Amy Nixon, who threw third stones for the Shannon Kleibrink rink that earned a bronze medal for Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, was the keynote speaker at the wrap-up of the Olds Farmers and Farmerettes Bonspiel on Feb. 16.
In an interview prior to her appearance, Nixon said she relishes the opportunity to connect with players at the community level.
"It's an absolute pleasure to come and remember that the game is still about fun and passion. It's about the grassroots and people that love the game for the game and aren't on this crazy track of needing to win at a very high level. It's a refreshing opportunity for me to connect to the game in a different way,î she said.
Although Nixon grew up in small-town Saskatchewan where she learned to curl, she moved to Alberta to pursue post-secondary studies and got the opportunity to play with Kleibrink for several years.
"I was very fortunate to win a bronze medal, and then more recently, last year I was very fortunate to be the fifth player on Team Alberta when they won the Canadian championship, went to the worlds and again got a bronze medal at the world level, so I've had a lot of great opportunities in the game,î she said, adding that she was also part of a team that lost on last rocks to go to the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.
With her competitive career winding down, Nixon is expecting her first child in a few months. She's also skipping a team of much younger players and focusing her energies on leading a team.
"I'm trying to build a younger team. It's a huge switch to kind of mentoring them Ö and trying to share some of the experiences that I've been fortunate enough to have,î she said.
Nixon said after having played the game at such a high level after so many years, she finds it rejuvenating to be around players at the community level that are curling for the fun of it. She's also participated in curling camps for younger players, teaching them the fundamentals of the game.
"I'm steeped in it. Sometimes, when you work really hard at it and it becomes almost like another job, you forget, I think, for time periods, that you really are in love with the game and you don't have as many opportunities Ö to really just enjoy throwing rocks and being on the ice,î she said.
Nixon said with the high-level competition that she's been a part of, she's been able to work with sports psychologists, nutritionists and other experts that helped her get the most out of herself that most players aren't able to access.
"That has shaped me in a way that Ö I would just never have had opportunities like that (otherwise), so very fortunate and probably way healthier and more self-aware than I would have been without the game,î she said.
The winners of the bonspiel's men's A event were Travis Phillips, Don Brian, Dale Phillips and Dorin Thorburn, while the rink comprising Ken Gillrie, Dale Holmes, Gordon Fischer and Dennis Remillard won the B event.
The C event winners were Sam Jackson, Jim Loy, Bevin Hamilton and Chuck Fairburn. Winning the D event was the rink of John Campmans, Doug Mose, Brian Mose and Don Maxwell.
On the ladies' side of the draw, Kelly Chapman, Marg Turkalo, Chris Donner and Kim Lewis won the A event while Eileen Miller, Caroll Johnson, Leona Compton, and Gisele Wilson won the B event. Shaina Snyder, Dawnaca Martin, Patti Gardner and Cindy Leonard topped the C event.
"It's an absolute pleasure to come and remember that the game is still about fun and passion."Amy Nixon, Olympic bronze medalist in curling
