WADENA, SASK. -- A Sask Curling Tour event in Wadena is giving a local man the chance to showcase his talent in his home town.
Dustin Mikush grew up in Wadena, but he never expected to get the opportunity to curl in a provincial tournament there.
“It is super special to be playing here in Wadena,” Mikush said. “This is where I grew up and learned how to curl after being away curling in another province for five years its super exciting to have a home event in Wadena where I learned how to curl.”
Mikush initially got into curling in an afterschool program in elementary school, because he said he wanted to follow in his brother’s footsteps said he wanted to follow in his brothers footsteps.
“I was itching to get out and learn and be like my brother and [do] what he was doing,” Mikush said.
With COVID-19 affecting the curling season last year, Mikush is thankful that his team is able to play.
“Maybe a little more appreciative and more grateful to go out there and curl on the weekends again,” Mikush said. “Really just truly enjoy it because that was taken away from us last year.”
Curling officials believe more local tours like the one in Wadena will allow the sport of curling to grow.
Scott Comfort is one of the organizers of the tournament and also is participating this weekend.
“To get Sask Tours to come to a small town, it is awesome,” Comfort said. “What it does for the community is great, the curlers get to have some home town cooking in the rink it helps inspire our next generation [of] kids and our junior program here.”
With the Olympic trials said and done, Mikush draws inspiration from Kirk Muyres – who recently participated in the event.
“Someone like Kirk Muyres who is from just down the road here Muenster, less than an hour away and he is playing in an Olympic trials,” Mikush said. “I think guys like him from rural Saskatchewan towns who are chasing their dreams and can show that anything is possible.”
The tournament runs until Sunday with teams hoping to qualify for provincials in Regina in the new year.
