From: Jennifer Hanson, thenorthbaybay.ca staff
NORTH BAY — Following the overwhelming success of the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship in North Bay, Nipissing University announced Monday morning that it was converting its men’s Lakers team into curlers.
“We’re very proud of out Lakers Men’s Hockey Team,” reads a statement from Nipissing’s Athletic Department. “They have played incredible hockey since 2009, and you could not ask for a better group of guys. But the fact is that attendance has been low these last few years, and we’ve been running a deficit.”
“So we are converting our men’s hockey team into a curling club.”
The increased interest in curling, coupled with the incredible support for the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, sparked Nipissing’s interest in the sport.
“They have Memorial Gardens packed for the next week,” says head coach Warren Truscott. “That’s a lot of tickets and a lot of jerseys. So the department says to me ‘why not make a team?’ and I says back ‘I got ya covered!'”
“The hockey boys are big, strong guys. If they can fire a slapshot, they can shoot a rock. I mean, what’s a rock, anyway? It’s really just a big puck with a handle.”
“They’re going to kill it. Especially on the powerplay. Curling has powerplays, right?”
September Start
Effective immediately, the Nipissing Lakers men’s ice hockey team will begin training at the East Ferris Community Centre, with a hopeful early September start time.
“So bring out your noisemakers and air horns, because it’s going to be wild!” says Truscott. “For every goal scored, you get a free small fry from McDonald’s! Or, I think so, anyway. Curling has goals, right?”