(By: Avi Saper) Derek Oryniak earned more than just a bronze medal as the second on Manitoba’s men’s curling team at the Canada Winter Games.

Oryniak’s solid play in that event garnered him one of four spots on the team that will represent Canada at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games next January in Innsbruck, Austria.

While curlers’ on-ice performances in Halifax were one factor in the selection of Team Canada, the Canadian Curling Association also placed an emphasis on academic excellence, extra-curricular activities and community involvement.

“When I sent in my application I thought I had a chance,” said the 16-year-old from North Kildonan. “But it was still a big surprise when I got picked. I was so excited I can’t even explain it. It was incredible.”

Oryniak, who recently won the provincial 16-and-under championship as part of Kyle Doering’s rink, will be joined on the mixed team by Emily Gray of Prince Edward Island, Corryn Brown of British Columbia and Thomas Scoffin of the Yukon.

The foursome will play in two events in Austria: a 16-country competition for the medals, followed by a mixed-doubles event in which players from different countries will be paired together.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Oryniak said. “Our team is worrying about the main event, since we won’t even know our partners until we get there.”

The Grade 11 student from Miles Macdonell Collegiate expects to play second for Team Canada, and had nothing but praise for his teammates.

“They’re all really great players,” he said. “Thomas is a really good skip, Corryn is one of the best female players I’ve ever seen… and Emily is probably a better sweeper than me.”

Now that he’s under the CCA’s high-performance umbrella, Oryniak will have every opportunity to improve that sweeping between now and January.

Gerry Peckham, the CCA’s director of high performance, said the organization will do everything it can to build a cohesive team out of athletes from all parts of the country while still respecting their commitments to their regular teams.

“When we were in Regina [during the Men’s World Curling Championship, where the team was introduced during a playoff game] we were doing some team building, practising and a couple of exhibition games,” Peckham said.

The team will be in Edmonton later this month along with other elite teams for a camp at the national training centre, and will compete in several competitions early next season.

Oryniak plans to use all the tools at his disposal — from sports psychologists to fitness experts to a sweeping clinic — to become a better player.

Click for full story in the Winnipeg Free Press.