Kelowna Secondary School hosts high school curling provincials this week

KSS hosts curling provincials

Kelowna Secondary School is hosting the 2024 BC high school curling championships this week, and they’ve got a lot of experience to draw on.

Coach Bob Harris has been helping mould junior teams since the 1960s.

“Bob has been coaching at that school since Gerry Richard in 1974 won it, and he was coaching before Gerry Richard. So Gerry is now a world champion, which is incredible, but Bob is 81 years old and he’s been coaching, I think, since he was 18,” said Kelowna Curling Club general manager Jock Tyre.

This is the second time in recent years Kelowna has hosted high school provincials. It was also chosen for a scaled-back post-COVID event in 2022.

KSS will be shooting for its first title on home ice, with the team of Kalista Klaver, Parker Rempel, Ella Cooper and Zoe Maningas. They’ve been honing their skills over the past few years by playing in the Tuesday night ladies division.

“Playing against the adults has really, I think, kind of given us an advantage in playing against people our age because we’ve played against people with so much more experience,” said skip Klaver. “And we’ve gotten their advice from the years of experience that they’ve had.

“I think that’s helped us develop our skill in a way that skill in a way that other teams don’t get to,” she adds.

The team has been working on the fundamentals and going through strategy leading up to the tournament, but the biggest piece of advice from coach Harris is to enjoy the experience.

“Go out there and embrace the fun and competition and just do your best.”

Along with KSS, three other curling teams from the Thompson-Okanagan are competing at the BC School Sports 2024 Provincial Championships. Westsyde Secondary of Kamloops is represented on the girls side, while Norkam of Kamloops and Salmon Arm Secondary will battle for the title on the boys side of the draw. The tournament begins Wednesday and wraps up Saturday.