05/06/2026
It was an amazing 2025/26 season for Team Miller! Growth and improvement are always the goals, and there was plenty to be proud of as we reflect on the past season.
The first event of the season was at home at the Medicine Hat Swing and Sweep, which features skins curling and golf. We finished third overall — but first in the curling skins portion against some tough competition! We then travelled to Red Deer for their U18 bonspiel, where we finished second. It was great to have Ron Delmage coach us in that event. Next up was the Cochrane U20 bonspiel, where we did not qualify for playoffs, but enjoyed playing with Johan and having his dad coach. Things heated up after that. We played in the hometown U18 Cash Spiel and won the final on the last rock in front of many family and friends — a great win on home ice! Shortly thereafter, we hit the road to Lacombe and won the final of that U18 bonspiel in a tense extra end. Next, we headed to Leader for the last U18 event before Christmas and won the final against a tough Team Loudon women's team. With no competitive women's team in Medicine Hat, these young ladies are the closest competitive women's team around, and we are always happy for their success.
At the end of December, we were in Airdrie for Curling Alberta U18 Provincials, facing the toughest field of the season. We made the playoffs — an improvement over last year — but fell to a strong Team Duncan, who later went on to Nationals. While we were disappointed, it was short-lived. In the new year, Ryker, Colby, and Emmett played for their high school teams. Emmett skipped his school's mixed team to a silver medal at Zones. Ryker and Colby played back end for their school's boys team, winning gold at Zones and earning a bronze medal at Provincials in Slave Lake. Lyndon skipped a U15 team that qualified for Curling Alberta U15 Provincials in Red Deer, where they made the quarter-finals.
Reuniting as a team, we played in the Ray Kingsmith Memorial Bonspiel back in Airdrie. We played well, going 5-1 with our only loss coming in the final, finishing second. At the hometown men's bonspiel, we again lost just once, resulting in a C event win. Our last event together was the always-fun Marc Kennedy Junior Classic. We went 3-1 in pool play, with two games going to an extra end, and finished first in our pool on the strength of our last stone draw numbers. A quarter-final win over a strong team from Saskatchewan — one we hadn't faced before — put us in the semi-finals, where we again met a tough Team Duncan, who went on to make the final. After missing the playoffs at that event last year due to last stone draw numbers, it was especially satisfying to take top spot in the pool. It was once again wonderful to have our friend Sandy Symyrozum coach us in Edmonton.
Ryker and Emmett had one more event — Curling Alberta U20 Mixed Doubles Provincials in Calgary. Both boys and their partners finished atop their pools after pool play and advanced to the quarter-finals. Top-8 finishes out of a 32-team field was a great showing for both.
Three event wins, two second-place finishes, a third-place finish, a C-event win, and a semi-finalist placing made this our best season to date! We are very proud that there was only one event where we did not make the playoffs.
With Ryker graduating and heading to university in the fall, the boys won't be together as often as they'd like — but they hope to play together whenever their schedules allow.
Our success would not have been possible without our families, our coaches, the Medicine Hat Curling Centre, and our amazing sponsors. Without their support, we would not be able to travel and compete as much as we have. We hope to have represented each of them well and were proud to showcase every one of their businesses. Thank you to the following:
Krassman Farms
Dave Mulder REMAX Medalta Real Estate
Murray Hyundai Medicine Hat
Courtyard Dental
National Bank
National Bank Financial – The MacPhail Sherwick Wealth Advisory Group
Maple Creek Endless Tubing Services Ltd
Elmer & Harold's Glass
Hubka Farms Ltd
EBT Chartered Professional Accountants
Contact Automation Inc.
Classic Concrete Core, Cut & Removal Ltd.
MTM Granite Ltd.
D & E Installs & Repairs
Jackie Townshend - Medicine Hat Real Estate Agent
Tino's
Goldline Curling
Hardline Curling
Runback
15&5 Curling Ice Services
