Tears of joy engulfed Ben Hebert two weeks ago amid the Brier celebration on the ice of Prospera Place. Read More
Canada’s star-studded lead stoked to play not far from home in front of ‘best sport fans in the country’
Canada’s star-studded lead stoked to play not far from home in front of ‘best sport fans in the country’
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Tears of joy engulfed Ben Hebert two weeks ago amid the Brier celebration on the ice of Prospera Place.
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Plenty to think on and take in from that win in Kelowna, B.C.
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The superstar curler was understandably overcome with what he and his rink-mates had just accomplished … an impressive national victory.
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And he was curiously overwhelmed with what lay ahead — another shot at a world curling championship — this time not far from where he grew up learning the sport.
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“Heading back to my home province of Saskatchewan for the worlds … is emotional,” said Hebert, talking through tears to a throng of reporters mere minutes after the Brier triumph with rink-mates Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Paul Webster.
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“I’m not getting any younger,” continued the 42-year-old lead. “So you never know how many of these you’ve got left.
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“But I’m so stoked. And to get to do it with these guys means a lot.”
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He’s on the scene now in Moose Jaw — a few games into the worlds — and not much has changed in his excitement of playing so close to his home of Regina.
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The site of the 2025 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship, Temple Gardens Centre, is less than an hour by car from the Saskatchewan capital.
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“Up there,” answered Hebert, on where vying for worlds in his home province ranks in his career highlights. “Good crowd. And a lot of familiar faces out there, which I was expecting to see.
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“I mean … pretty special,” continued the already two-time world champ, after gold-medal wins in 2018 Grand Forks, USA, and 2016 Basel, Switzerland. “I’ve never got to play in a world championship at home. But we played a world championship in Montana, played the (2010) Olympics in Vancouver, a world championship in Lethbridge … and anywhere you hear the Canadian fans roaring and waving the flag, it’s pretty awesome.
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“But … you know … I’ve said this for my whole life. I’ve been in Alberta 20 years now, and I still think the best sport fans in the country are in Saskatchewan — not just curling fans, but sports in general.”
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Right now, it’s curling that’s on the minds of those ‘best sports fans’ making the trek to Moose Jaw, with Hebert — as expected — at the centre of their cheering spirit.