Twin Curlers
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
Growing up, twins David and Julia McCrae were not too pleased when the Spam got out of control.
Sure they could have deleted or blocked the unwanted e-mails but instead the word Spam took on a truly different significance.
Spam as in the popular food product made out of pigs.
For you see, David and Julia grew up on a 3,000 acre farm.
A farm a few kilometres from Vermillion, Alberta and when the pigs got loose, it was a literal free for all trying to corral them.
"The most painful part is that during the summers, sometimes they (outdoor pigs) would get out and you would have to run around to get them back in," said Julia, 19.
"Sometimes there would be 400 to 500. You would have to run around for a long time. You got in shape quick."
David adds during the telephone interview: "Pigs are not like cows or horses though as they like to stay in a group. Pigs run off individually. It would take us some time and yes it kept us in shape."
Also keeping the twins in shape was the fact that they participated in sports at J.R. Robson High School with Julia tying up the shoelaces for basketball, cross country, track along with volleyball while David pursued badminton and community lacrosse.
But the true passion for the two was the sport of curling.
A sport in which they now represent the Olds College Broncos within the ranks of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).
Curling was and is, a family affair.
Two older brothers and a sister curl while their mother Joanne runs the after school curling program at the Vermillion Curling Club and their dad Doug facilitates the Monday Night Junior Curling Super League.
Their sister Sarah curled for the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings.
"We lived at the curling rink," says Julia. "It was something that we all could do as a family and it was not that expensive."
Members of the Broncos mixed curling team, David throwing second and Julia third, they bring with them years of experience.
"We started curling together in Grade 8," says David.
"We started before that," interjects Julia, as they both laugh. "We have been curling together forever."
Such is their confidence on the curling sheets that in Grade 10 they swept their way to a bronze medal at the Alberta Schools Athletic Association provincial championships.
Their communication on the rink needs not to be verbal sometimes: "We do understand each other a lot more than just with talking. If we want the other to do something, all we need is a just a nod of the head."
Having grown up on a farm, which at sometimes had up to 5,000 pigs along with sheep and grain stock, both are enrolled in agricultural themed courses; David in his second-year of Agricultural Management Finance Major and Julia in her first-year of Agricultural Marketing Major.
Last year David did not crack the lineup for the Broncos curling team and Julia was attending Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, British Columbia, where they did not have a curling program.
"It was awful," said Julia of the time away from her twin. "Not having someone there that understands you on a different level."
"It was OK for me," said David. "If I was home sick I was able to drive home. Sure it was different at the start but you get used to it after a while. We are texting everyday."
"Snap chat too," adds Julia.
Of not making the Broncos team last year David concedes: "This year I have a little bit more confidence compared to last year, where I was coming in not knowing what to expect."
One thing both may expect this year when hitting the sheets, is that they will have a familiar face to see. One they have known since Day 1.
Olds Broncos last ACAC mixed team curling title was in 2013-2014.