tory White and Camilla Saretzky both recently returned from the brier where they had the chance to follow North West Territories skip, Jamie Koe for a day after being selected to be part of the Sask Energy Future Stars of the Brier.
White, 12, and Saretzky, 13, were selected for the incredible opportunity after they entered a draw.
They were sent an application form by their Bruno School curling coach, Corrinne Arnold, said Saretzky, and were required to write why they liked curling.
Saretzky says she wrote about how much fun she had on the ice and how she loved the experience.
White was also required to fill out the application, and said she wrote about how girls can do anything and about how much fun she has curling.
White was also selected to be the flag bearer for draw nine of the brier, which featured Saskatchewan’s Team Laycock taking on Northern Ontario’s Team Jacobs, while Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and New
Brunswick were also in action.
“It was awesome to meet the curlers and Team Saskatchewan and to be on the ice area with them, it was very cool,” noted White of the experience.
In addition to getting to spend time with Team Koe, the girls were also taken on a tour of the TSN production trucks, which are used to broadcast the brier.
White admitted it was a bit of an eye opener seeing how live television works.
“It was really cool to see how they video tape and put all the graphics in and stuff.”
While the day was interesting for the pair, they admit they were able to learn some things as well.
White noted one of the big things she took away from Team Koe, was that they try to make jokes to one another if they sense each others nerves.
“Just to be comfortable and excited for the game and whatever happens, it’s all going to be good and fun.”
Saretzky came away from the experience impressed with how professional the bonspiel and the teams were, and says she learned the keys to playing better are to stay calm and have fun.
Of course, the girls were rubbing shoulders with Canadian curling’s best throughout the day, so who were they most looking forward to seeing?
“Brad Gushue was who we really wanted to meet. It was awesome to get to meet him.”
The girls were able to meet Gushue and got pictures with both him and Koe.“It was amazing. It was a day I will never forget,” beamed Saretzky.
While the girls were busy soaking up the brier atmosphere as part of the Sask Energy Future Stars of the Brier, the pair will never get to soak up the atmosphere of the brier as curlers, since it is the men’s national championship, but that has
not stopped them from thinking about the Scotties.
“It would be great to be in the Scotties and get to be a champion there,” says White.
“It’s definitely something I always think about,” Saretzky added.
While the pair got the chance to do something most kids can only dream of, White was quick to thank her parents, noting without them driving them to Regina they would have never had the opportunity.
Saretzky also wanted to thank Arnold for helping them get the chance to be selected.
