Latest member of Team Jacobs has impressive resume

The 2015 Tim Hortons Brier kicks off on Saturday and Soo Curlers will be well represented at the event in Calgary, Alta.

For Team Jacobs, which includes skip Brad Jacobs, third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden, the event is a return of sorts after missing the 2014 event. Because of the Olympic tournament, Team Jacobs didn’t compete in the Northern Ontario qualifier last year.

The last time Team Jacobs represented Northern Ontario at the tournament, they came away as the 2013 tournament champions.

“We’re prepared to do whatever necessary to win that again,” Jacobs said. “It’s what we play for every year other than an Olympic year. We’re ecstatic to represent Northern Ontario again. It’s not easy to get to the Brier and it’s always a great accomplishment to make it.”

The team admits that, contrary to what some may think, getting out of Northern Ontario to represent the region at the Brier isn’t easy.

“Getting out of Northern Ontario is tough,” lead Ryan Harnden said. “People think it’s easy but we find it tough every single year. There’s a lot of great teams. You don’t see them on tour because not a lot of them travel to the extent that we do but they’re great teams and if you don’t play well, they’re going to beat you. That is a tough week. It’s a very stressful week, especially if you’re considered the favourite. It’s tough to get out of Northern Ontario and it’s always going to be.”

After winning Northern Ontario, things don’t get any easier when they open the Brier on Feb. 28.

“It’s grueling,” Jacobs said. “You’re pretty much playing two 10-end games per day which is extremely difficult at the highest level. It’s going to require a lot of focus and a lot of patience, a lot of effort, tons of energy and intensity. At the end of each day, we’re going to be completely exhausted.”

The team will include another family member as Eric Harnden, father of Team Jacobs members E.J. and Ryan and uncle to skip Brad Jacobs, will be along at the event as the Team Jacobs fifth for the tournament.

“We wanted to bring someone as a fifth man that would make us feel comfortable, would fit in seamlessly,” said Jacobs. “It won’t even feel like we have a fifth man there. We just have another teammate and friend and he’s a family member on top of that. We’re really look forward to bringing Eric to the Brier.”

“To have a guy like that on your side is so valuable,” Jacobs also said. “He will be able to point out certain situations that we might not pick up on because we’re younger and he’ll be able to communicate those things to us.”

What’s it going to be like for the Harnden boys to have their father along for their latest Brier appearance?

“It’s always special to have your dad along with you at a Brier,” said Ryan Harnden, Eric’s son. “He has a lot of experience and a lot of knowledge. He’s there because of how great a curler he’s been in the past. We wanted to bring someone we were comfortable with and knew well. We didn’t want to bring anybody that we don’t really know. We know how much work and effort he’s going to put in to charting rocks and charting the other teams.”

For Eric Harnden, the 2015 event will be his fifth appearance at the tournament.

Eric Harnden’s previous Brier experience includes one as a skip, 2008. It was at that event that he played with sons E.J. and Ryan at the event. The elder Harnden also competed in 1990 in Sault Ste. Marie as third and 1983, also as a third, in Sudbury. Eric Harnden also served as Northern Ontario’s fifth at the 1986 event in Kitchener-Waterloo.

“It’s always nice to have another family member there with you because it makes you feel more comfortable,” said Ryan Harnden. “We’re bringing people to the Brier that we think will help benefit us to possibly win it. We’re going there to win it and hopefully repeat what we did in 2013.”

To say curling runs in the family would be fairly accurate. Consider the aforementioned four curlers in the family and you have yet to mention another well-known curler in the Harnden family. Eric’s brother Al has also competed in four Briers – one as third in 1983 while serving as skip for Northern Ontario in 1986, 1990 and 2007.

Fry’s father Barry has also competed in the Brier, winning the title in 1979 as skip of Team Manitoba.

Team Jacobs leaves for Calgary on Thursday and will open the Brier on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Sault time when they face Quebec.

****
2015 TIM HORTONS BRIER TEAMS

Alberta: Kevin Koe
British Columbia: Jim Cotter
Manitoba: Reid Carruthers
New Brunswick: Jeremy Mallais
Newfoundland & Labrador: Brad Gushue
Northern Ontario: Brad Jacobs
Northwest Territories: Jamie Koe
Nova Scotia: Glen MacLeod
Ontario: Mark Kean
Quebec: Jean-Michel Menard
Saskatchewan: Steve Laycock
Team Canada: John Morris
P.E.I.: Adam Casey
Yukon: Bob Smallwood

(File Photo)