Fergus curling team wins nationals; prepares for world championships

FERGUS – The Fergus Curling Club’s U20 men’s team is heading to the World Junior Curling Championships in Aberdeen, Scotland in February and there’s a fundraising campaign to help them get there.

Steve MacDougall is manager of the team, and he’s still reeling from the excitement of last season and the reality that his team came out on top.

The team consists of Evan MacDougall, Dylan Stockton, Evan Madore, Carson Kay, Ryne Fisher and coach Jordan Thin.

“The Fergus club hasn’t had a provincial title since the 1800s,” MacDougall said in a phone interview, noting the team had an incredible season that got them to the provincials and then the nationals.

The provincials were held in Kitchener in March and the nationals in Sudbury in April.

“It was not a foregone conclusion that we would get the gold,” MacDougall said. “We thought they’d do well – even to medal would be an accomplishment.

“And there were hurdles to get there,” he continued. “A couple of the team had norovirus, so they were not 100 per cent at the nationals.”

Still, they won against an Alberta team and the deal was sealed.

Team MacDougall, named after skip Evan MacDougall, who is Steve MacDougall’s son, is not local, although they’re affiliated with the Fergus Curling Club, which has provided them ice time for practice.

And some Fergus club members came out to Kitchener and Sudbury to cheer on the team during those important games.

“The Fergus club has been very good to us,” MacDougall said.

The team has been together for two years, “and it took quite a bit of work to make it to the top level. But because of the work they put in, they matured significantly. 

“Our team grew organically over the years,” MacDougall added.

After the worlds, the team ages out of the U20 category and advances to U25, a different game with older players.

The Fergus Curling Club is hosting a one-day fundraiser, called Fergus Rocks the World, on Aug. 29 at the club to help cover transportation and other expenses.

Events include euchre, cornhole and waddies tournaments and a battle of the bands, where the audience votes for the winner with cash. Euchre begins at 11am with other tournaments following in the afternoon.

Battle of the Bands begins at 6pm and wraps up just before midnight. For more visit ferguscurling.ca and search for Fergus Rocks the World under the events tab.