PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MB. - One week after helping coach Newfoundland's Brad Gushue to a Brier Championship, Canadian Curling Hall of Famer Jules Owchar now sets his sights on CCAA Curling gold with the NAIT Ooks.
The Ooks come into the CCAA Championship after an expected showing at the ACAC Championship two weeks ago. Both the men's and women's teams failed to bring home gold but managed to finish on the podium. The men's team battled down to the last rock with the polytechnic rival SAIT Trojans, eventually settling for a silver medal.
"The men played extremely well. I think they deserved a better result than they got. Credit to SAIT though, they played a great tournament," said NAIT coach Karl Myziuk.
On the competitive women's side of the tournament, the Ooks knew they would need to earn every bit of success. In the end, they won a bronze medal.
"The women played well, and they knew getting to the podium would be tough. Leaving with a bronze medal was a positive result," said Myziuk.
The CCAA National Curling Championship begins tonight and will run through to Sunday in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Both NAIT's men and women will be competing, in search of a CCAA medal.
"All of the teams here are competitive, the men and women will need to be on their A-game if they want to succeed," said Myziuk.