A year ago, Adam Casey faced an uncertain curling future.
Now the 30-year-old Seven Mile Bay native has made history and is in the thick of things at the 2020 Tim Hortons Brier.
“The end of last season my team was going separate ways,” explained Casey, who is playing second stone with Manitoba’s Jason Gunnlaugson rink at this week’s Canadian men’s curling championship in Kingston, Ont. “You never know when you are going to throw your last rock and I didn’t know if I was even going to play this year.”
A phone call quickly changed that.
“I got a call from Jason and the guys and it seemed like a great fit,” said Casey. “I always had a ton of respect for what (Gunnlaugson) does, he’s super committed, puts in the systems and if I was going to play those were kind of the requirements I need.
“I talked with (wife) Tessa because we had a baby to be born in the middle of December, which is peak curling season. I wanted to make sure she was on board and she gave me 100 per cent support and off I went.”
The Gunnlaugson team defeated Mike McEwen 7-4 in the Manitoba provincial final and took a 4-2 (won-lost) record into its final round-robin game versus Nova Scotia on Wednesday afternoon. The top four teams in each pool qualify for the championship round and Team Gunnlaugson sat third in Pool B following Wednesday morning’s 11-5 victory over Nunavut.
“It’s the mecca of curling and it doesn’t get any better,” said Casey, describing the significance of competing in the Brier. “The field is deep.”
Only players
I got a call from Jason and the guys and it seemed like a great fit. I always had a ton of respect for what he does, he’s super committed, puts in the systems and if I was going to play those were kind of the requirements I need. I talked with (my wife) Tessa because we had a baby to be born in the middle of December, which is peak curling season. I wanted to make sure she was on board and she gave me 100-per-cent support and off I went.
- Adam Casey
This is Casey’s seventh appearance and this year he joined Ryan Fry as the only players to represent four provinces at the Brier.
“It’s funny we used to play together (with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue rink),” said Casey referring to Fry. “I think it’s just more of circumstances is how this has come together.
“The first time was with Newfoundland, I then played out of P.E.I. and when it was clear that people’s lives did not allow them to commit and it was so expensive to play out of the Island, it made a lot of sense for me to become this import player.
“I have been fortunate to get with two different groups of guys in Manitoba and Saskatchewan because it is not easy.”
Casey previously represented Newfoundland and Labrador and skipped entries from P.E.I. and Saskatchewan at the Brier.
“Adam gets a lot of notoriety for winning four provinces, but one thing that might get forgotten is he hasn’t gone out of his way to go to easy provinces,” said Gunnlaugson. “Manitoba is always a tough province (to win), he came here and accepted that challenge of trying to win it and he did it on his first try, which is kind of amazing.”
Gunnlaugson praised Casey’s commitment, which included joining the team for events throughout the season.
“We go play a five-day event in Saskatchewan or Ontario and we think that’s a huge commitment,” said Gunnlaugson. “Then we realize it takes Adam seven days to do that because travelling is tougher from the east coast and there are fewer flight options.”
Casey was quick to recognize the support he receives from his employer, MDS Coating Technologies, where he serves as director of operations. He noted he is fortunate to be able to work remotely while on the road.
“There is no way I am doing any of this without them,” emphasized Casey.
Fit right in
Gunnlaugson said Casey has been a great fit for his rink, which includes third stone Alex Forrest and lead Connor Njegovan.
“Our group has been together for a few years and has a lot of history together, the three of us,” said Gunnlaugson. “We were looking for somebody who had that same passion for the sport and also was in a similar life place.
“Alex, our third, and Adam have a unique connection. They are almost the same age, got married within not too many months of each other and both just had a child in December. They and their wives have a ton in common.”
Gunnlaugson said one of the many things Casey brings to the rink is extensive experience.
“One of his great strengths is he’s played all of the positions at a high level, so he can help everybody out a bit and knows what they are going through,” said Gunnlaugson. “He’s been able to support me as a skip and even though he plays second in the shooting order he is in the house for my shots.
“We rely on his knowledge. He can help all the other three team members because he can relate to what they are going through and how he might say the right thing at the right time to help them.”
Casey said it didn't take long for him and his new teammates to adjust to each other.
“It seems like we’ve been together for three or four years now,” said Casey. “It has been a really good fit.
“They are a great group of guys, a lot of similar personalities. And we are accustomed to each other at this point.”
Adam Casey’s appearances at Canadian men’s curling championship:
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