Team Alberta thrilled for Winter Games

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Strathmore lead Braden Burton and his teammates second Kurtis Goller from Olds, third Caleb Boorse, coach Todd Boorse from Red Deer and skip Owen Goerzen from Calgary will make up the boys Team Alberta curling for the upcoming 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C. from Feb. 13 to Mar. 1.
“So they’re a group of four 17-year-old boys. They play in juvenile curling which is 18 and under, not quite juniors, which is under 21,” said Nicole Burton, team manager.
“In the spring of last year, the Alberta Curling Federation had a bonspiel format where everybody in Alberta was eligible to come and play as long as you were within in the age limit and try to qualify for a spot to represent Alberta.”
Team Goerzen was able to qualify in the bonspiel to become Team Alberta at the Winter Games and did some enhanced training to be prepared for the games.
“Braden, that’s my son, qualified with the team that will move forward. Then they worked with the curling federation over the summer and did some training and worked with some high performance coaches, nutritionist and sports psychologists,” said Burton.
“All four teams had the opportunity, and then in November they had a playoff to see which would win and represent Alberta and it was this team that won.”
Burton admits her son, like the rest of his teammates, is ecstatic to have this opportunity.
“They’re super excited (and) more than honoured to be representing the province of Alberta. If you follow curling at all, it’s really hard to be a representative of Alberta in curling because we have such a huge following,” said Burton.
A Grade 12 student at Strathmore High School, Braden calls the Strathmore Curling Club his home rink and is excited to wear his provincial colours proudly.
“I am honoured to be wearing the yellow and blue for Alberta. Representing Alberta at the Canada Winter Games is an honour and a thrill, a once in a lifetime kind of experience,” said Braden.
The team will receive their team apparel at Winter Games conference in Sherwood Park on Jan. 17.