04/06/2026
What a year for The Designated Hitters.
When this team started, it began with inspiration from Team Atherton in Nova Scotia, last year’s Canadian U18 Champions. Team Atherton entering their final junior season next year with the biggest goals, their journey has shown what can happen when a young team stays together, works hard, and keeps building year after year.
That idea lit a spark.
After being in Saskatoon and watching Team Atherton take home the championship, Leo came home inspired. A kid with a passion for baseball, an obsession with curling, and a love for boxing and wrestling, he asked his dad to help build a curling team he could be part of.
From there, this group came together.
Theo was the first to join - an outstanding young athlete already excelling in football and soccer, and the youngest on our team when we started at 8yrs old.
Nash came next. There was some hesitation at first, but after spending the summer making the case for building a team together, he took on the challenge and became a huge part of this group.
Charlie was the final piece - analytical, strategic, calm, and a natural fit for curling. And when Charlie’s dad Michael said, “Did you know my family were curlers?” we not only had our fourth player, we had our Head Coach.
Head Coach Michael is a pillar of the community, and his patience, care, and analytical approach are exactly what a young curling team needs.
We also want to recognize Lucas, a friend from the Academy and a terrific young hockey player who caught the curling bug. When Theo was unable to play in Winnipeg, Lucas stepped up and made an immediate impact. His draw to the pin, burying a stone, helped lead to our first ever team win outside Regina.
Coming into the season, our goals were simple:
• build a team
• build a technical foundation
• get involved in the curling community and learn the ropes
• score at least one point in every game
• win a game in Winnipeg
• position ourselves to be a competitive team next season
We are proud to say those goals were achieved.
This team scored in every game, earned its first win, and went to Winnipeg where it finished 3-3 and made the playoffs.
There were so many standout moments.
Leo set the tone all season with work ethic, consistency, and commitment. He finished 1st in Saskatchewan Hit Draw Tap, and his score of 61 tied for 1st in Canada.
Theo made a major impact all year, and his draw to the pin for an early season win remains one of the defining moments of the season.
Nash delivered one of the biggest shots of the year with a huge double takeout in Winnipeg.
Charlie brought strategy and composure all season long. His shot calling helped lead the team to a sudden-death win to reach the playoffs in Winnipeg, and he also finished 2nd in Hit Draw Tap.
Lucas stepped in and immediately helped the team, highlighted by the shot that helped secure our first team win outside Regina.
Some of our biggest team highlights included:
• participating in the Highland Curling Club 50th anniversary celebrations and bonspiel
• competing in the 15U Saskatchewan Provincials and scoring a point in every game
• watching Team Ackerman win the 15U Provincials in Nipawin Evergreen Curling Club
• taking two road trips that brought the team even closer together through Airbnbs, team meals, and time spent building memories away from home
Those road trips mattered. They reminded us that this is bigger than wins and losses. It is about shared experiences, friendships, growth, and building something together.
Another huge part of this season was the chance to work with Coach Garnett, whose guidance and support meant a great deal to this team. Coach Garnet Zummack has been a mentor since the beginning.
And then there was the online side of it all.
With just an iPhone 11 and a rough video setup, we started a page and YouTube channel to share the journey. Somehow, the curling community found us. Our videos have now been viewed more than 1 million times and growing.
For a brand new youth team, that is incredible.
We want to sincerely thank the people and organizations who
helped make this first season possible.
A huge thank you to our sponsors:
- Engineered Code
- Precision Fit Door Solutions (Regina)
- Prairie Wildfire Hotsauce (Saskatchewan)
We also want to thank:
Highland Curling Club - for complete support and encouragement all season long.
Highland Curling Academy - for the unbelievable work done by Garnett, Gaylene, and the entire staff and support team introducing young athletes to curling and helping them fall in love with the sport. The Academy has been one of the most important parts of this team’s journey.
Curling Regina Youth League - for providing a place for young curlers to compete, learn, and grow.
Callie Curling Club - for being so welcoming and supportive of our team.
CurlSask and CurlManitoba - for hosting great events and continuing to create meaningful opportunities for youth curlers.
And to the many supporters from Highland and beyond who followed along, encouraged these kids, and made them feel like they belonged - thank you. That support mattered.
As we head into the offseason, we will meet this summer to set next year’s goals, and build a schedule with lots of fun events.
We are also committed to helping grow the sport. If any kids, families, or parents have questions about curling or want help getting involved, please reach out. We would be happy to help coordinate entry into the sport and connect people with the right programs and opportunities.
Looking ahead, we are also seeking sponsors for next season. Travel, Airbnbs, meals, event entries, technology, and team development all add up, and support will help us keep creating these opportunities for the kids. We also plan to sharpen our brand as a team, improve our video and social media setup, add educational curling content, and dress for success next season.
With 1 million+ views and growing, we believe there is a real opportunity to give sponsors strong exposure both locally and across the curling community.
We are also looking for a young, experienced competitive curler who may be interested in helping out around 2 hours per week next season, assisting Coach Michael with technical development and team communication. This would come with compensation based on experience and availability. Interested curlers can reach out to Kevin at 403-390-2500.
This season was the start of something special.
We are proud of this group.
We are grateful for everyone who helped them.
And we are excited for what comes next.
https://highlandcurlingclub.com/
https://www.engineeredcode.com/
https://precisionfitdoor.com/
https://www.facebook.com/prairiewildfirecraftsauceco
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