Family boasts 3 generations of curlers on same team

Times Reporter

 

These days, finding something the whole family enjoys and wants to do together can be difficult, but not for one family. Brothers Russ and Kelly Muenchrath curl together as a team with their dad Bernie and Russ’ son Braden. The team recently won the A event for the Rockyford Men’s Bonspiel. Russ’s wife Shaunna also curls and for a period of time so did their daughter. 

“Originally, for me, I think my brothers (are) what got me into it and I think for them, it probably was because dad had curled,” said Russ.  

He said his older brothers curled in juniors, and then when he was old enough he also curled in juniors. Bernie is 80-years-old and only came back to curling last year after approximately a 15-year hiatus. 

“I’m not really sure why he stopped curling,” said Shaunna. 

She said last year her husband had asked him if he wanted to curl with them and he accepted. She said he went out with a stick to help deliver a rock.  

“This year we asked him if he wanted to play in the square draw with us and he said ‘sure’, so he’s been curling with us every week,” said Shaunna.

Russ said he thinks his dad’s retirement from curling was due to a heart attack he had just about 20 years ago. 

“I think that was kind of it. As you get older, of course its kind of hard to get down and get up (from) the hack when you’re sliding,” said Russ. 

“When they started using the stick…where you could remain upright, I think that’s what got him back into it kind of, or helped.” 

Bernie started curling when he was about 15-years-old, said Russ. He also said Bernie also spent a lot of time curling with his brother-in-law. 

Braden also plays for the Strathmore High School curling team and was a member of one of the three teams who part in zones in Okotoks on Feb. 11 – 12. “The boys ended up pulling themselves together and going right before the semi-final game. The girls curled in the semi-final and lost and ended up with the bronze medal. They had done quite well as well,” said Shaunna.   

Three generations of curlers on the same team is hard to come by and the family is quite proud to know they have something special like curling they can all share.