(SOPEI) Greg St. John, Phillip Chugg, Monique Gauthier, Chris MacPherson and John Anthony Laybolt have been curling together for a number of years.
Four years ago they lost their Provincial playdowns to Summerside and missed the chance to represent PEI at the 2008 National Games in Quebec City.
For most that might be the end. But not the story for the Charlottetown/Cornwall curling team.
“We decided we wanted to be at the next national games in 2012. We had a plan, we worked hard and here we are”, says head coach Dick St. John.
The team practiced at the Charlottetown Curling Club on Wednesdays and played in a league on Sunday nights in Cornwall.
They worked on the foundational curling skills and tactics. They enhanced their team with the help of Sport Psychologist, Tara Costello-Ledwell and they had a ton of fun doing this together as a team.
At the end of day 5 at the 2012 National Winter Games in St. Albert Alberta, the team sat undefeated in the D division with a 3-0 record.
On Saturday afternoon, they played Team Nova Scotia in the gold medal game, winning by a measure with a 6-5 score.
“We were so excited to be heading into the gold medal game with that record. I knew they could do it and I’m so happy their hard work is being rewarded”, said assistant coach Ann Doucette.

Photos from SOPEI newsletter.