Knapp rink ready to rock at Brier

“It certainly took a few days (to sink in),” Knapp said. “That was a whirlwind for me. I’ve never been involved in anything like that with all that media attention and whatnot, so that was new. After that settled down and we came back out on the ice and started practising, it was, ‘OK, here we go.’

“I’m fully anticipating a few nerves. I think you just have to wait and see what happens when the time comes. Right now it’s just pure excitement and elation that we are going to be representing Sask. at the Brier. I hope I’m a little nervous. I was a little nervous at the Tankard too and I think that only made me better and the guys better as a whole.”

Knapp had mostly been a lead throughout his curling career, and he was an alternate on the Pat Simmons rink at the 2021 Brier. But this season, Knapp put together a team consisting of him, third Brennan Jones, second Mike Armstrong and lead Trent Knapp – Kelly’s twin brother.

The Regina rink won five Saskatchewan curling events, including a 5-4 win over Steve Laycock’s rink at the SaskTel Tankard to punch its ticket to the Brier in London, Ont.

Knapp thinks the success they have had in the province can translate to the national stage.

“I think us getting into those big semifinals and finals and having shots to win and all that type of stuff, it doesn’t matter what level it is at,” Knapp said. “You feel a bit of pressure when you have those shots and you kind of rein it in and you start making some of those. I honestly think when we get out there on the national stage, you’re going to see some of that transfer over.”

Now it will be up to the Knapp team to try and end Saskatchewan’s drought at the tournament. A rink from the province hasn’t won the tournament since 1980, when Rick Folk’s rink emerged as champions.

“I think it does add a bit of extra pressure. It does come up all the time. We’ve been curling fans in Saskatchewan for a long time and we’ve been aware (of it),” Knapp said.

“We are a confident bunch. I think that we’re a new face and a new name at the Brier. We’re a little more well-known around the province with curling, but at the national stage, I think a lot of people are going to be wondering who we are and see what we are all about.

“Hopefully we can come out really strong that first game and set the tone and gain some confidence and get rolling from there.”

The Brier gets underway Friday, but Knapp and his teammates won’t play their first game until Saturday at 1 p.m. against Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone. Dunstone skipped a Saskatchewan rink at the Brier from 2018 through 2022.

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by CKOM News

Knapp rink ready to rock at Brier

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