ACAC Curling Championship Preview
by ACAC Sports Writer Curtis J. Phillips
With eight schools participating in 2016-2017 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) curling this year, it has been a mixed bag with only half of them fielding the maximum three teams with men's, women's and mixed.
Heading into the 2016-2017 ACAC Curling Provincials to be held at Vermilion Curling Club February 24-26, 2017, one of those teams with a full roster are the host Lakeland College Rustlers with veteran coach Dusty Makichuk at the helm.
"Getting (three teams) is hard sometimes because you can only build with what you have," said Makichuk, a veteran curling coach with more than 20 years' experience. "We were fortunate that we had 23 tryout this year."
Makichuk said it is a balancing act in fine tuning teams and finding the right combinations.
"A lot of first things come into play. You look at your strengths and then you figure out the personalities of the students., You also have to ask what (position or team) they like to play or what they don't like to play.
"There are a lot of factors built in. Some might play several positions while some may play only one position.
"We had five tryouts to learn who they are and then put them in certain positions. You might have to do some tweaking along the way but you do not want to make changes at this stage of the game."
Change may also come for veterans as was the case for Rustlers' Branden Cookson.
Having skipped the Rustlers men's curling side for two years, he was switched to the mixed team for 2016-2017.
"Some people might perceive that it is a step down, to go from the men's level to mixed," admits Cookson, who was introduced to the sport at the age of 10. "We (players/coaches) talked at the start of the season about what would be best. We wanted to give the men and the mixed team, the best chance to make the ACAC (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference) provincials and we agreed it was best for me to go skip the mixed and for last year's men's third (Matt Taylor) to take over the skip for the men.
"At first I felt and wondered, if I should say something. I had been playing on the men's team for the previous two years. But I know the coaches made the right decision. This a team sport and the decision was made for the whole team not for individuals. That is what we as athletes also want…what is best for the team."
Best for the team is what has turned out as they are 11-3 after two ACAC spiels held November 25-27, 2016, and January 27-29, 2017 hosted by Red Deer College and NAIT respectively.
"They (Lakeland mixed team) gelled together quickly," said Makichuk of teammates Cookson, skip; Desiree Beaulieu, third; Cooper Nicholson second and at lead Kaylee Duncan. "Their personalities have matched and they have fit right into the positions they were placed in.
"They get along and they have calmness together. They believe in each other and accept their roles."
Lakeland College men are at 2-10 and the women 2-8.
Last time the Rustlers won ACAC titles in the respective division was men,2007-2008; women, 2008-2009 and mixed 2009-2010. You may call it the seven year itch.
The only school ahead of the Rustlers in the eight-team mixed competition are the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder at 12-2.
Thunder coach Dylan Theroux had this to say of his mixed team and women's which also stands at No. 1 with a 9-1 showing.
"All eight of these athletes are very skilled in the game of curling," said Theroux, in an article posted on the Thunders website. "They have brought their talents to each and every regional this year and are always ready to perform.
"I have been blessed to work with kids that love the game as much as I do and to see how much they want to succeed in their attempts at provincial and national titles
"Before every game I ask my athletes what they want to work on this game. I have yet to see a game where they weren't 100% committed to perfect their craft and to become better athletes. I believe this is a key part of the success we see today as both teams move on to the ACAC Championships.
"The athletes get along very well, they listen very well and they perform even better."
Leading the way in the men's five-team standings are the Red Deer Kings at 10-2.
During the last 10 years with 30 possible ACAC banners on the line, the Rustlers head the list with six with the NAIT Ooks at five. Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves also have five banners but dropped the program following the 2014-2015 season.