Canada Games History of Canada Games Curling on PEI
This information was compiled by David Murphy and Greg Lucas as part of a project initiated by Jerry Muzika through the PEI Curling Association. Any errors and/or omissions are unintentional and should be passed on to Jerry at this web site for correction.
(The following history of the Canada Games is from the canadagames.ca website) The thought of staging the Canada Games first arose in 1924, at a meeting in Winnipeg of the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. For more than 40 years it remained a frequent subject of discussion. Finally, in 1966 in Quebec City, the governments of Canada and Quebec gave their joint approval to a proposal to hold the first Games the following year. A small voluntary committee of businessmen and educators was established. Planning and organization were hurriedly begun. The event was designed to coincide with Canada's 1967 Centennial celebrations. The first Winter Games were an outstanding success. Despite monumental problems of planning, financing, logistics, and eventually abnormal snow and cold -- minus 37 C. for the opening ceremonies -- a makeshift torch was set alight. Since then, at two year intervals, eighteen more ceremonial torches have been ignited to signal the start of successive Canada Games. With Prince Edward Island having hosted the 1991 Winter Games, each province has now hosted the Games at least once, with several having hosted twice already. An estimated 45,000 young Canadians have participated in the Games. Another 180,000 have engaged in try-outs and qualifying events. Many millions of Canadians have watched the Games either first-hand or on television, and over 67,000 have volunteered. As well as hosting the Winter Games in 1991, PEI will host the Summer Games in 2009.
Curling has been part of the Canada Games since the first Canada Winter Games in 1967 in Québec City. At the first edition of the Winter Games the men and women competed in a mixed tournament. There was no age criteria at this event. Since the 1971 Canada Winter Games, there is both a junior men's and women's tournament. The current age criteria is 12 to 17 years of age as of the December 31st just prior to the event.
PEI curlers have won two medals to-date, with the Sean Matheson rink winning bronze in 1991, and the Krista Cameron team taking the silver medal in 1995. A complete list of PEI medal winners (all sports) can be found at http://www.gov.pe.ca/teampei/index.php3?number=1004480&lang=E. Here are the PEI Canada Games curling teams: 1967 - First Canada Games (Quebec City)PEI Represented by:
Dr Wen MacDonald, Liz MacDonald, Lorne Burke, Shirley Storey 1971 (Saskatoon) - Men:
Phil Michael, Bob Carruthers, Don Vickerson, David MacDonald
Women:
Catherine J. MacDougall, Constance Ballem, Rosemary Scott, Barbara Ballem. Coach - Anne Wood
Charlottetown Curling Club 1975 (Lethbridge) - Men:
Bill Merklinger, Peter MacDonald, Kenny King, Rick Brauen
Women:
Anne Merklinger, Laura Cormier, Barbara Grady, Lorraine McBride, Coach - Bill Merklinger-Summerside Curling Club
1979 (Brandon) - Men:
John Likely, Richard Kayes, Doug MacGregor, Bill Tinney
Women:
Ruth Livingstone, Joan Hutchinson, Naida Hutchinson, Glenda Ford, Coach-Norma White, Charlottetown Curling Club
1983 (Saguenay - Lac-St-Jean) - Men :
Wade MacRae, Paul Dillon, Roy Whitlock, Mike Dillon - Coach Dr. Bob Johnston
Women:
Heather Mader, Janice MacCallum, Shelly Muzika, Carolyn Godfrey - Coach Marilyn Sutherland 1987 (Cape Breton) - Men:
Mike Callaghan, Andrew Robinson, Morley Foy, Sean Ledgerwood - Coach Gary Cudmore
Women:
Lori Robinson, Angela Roberts, Ann Dillon, Kathy Campbell - Coach Cathy Dillon 1991 (Charlottetown) - Men:
Sean Matheson, Brian Scales, Robbie Newson, Paul MacCormack - Coach Gary Cudmore
Women:
Lynn Callaghan, Rebecca Jean MacPhee, Susie Roberts, Lou Ann Henry - Coach Marilyn Sutherland Sean Matheson won a Bronze medal, the 1st medal for PEI in Team competition at the Games. 1995 (Grand Prairie) - Men:
Kyle Stevenson, AJ McSwain, Robbie Gauthier, Terry Hood - Coach Barrie Stevenson
Women:
Krista Cameron, Suzanne Gaudet, Stefanie Richard, Cheryl King - Coach Lloyd MacCallum Krista's team won Silver Medal - Continues to be the highest Canada Games medal won by a PEI Curling Team 1999 (Corner Brook) Men:
Dennis Watts, Matthew McCarville, Tommy Lynn, Shane MacDonald - Coach Marilyn Sutherland
Women:
Robyn MacPhee, Melissa Campbell, Susan Burge, Amanda Campbell - Coach Barrie Stevenson 2003 (Bathurst-Campbellton) Men:
Lincoln Peters, Mathew Praught, Michael Crew, Nick Gagné - Coach Tom Peters
Women:
Meaghan Hughes, Michael Mackie, Sinead Dolan, Michala Robison - Coach Brenda MacMillan
Page last modified: Sunday, 04-Oct-2009 11:10:35 ADT