Kirk Muyres (centre right) and Team Dunstone will represent Saskatchewan at the Brier in the Curling Canada bubble in March in Calgary. (submitted photo/Kirk Muyres)

By Mat Barrett

Muyres to the Brier

Muyres, Team Dunstone announced as representatives for Saskatchewan at Brier

Jan 14, 2021 | 4:05 PM

Kirk Muyres will be heading to his sixth career Brier in March.

The St. Gregor joined Team Dunstone in April as their second, and that group is heading back to the national tournament after winning in 2020, defeating Muyres rink at the provincial playdowns. Muyres told northeastNOW that ever since he was a kid, representing Saskatchewan at the Brier has been a dream.

“This year we get to do it again,” he said. “Obviously it’s in a different way and a different format, but I guess we’ll take it.”

Muyres is joined by Skip Matt Dunstone, Third Braeden Moskowy, and Lead Dustin Kidby.

CurlSask announced the representatives on Thursday, Jan. 14, saying in a release that hoped to play their provincial playdowns in some sort of a bubble, but that was rejected by the Saskatchewan government.

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CurlSask had to pick its representatives and didn’t just chose the defending champions from 2020, due in part to roster changes with both defending champions. Therefore, CurlSask used an adjusted points system to take into account points from the 2019/2020 season, as well as minimal play that took place in the 2020/2021 season before the sport was shut down again.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Curling Canada has set up a bubble in Calgary to make sure the national tournaments go off safely. The Scotties will kick things off on Feb. 20, followed by the Brier starting on March 6, and the Mixed Doubles championship beginning on March. 18.

Muyres and Team Dunstone were hoping to play a full season, but were only able to play about 10 games, and practice for about a month before the sport got shut down in Saskatchewan again. The Brier will mark the team’s first major tournament together this season.

“It’s going to be neat to kind of come together, get into the bubble, get into a safe environment where we can play safely and compete together safely,” Muyres said. “And kind of see what the team can do, so it’s really exciting.”

However, it’s not the first time Muyres will have played with these players. He’s played with each of them at least in some capacity through his curling career, whether it be juniors, or the men’s circuit. Skip Matt Dunstone and Muyres won a provincial title in 2018 with Steve Laycock as their skip.

Fans are usually out in full force at the Brier, giving a boost to the curlers as they vie for a national title, but that won’t be the case this year as no fans will be in the stands. Muyres said it’ll take a bit of getting used to.

“It’s going to be totally different once we get in there,” he said. “But then kind of as the games and the weeks and events progress, it’s just going to become normal.”

With some provinces not allowing teams to practice, and some are, Muyres said there may be some moments of sloppy play to begin the tournament, but at the same time everyone is going to be so laser focused and excited that it may balance itself out.

Muyres also gave credit to the governing bodies and those who put in the work to make sure a curling bubble could happen. He said it’s huge for the sport to be able to keep the game on TV and allow fans to watch.

“Curling’s done such a good job in the last few years of really building the brand and getting people and fans excited about the game, and the TV numbers are amazing,” Muyres told northeastNOW.

“I think that momentum is important to carry through here.” _{-Kirk Muyres}

The 2021 Brier will be Muyres’ sixth trip to the national tournament. His best finish at the event was in 2015 where he and Team Laycock won bronze. He said other than the obvious differences of no fans, a bubble, and the global pandemic, the way they found out who would represent Saskatchewan was a different feeling.

“Usually you’re over the moon because you just had six or seven days of absolute competition where you’re just so tired and dead, and you just had a big final that you had to grind your way through and the nerves were racked, and you were going nuts,” Muyres said. “So, for now it’s a little more relaxed and a little more chilled.”

Muyres said he and the team hasn’t been able to practice or get on the ice since the pause, but are just trying to keep their minds and bodies fit as they approach the Brier. There’s still lots to be ironed out, including whether Muyres and Team Dunstonse will get a chance to practice before hand, but Muyres said they’ll sort things out over the next few days.

Team Sherry Anderson will represent Saskatchewan at the Scotties, and the team of Mike Armstrong and Ashley Quick will wear Saskatchewan colours for the mixed doubles tournament.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6