(story by Eric McCarthy, Journal-Pioneer)
CALGARY – Prince Edward Island’s men’s team will complete the M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior curling championships with a spare.
This, after a member of Spencer Pitre’s Charlottetown Curling Club rink was taken to hospital by ambulance for a second time during the competition.
Second stone Eric Pidgeon collapsed on the ice during a game Sunday afternoon. Despite a battery of tests, no ailment was identified and Pidgeon was back at the curling rink on Monday, but only to watch. He returned to the ice on Tuesday, and had to leave the game after five ends.
“He swept two stones back to back quite hard (in the third end),” said his father and team coach, Peter Pidgeon. “He had to sit down, and kind of went downhill from there.”
Coaching duties for Tuesday night’s game against the Northwest Territories were turned over to Arnie Nabuurs, whose son, Matthew, plays third stone for Pitre.
Peter and Colleen Pidgeon went to hospital with their son.
“All I had to pass (Nabuurs) was my coat, and he was good to go,” said Coach Pidgeon.
After discussing the situation with doctors, Coach Pidgeon said his son decided it might be in his best interest to sit out the remainder of the championship.
“He’s resolved to the fact that he’s not going to be able to finish his junior career,” his father acknowledged. “His attitude is the right one about it.
“The rest of the boys are about the same. They’d like to have him playing, but they’re also very concerned about him. We had a couple of meetings as a team, and talked it over. We’d like to have him playing, but, at the same time, we don’t want him to do something that’s not going to help him.”
Click for full story in the Journal-Pioneer.
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