Team Bottcher soaks up new information at PointsBet Invitational

Ben Hébert and Marc Kennedy are not the oldest players in the 2023 PointsBet Invitational, but they are not the youngest either.

They won the Briers together, a world championship together, Olympic gold together and are undeniably part of the list of best curlers in the rich history of the sport.

But today, closer to the end of their competitive careers than the beginning, they find themselves still learning, eager to listen for new ways to approach the sport and to solve the puzzles that curling offers high-level players level.

That’s why, when rumors began to circulate that David Murdoch was potentially on his way to Canada to become Curling Canada’s director of high performance, Hebert (leader) and Kennedy (vice-captain), along with their teammates , captain Brendan Bottcher and second Brett Gallant and team coach Paul Webster were eager to pick the Scottish legend’s brain.

“Well, I think his resume speaks for itself,” Hébert said, moments after Team Bottcher’s 7-1 victory over Jacob Dobson and his Toronto Humber College Hawks team Thursday night in from Sweep 16 to the 16 Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario. . “I was able to see it from two different angles; I knew Dave the player, I knew he was a really good competitor, and honestly we got along really well. It’s very similar to what we had with (former Curling Canada high performance director Gerry Peckham, who retired after last season). Everyone loved Gerry, didn’t they? But I think bringing different ideas will be helpful. We are veterans, you know; he’s not going to come and tell us exactly how to do things. But I think it would be great to give us a few more tools in our toolbox.

Team Bottcher came to Oakville ranked second among the 16 teams, while Team Dobson, which won the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association title last season, was ranked 15th.

The end result was therefore hardly a surprise. Yet Team Bottcher, after absorbing a few months of learning from Murdoch and his high-performance coaching staff, looked as focused as they could be in a Montana Brier final. Murdoch’s message is that preparation and focus in September will lead to success in March.

“I think he came in with the right personality, the right demeanor and the right attitude,” Kennedy said. “He doesn’t force things down anyone’s throat.

“I think from an older perspective, I love the impact he’s going to have on our younger athletes. He’s just going to take some of these young athletes and make them the best they can be. And that’s exactly what we need as we old folks start to come out.

Team Bottcher was at its best, scoring singles in the second and third ends, followed by two steals in the fourth. Team Dobson got on the board with one run in the fifth, but Team Bottcher took a five-run lead with two more in the sixth and never looked back.

Murdoch got in on the action at the PointsBet Invitational and kept a close eye on the array of talent on display, including wary veterans such as Hebert and Kennedy, as well as youngsters, like Dobson’s varsity team, and even those somewhere. in the middle, like Bottcher.

“It was a great first game for us, but we’re trying to do all the little things right,” said Bottcher, who will face 10th-seeded Mike McEwen of Saskatoon in the Elite 8 on Friday at 4:30 p.m. (all times ET). “I think we do a good job focusing on the process. And when we do that, we win more often than not, so I think we’re headed, as you say, for big things at the end of the year, and hopefully we can do a few more here this week.

In Thursday’s other matches, Team McEwen scored three points in the sixth end to earn an 11-5 victory over No. 1. 7 Team Aaron Sluchinski of Airdrie, Alta.; a top three in the second end propelled No. 1. 3 Team Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg earned a 10-5 win over No. 3. 14 Team Sam Mooibroek (Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ont., champions U SPORTS 2023); and sixth-seeded Karsten Sturmay of Edmonton broke open a close match with five points in the seventh end in an 8-4 victory over No. 1. 11 Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont.

The 2023 PointsBet Invitational continues Friday with draws at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Live scores, standings and statistics for the PointsBet Invitational 2023 are available viaBY CLICKING HERE.

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For ticket information for the 2023 PointsBet Invitational, visit www.curling.ca/2023pointsbetinvitational/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2023pointsbetinvitational/nouvelles/?lang=fr