A rookie at the senior men’s level came home from the Boston Pizza Cup with more than experience.
Okotoks curler James Ballance, the second for Team Parent, was recognized with the Bo Davidiuk Award given to the front-end player who best demonstrates team support, sweeping prowess and sportsmanship at Curling Alberta’s men’s provincial championship in Hinton.
“It’s voted on by my peers,” said Ballance. “So it’s good to know that all of the other players are thinking of me and have nice things to say.
“Some of the people you look up to, it’s good to see these teams that are professional are involving me, who’s a rookie, in these big events.”
Davidiuk, who passed away in 2009, was a longtime outstanding multi-sport athlete in the Edmonton area and earned plaudits in curling as a powerful sweeper with commitment to the roaring game and friendliness in competition.
“I don’t think my sweeping is that amazing, I guess I can thank the donuts all summer for that,” Ballance said with a laugh. “I just feel like I get along with all of the other players out there quite well, I always make jokes and try to keep it lighter on the ice even when we’re playing big events.”
Ballance, an Okotoks Curling Academy alumnus who now coaches the next generation, was a successful skip at the junior level prior to making the jump to the men’s ranks.
“I’ve played second in men’s league and playing for other skips like Kyle Morrison, who was also a junior champ,” he said. “So I’ve learned a lot about playing second from people like them and I feel like I was able to transfer that to this year quite well and pick up where I left off.”
He won the 2023 Alberta junior title and advanced to the Canadian championships, where he appeared for a second time after previously going as an alternate.
“I learned a lot playing at the national level in juniors the last couple of years,” Ballance said. “It was good bringing some of that experience into men’s, it helped a lot when I was playing on the arena ice at provincials there.”
Team Parent, a first-year foursome, qualified for the provincials as the top points earner in tour play.
In Hinton, they posted a 2-3 record with wins over Team Ryan Jacques and Team Andrew Dunbar and just missed on a top four berth into the playoff round.
“Starting out this first year I didn’t quite know too many of the other players or teams,” Ballance said. “I went into this year trying to make friends and throw as good as a rock as I can.
“We’ve won a lot this year and that’s given us a lot of confidence knowing that we can go in, if we try hard, and win some of these events in the coming years.
“It makes us think we’re not as far off. I think we’re very close to winning a lot of these events and even provincials one day.”
Also in Hinton, Diamond Valley’s Jacob Libbus, based out of the Ellerslie Curling Club in Edmonton, also posted a 2-3 mark with victories over Team Johnson Tao and Scott Webb.
The Aaron Sluchinski rink, a fixture on the provincial scene, won its first Boston Pizza Cup title defeating Team Kevin Koe in the final.
For more information, go to curlingalberta.ca.
