In the photo: Curling superfan Dale Roadhouse leaves no doubt as to which team he is backing. The Alberta man, wife Debbie and friends Gail and Kelly Barnes attend all Briers in Western Canada. Dave Eagles photo/KTW
Saskatchewan fans in Roughrider jerseys and green cowboy hats, cardboard tributes to TSN broadcaster Vic Rauter, provincial flags from across the nation being waved between shots.
The seats at Interior Savings Centre have been home to some of the Brier’s most ardent supporters this week — and some who are new to the sport are also catching the curling bug.
Aidan Barringer and Keagan Fletcher, both Grade 6 students at David Thompson elementary in Kamloops, were among some of the new fans at ISC this week as they took in a game between B.C. and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Both said they watched a lot of curling during the Sochi Olympics and have had fun seeing the pros in action at Canada’s largest curling event.
“It’s kind of exciting to watch,” 11-year-old Keagan said.
He and Aidan both hope to come back and watch more games later in the week.
“It’s really fun,” Aidan, also 11, agreed.
The students were taking a break from the “Let’s go B.C.!” chants that rocked the building throughout the draw.
About 100 students from David Thompson were at the game, taking in one of the nation’s most popular sports.
And, while the students were enjoying their first Brier action — clad in the orange athletics jerseys of their Westsyde school — Dale Roadhouse of Hughenden, Alta., was enjoying his sixth, with an interesting get-up of his own.
Roadhouse has been visible this week, dressed in blue coveralls and their reflective yellow stripes, a bright yellow hardhat topping his blue and yellow hair.
It’s hard to miss the Alberta fan, but the “KOE” scribbled across the front of his helmet in permanent marker leaves no doubt of his allegiance. That, and the blue dye which now graces his formerly salt and pepper goatee.
“It just gets us more involved with crowd and gives a little boost to the teams, too,” said Roadhouse, known to those in the seats around him as Roady.
“We get lots of thumbs up, lots of ‘Good costumes,’ high-fives, that sort of stuff.”
Roadhouse, wife Debbie and friends Gail and Kelly Barnes attend all Briers in Western Canada and do their province proud in their matching costumes.
While his outfit attracts a little less attention, Mike Murphy shows his Nova Scotia pride with his yellow Sou’Wester rain hat — a sight surprisingly common in the stands at ISC.
Though Murphy makes his home in Quispamsis, N.B., his son, Jamie Murphy, lives in Halifax and is skipping Team Nova Scotia this week.
“We’ve loved it, coming here,” Mike said. “The support has been tremendous.
“We’re very surprised at how many Nova Scotians actually live here. We’ve just run into so many people that have said they have said they have histories in one city or community or another in Nova Scotia.”
So, while talk at the Brier has turned to sparse crowds and empty seats at times this week, those in the building aren’t backing off the support for their teams.
“We love it, the fans love it” Debbie Roadhouse said.
“I think it gets everybody into the game and makes it more enjoyable.”
