Why Cups, Schmeeds, Edge and Harns are smiling

Pictured from left to right are Ryan Harnden, Ryan Fry, David Orazietti MPP, E.J. Harnden, Brad Jacobs.

Send off to Sochi Winter Olympics, David Orazietti MPP with Team Jacobs at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club today to announce the OLG Quest for Gold recipients.  

Quest for Gold program has provided $38 million since 2006 to amateur athletes and coaches.

A news release issued today by OLG follows

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New edition of Quest for Gold Crossword game supports Ontario's amateur athletes

Olympians heading to Sochi, Russia benefit from Quest for Gold funding

TORONTO - Canadian Olympians from Ontario are in the final days of preparing for the upcoming Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

While the athletes are focused on their sport, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is supporting their dreams by providing many of them with essential funding through the provincial government’s Quest for Gold program.

Today Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Michael Chan, and Minister of Natural Resources and Sault Ste. Marie MPP, David Orazietti joined OLG Acting President and CEO, Tom Marinelli, to unveil a new edition of the popular OLG Instant game, Quest for Gold Crossword.

Proceeds of this lottery game are earmarked for the Quest for Gold program.

Since Quest for Gold launched in 2006, $83 million has been generated from lottery sales to assist approximately 4,000 unique Ontario athletes.

As the Sochi games approach, 47 of the 58 Ontario athletes announced as being part of Team Canada have been supported by Quest for Gold funding.

Among those funding recipients are the members of Canada’s Men’s Olympic Curling Team, Team Jacobs from Sault Ste. Marie.

They were on hand to take part in today’s Quest for Gold Crossword launch.

This was also a perfect opportunity to wish Team Jacobs the best of luck on behalf of all Ontarians as they begin their own quest for gold on the curling sheets in Sochi.

Team Jacobs is comprised of Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E. J. Harnden and Ryan Harnden.

“Support from the Quest for Gold program was critical in making our Olympic dream come true,” said team skip, Brad Jacobs. “The funding allowed us to travel to tournaments, pay for equipment and cover coaching fees. We would never have been able to pursue our goals without the financial support from the Quest for Gold program.”

“We are proud to support our athletes from the playground to the podium and Quest for Gold is a vital program that ensures our athletes have the financial support they need to achieve and succeed,” said Michael Chan, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Our athletes are an important asset as they represent us as a nation in the international arena, inspire the next generation of greats to compete and win, and give us all a sense of pride as a people. Good luck to Team Jacobs and all of Ontario’s Olympians!”

“I am thrilled to be here to offer my best wishes to Team Jacobs, from my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie,” said David Orazietti, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources and MPP for Sault Ste. Marie. “Our community is very proud of the team’s many achievements and we applaud their continued success and look forward to seeing them compete at the Olympics.”

“The Quest for Gold lottery is an important part of OLG’s commitment to supporting local communities and all Ontarians,” said Tom Marinelli, OLG’s acting president and CEO. “OLG is honoured to help with the hopes and dreams of Ontario’s athletes as they go for gold. Team Jacobs are great representatives of all those athletes. Best of luck in Sochi!”

Instant Quest for Gold Crossword (Game #3204) offers the chance to win a top prize of $50,000, with a 65 percent prize payout and winning odds of 1 in 3.84.

The $3 Quest for Gold Crossword tickets are on sale at more than 10,000 lottery retail locations across Ontario.

Team Jacobs biography

Team Jacobs members were introduced to the sport of curling at a very young age.

We were all considered “rink rats”, eager to learn from the family members who introduced us to the sport and never wanting to go home until we were forced to leave.

We were all very fortunate to have someone in our lives who participated in national-level competitions and individuals who not only helped us develop our own game, but more importantly acted as inspirations for us to model ourselves around and strive to achieve similar success.

As a team, our experience far exceeds our age.

We have set the bar high for ourselves as individuals to be considered the best at our respective positions and as well as for our team to one day be considered the No. 1 team in the sport of curling.

More attention has been paid to physical fitness in the sport of curling since it became an Olympic medal sport, but our team has introduced a new level of fitness that the sport of curling has never seen.

We are no longer “curlers”; we are athletes.

Our team firmly believes that being in top physical condition not only helps aid your muscles over the course of a long competition, but, equally important, ensures you are mentally strong until the last rock has been delivered.

At the end of the day we are four young men who are chasing their dreams and beyond any success we achieve for ourselves, our hope is that along the way we inspire others to do the same, whether it is in the sport of curling or anything else.

Curling highlights:

• 2013 Tim Hortons Roar of The Rings (Men’s Olympic Curling Trials) Champions
• 2013 Ford Men’s World Championship Silver Medalists
• 2013 Tim Hortons Brier Champions (Canadian Men’s National Champions)
• 1st ranked curling team in the world
• 1st ranked curling team in Canada
• Northern Ontario Provincial Champions (2013, 2012, 2011, 2010)

Awards:

• H.P. Broughton Award winners (Sportsperson of the year for Sault Ste. Marie)
• Inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie sports hall of fame
• Star on Sault Ste. Marie walk of fame

Quick facts:

• Curl out of Soo Curlers Association in Sault Ste. Marie
• Age range of 27 to 35
• Three team members are family members

Brad Jacobs

• Nickname: Cups
• Date of Birth: June 11, 1985
• Birthplace: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Resides: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Interests: Fitness, camping, boating, golf, football, relaxing
• Career: Account Manager, RBC Royal Bank
• College/University: Algoma University - B.A. Geography
• Years curled: 18 Years

Ryan Fry

• Nicknames: Shmeedium, Schmeeds
• Date of Birth: July 25,1978
• Birthplace: Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Resides: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Interests: Weight training, golf, running, camping
• Career: Professional curler
• College/University: University of Manitoba - B.B.A
• Years curled: 26 Years

E.J. Harnden

• Nickname: Edge
• Date of Birth: April 14,1983
• Birthplace: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Resides: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Interests: Weightlifting, golf, hockey, camping
• Career: Brand Manager - Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation
• College/University: Algoma University - B.B.A - Specialization in Marketing
• Years curled: 22 Years

Ryan Harnden

• Nickname: Harns
• Date of Birth: June 28,1986
• Birthplace: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Resides: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Interests: Weight training, golf, hockey, camping
• Career: Real Estate Appraiser
• College/University: Sault College - Business Diploma / UBC - Real Estate Appraisal / Algoma University – Geography
• Years curled: 22 Years

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