The Tim Hortons Brier is underway for Team Alberta, with St. Albert Curling Club alumnus Mark Kennedy at third and Scott Pfeifer as the alternate for the Kevin Koe rink from the Glencoe Club of Calgary.
Alberta’s first game at TD Place in Ottawa is today at 12:30 p.m. against Team Ontario, skipped by Glenn Howard.
Visit http://www.curling.ca/2016brier/ for draw times and results.
The 87th annual Brier features 16 previous Brier winners, with 30 titles in total, plus 13 former champions, nine Olympic gold medallists and 304 Purple Hearts.
Last year the Koe rink, with Brent Laing at second and Ben Hebert at lead, finished fifth at 6-5 at the Brier in Calgary with Koe fighting the flu.
Kennedy was throwing third rocks but sweeping skip rocks with Laing holding the broom but this season the Paul Kane High School alumnus is in the house fulltime for skip rocks.
Kennedy is a six-time Brier all-star as the second-team selection at third last year after making the first team at second in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, and the second team in 2013.
Kennedy is also a two-time Brier winner, 2008 world champion and 2010 Olympic gold medallist curling with skip Kevin Martin, third John Morris and Hebert.
Pfeifer has resurfaced as the team’s fifth man for the Brier after semi-retirement in the sport while based in Sherwood Park.
The Bellerose Composite High School alumnus is a four-time Brier winner and three-time world gold medallist with the Ferbey Four, the Alberta Curling Federation’s Team of the Century.
Pfeifer was also the first curler to earn all-star selections at five Briers, starting with a second-team berth in 2001 before winning four-straight first-team honours.
Pfeifer and Kennedy were inducted into the St. Albert Curling Club wall of fame in 2011.
Teams are getting their kicks in at the Dieter Knobloch Memorial Adult Tournament.
The three-day indoor soccer competition at Servus Credit Union Place features 19 women’s teams in the 1/2, 3A, 3B and 4 divisions and 10 co-ed teams in the A and B divisions.
Sunday’s tournament winners receive cash prizes.
Visit www.stalbertsoccer.com for schedules and results.
The tournament is named after one of the initial founders, president and life member of the St. Albert Soccer Association and coach of the St. Albert Rangers.
Knobloch died June 30, 2010 at the age of 70 after a 10-year battle with cancer.
