After 41 years, Jamie Schneider is a national curling champion once again. Only this time, it’s as a coach rather than player.
Days after coaching his son Catlin’s B.C. rink to a 4-4 record at the national men’s curling championship in Regina, Jamie guided the University of Regina’s men’s team to this year’s USports title after an 8-5 win in the gold medal game March 16 at Fredericton, N.B.
Skipped by Josh Bryden, Saskatchewan’s entry in the 2024 university men’s tournament posted a 4-3 record in the preliminary round and eked into the playoffs after stealing a point in the 10th end against Saint Mary’s to secure the fourth and final playoff spot.
The U of R went on to beat Alberta 7-5 after stealing singles in the ninth and tenth ends of the semifinal, to advance to the gold medal game against Dalhousie.
The championship game was tied 3-3 after seven ends but Regina scored five points in the eighth end and Dalhousie conceded the game after scoring two of their own in the ninth, for an 8-5 final score.
“It was kind of a start that was maybe a little slower than we wanted but of course with the games these days, the teams are so good and you just never know who you’re going to be challenged against,” Jamie, who calls the RM of Edenwold home, told Grasslands News in a phone interview.
“Overall, the guys I thought handled the ice well, slowly worked their way into getting better and better at it, and we just hit our peak on the Saturday.”
Jamie had previously won Canadian gold as Saskatchewan’s skip at the 1983 under-21 national championships. His playing career went on to include a 6-6 record as Saskatchewan’s skip at the 1990 national men’s championship as well.
“Winning (nationals) is a great feeling because coaching, in some aspects, is looked at as ‘well you’re not on the ice with the guys’ but it’s still about learning,” he said. “And over the years you learn better how to get them all lined up right and put them in the right frame of mind and keep them relaxed so they can perform at the highest level, and these guys performed for me.”
The national championship also means Jamie and his U of R Cougars rink will compete for a world post-secondary championship in Italy next year. Those games are scheduled for Jan. 13 to 23, 2025, in Torino.
Balgonie couple off to mixed nationals
Two more local curlers will also be looking to punch their tickets to a world championship later this year.
Balgonie couple Jason and Colleen Ackerman recently teamed with Sam Wills and three-time Saskatchewan women’s champion Robin Silvernagle to win the provincial mixed championship.
A steal of two in the third end, three in the fifth and one in the eighth helped the Ackerman rink to an 8-3 win over Regina’s Garret Springer in the provincial gold medal game March 20 in Kindersley.
That win will see Team Ackerman play for the national championship later this year at a date and location still to be announced.
The winner of the national tournament will then represent Canada at the 2024 world championships, whose date and location also have yet to be announced.
