Curling legend Glenn Howard has won almost everything there is to win on the pebbled ice.

The 57-year-old has captured four Brier titles (with a record 17 Brier appearances and a record 281 Brier games), four world championships, 16 Grand Slam victories and mounds of cash on the World Curling Tour.

But the ultimate prize still eludes him: Olympic gold.

Achieving this goal is a monumental task for Howard, or any other curler, to accomplish in the twilight of their career. He’ll be 59 by the time the next Winter Olympics roll around in 2022 in Beijing, China. Just getting to the Roar of the Rings Olympics trials – set to take place in Saskatoon, Sask., in late 2021 – seems unlikely with Howard no longer ranked amongst the best teams in Canada.

However, maybe his best chance at qualifying for the trials will come at the Canada Cup in Leduc, Alta., from Nov. 27-Dec. 1.The men’s and women’s victors of the Season of Champions opener will get an automatic entry to the Canadian Olympic trials as the tournament’s first qualifiers.

If the skipper can pull off the upset at the Canada Cup, Howard says he’ll most definitely finish off the Olympic cycle.    

“If you had told me six or seven years ago that I’d be curling in 2019 at 57 years old I would of said you were crazy,” Howard told TSN.ca in a recent phone interview. “I say this a lot and it’s a bit of a cliché, but I’m having a ball. I’m having so much fun out there, playing against the big boys. We’re still knocking heads.

“We can beat all the teams that are out there. As long as my body can hold up and I still have the desire to throw rocks and practice, I’ll continue. I see myself finishing out this cycle for sure and after that, it’s totally up in the air.”

Winning the Canada Cup is one of the hardest tasks in curling as it pits the top seven men’s and women’s rinks from across the country. Only three teams make the playoffs after a six-game round robin played over just three days. There are no “gimmies” and no time to find your game like at the Tim Hortons Brier and Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“If we ever get hot and pull it off that would be amazing, but we got our hands full against the best teams in the country,” said Howard.

This will be Howard’s first Canada Cup appearance since 2014 when he fell to Mike McEwen in the semifinals. Howard defeated Kevin Martin to win the 2010 Canada Cup title.

Howard’s crew out of the Penetanguishene Curling Club, featuring Glenn’s son Scott at third, David Mathers at second and Tim March at lead, is coming in with some renewed confidence after defending their title at the Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic in mid-November.

“It was exactly what the doctor ordered,” he said.

Howard says his rink started the season a bit slow as they failed to qualify for the playoffs in their first three events. The foursome then had back-to-back quarterfinal appearances at the Masters and the Tour Challenge on the Grand Slam circuit before their win in Halifax.

“We’re starting to peak at the right time” said Howard.

This is the second year Scott is tossing third stones after spending the previous three curling campaigns at front end for his father. Scott came to his father this off-season and said he was ready to make the jump. Glenn agreed.

“I had no qualms about it because I knew he could handle the position,” said Howard. “What I love about him is that he gives 150 per cent every time we go on the ice and as the pressure comes on he generally gets a little bit better and makes a few more shots when the pressure is on which is the sign of a good curler.”

Scott has even filled in at skip a handful of times over the past two seasons when Glenn was absent. The 29-year-old led the way at the Masters in October and won last year’s Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic by beating Brad Gushue in the final, highlighted by a triple-takeout to score six in the third end.

With a 9-2 record as the last rock thrower, Glenn says his son’s stock has gone up and thinks he’ll be in a good position to find a solid rink once he decides to retire.

“I think people have taken notice. I’m not going to curl forever, but I’d like to see him have a decent team moving forward in the future and stick with the game,” explained Glenn.

For the time being, however, Papa Howard is still the captain. Team Howard kick off the 2019 Canada Cup against Brad Jacobs on Nov. 27 at 4pm ET/1pm PT.

You can catch all the Canada Cup action throughout the week on TSN.

 

Coach Howard

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Howard coached Scotland’s Team Eve Muirhead during the last quadrennial and was with the Stirling squad last season as well.

He was not brought back this year as Scottish Curling preferred to have their coach live in Scotland so they could be around the team routinely. Howard would have liked to stay with Team Muirhead, but understands the reality of the situation.

Regardless, the Ontario native said he caught the coaching bug with the Scots and wants to do it again in the future.

“I jumped at the opportunity. I had no idea if I was going to love it or hate it, but I really did enjoy it. I was spoiled. I had one of the best teams in the world to start with and five amazing women to deal with as well,” he said “It was a learning curve for me, but I really did enjoy it so I definitely could see myself coaching somewhere at some point in the future.”

There has been talk in curling circles over the past few years about Canadians heading to Europe and Asia to coach instead of staying in their home country.

What’s Howard’s take on the situation?

Despite admitting it was weird at first to put another country’s jersey on, Howard said he’ll take the best opportunity offered.

“I’d coach anywhere, I think,” said Howard.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to wear the Maple Leaf four times and I’m a pretty proud Canadian, but it’s different when you’re coaching. It’s a job. It’s not like I was less patriotic because I was coaching for Scotland, but I really did enjoy it. I had no qualms with it after time, but I did think about it at the time. It was going to be weird to have Scotland on my back. You get over that pretty quickly because you realize you have a job to do. It’s a version of giving back to the sport as well.”

At the end of the day, Howard just wants to stay active in the game after his playing days are over.

“Regardless of whether I’m playing I still want to stay in the game and keep my hands in the game because I think it’s the greatest sport on earth,” said Howard.