Team Jacobs ready for home ice

The second grand slam event of the 2014-15 curling season is set for Nov. 19 as 18 teams converge on Sault Ste. Marie for the National.

Among the 18 teams are Brad Jacobs and his team from Soo Curlers including Ryan Fry and brothers E.J. and Ryan Harnden.

For Jacobs, this years event has a very different feel than the last grand slam event to hit Sault Ste. Marie in 2011.

“It’s not going to be like it was last time because in 2011 when the slam was here we weren’t nearly as well known and we weren’t coming off the success that we’ve come off recently,” Jacobs said. “We really hope that everyone in the Sault is going to come out and support the slam and support us. We’re going to do everything we possibly can to put on a good show for everybody.”

That being said, Jacobs feels curling is a growing sport in Sault Ste. Marie.

“The curling community around this city is growing,” Jacobs said. “We want to continue to grow curling in Sault Ste. Marie, particularly amongst the youth. We’re really hoping that some of the kids that watched us in the Olympics are going to come out and see us live, maybe some that have never seen us live before, and get attracted to the sport.”

The Jacobs rink is coming off the last grand slam event, The Masters in Selkirk, Man., that saw the local rink lose in the semi-final after winning four-straight to get into the semi. Team Jacobs won their final two round robin games to get into the playoff round before winning a tie-breaker and quarter-final to get into the semi.

“The fact that we were able to battle back, win the tie-breaker and win the quarter-final against (Glenn) Howard and (Kevin) Koe, that’s really something to build off of,” Jacobs said. “We poured a lot of energy into those games to get into the semi-final but coming off that grand slam, we learned a lot.”

The early part of the new season has been a learning experience, according to Jacobs. The skip said the team has had to adjust to playing as the reigning Olympic champs.

“It’s something that we’re learning and adjusting to, coming off winning an Olympic gold medal and everything that comes along with that,” Jacobs said. “After the Olympics, it’s definitely a little bit different. We’re going with the flow and learning all the time. (As a team) we’re really close to being where we were last year during our Olympic run and during our Brier run. I like where we are. We’ve had a really good start to the year. We can always be better.”

Despite some of the European teams like Niklas Edin of Sweden and Tomas Ulsrud of Norway not being at the event, Jacobs said the field is still a quality one.

“These grand slam events are known for being the best teams in the world,” Jacobs said. “Week to week we go and play against each other all of the time and beat up on one another back and forth. The field is no different than any other grand slam event. We’re missing a couple of European teams but that’s not going to make it any easier. We’re really going to have to play our best and focus as much as we possibly can.”

The full field includes:

Team Blandford (Calgary, Alta): Matthew Blandford, Darren Moulding, Brent Hamilton and Brad Chyz
Team Bottcher (Edmonton, Alta): Brendan Bottcher, Tom Appelman, Bradley Thiessen and Karrick Martin
Team Carruthers (Winnipeg, Man.): Reid Carruthers, Braeden Moskowy, Derek Samagalski and Colin Hodgson
Team Casey (Charlottetown, P.E.I.): Adam Casey, Josh Barry, Anson Carmody and Robbie Doherty
Team De Cruz (Geneva, Switzerland): Peter de Cruz, Benoit Schwarz, Claudio Paetz and Valentin Tanner
Team Epping (Toronto, Ont.): John Epping, Travis Fanset, Patrick Janssen and Tim March
Team Gushue (St. John’s, N.L.): Brad Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker
Team Howard (Penitanguishene, Ont.): Glenn Howard, Richard Hart, Jon Mead and Craig Savil
Team Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.): Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden
Team Kean (Stoney Creek, Ont.): Mark Kean, Matthew Camm, David Mathers and Scott Howard
Team Koe (Calgary, Alta): Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing and Ben Hebert
Team Laycock (Saskatoon, Sask): Steve Laycock, Kirk Kirk Muyers, Colton Flasch and Dallan Muyers
Team McCormick (Blaine, Minn): Heath McCormick, Christopher Plys, Joe Polo and Ryan Brunt
Team McEwen (Winnipeg, Man): Mike McEwen, B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak and Denni Neufeld
Team Morris (Calgary, Alta): John Morris, Pat Simmons, Scott Bailey and Nolan Thiessen
Team Rumfeldt (Guelph, Ont.): Rob Rumfeldt, Adam Spencer, Brad Kidd and Jake Higgs
Team Shuster (Duluth, Minn): John Shuster, Tyler George, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner
Team Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man): Rob Fowler, Alex Forrest and Connor Njegovan

Jacobs would also say that he hopes the National will help boost the interest of Sault Ste. Marie youths in curling.

“There hasn’t been as much youth getting into the sport as I would have hoped for,” Jacobs said. “The youth numbers at Soo Curlers aren’t up nearly as much as I thought they would be. Why? I don’t know. We’ve gone and visited a couple of schools as a team and as individuals and our coach (Tom Coulterman) has as well. All of the kids know who we are and have watched us play. I really think in a lot of cases it’s up to the parents to get their kids to the curling rink and sign them up. A kid can tell their parents that they want to get into curling but unless the parent brings them there and signs them up, they’re not going to get involved. Curling is probably one of the cheapest sports to play and obviously one of the most fun.

“We’re hoping that events like this will make kids and make parents want to play the sport and sign their kids up because we need it,” Jacobs added. “If we can be from Sault Ste. Marie, grow up here, play at Soo Curlers our whole lives and go win an Olympic gold medal, there’s other kids out there in the Sault that can do it as well, both male and female.”

The Jacobs rink kicks off the National on Nov. 19 in the opening draw when they face Team Kean at 7 p.m.