Deanna’s memory will live on through curling tournament in her name

Bryan then thought of ways to pay them back. The club had been looking to get a doubles spiel going, so Bryan came up with the idea. He also wants the spiel to turn into a fundraiser for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, which Deanna was also heavily involved in.

“Hopefully it helps the club, hopefully it helps the children in our province and keeps Deanna’s memory alive,” Bryan said.

Deanna Rindal started curling as a young girl and eventually started playing competitively. Her junior team lost in the provincials to now well-known curler Michelle Englot. That same time reconnected when they turned 50 to play on the senior circuit.

But Deanna made her biggest impact on the sport as an official. And kind of like her bonspiel, she got into it almost by accident.

Back in 1987 when the junior nationals were in Prince Albert, they were short an on-ice official as one had to drop out at the last minute. Deanna filled in for that event and never looked back. She worked her way to the top the sport’s officiating scene, having worked in three world tournaments, including one in Japan. She also did several Scotties Tournament of Hearts, tons of provincials and was the CurlSask chief umpire. She was also inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 in the builder category.

“You spend a lot of time eating rink burgers and sitting out on some really cold sheets of ice. But she eventually built her way up to the point where she was doing the lady’s provincials, up until the last couple years due to her illness, but that became more or less her domain. She was always the head umpire there,” Rindal said. “She did quite a few continental cups, she enjoyed that. Twice to worlds in Swift Current and once to the worlds in Japan, Scotties a couple times, Briers, junior events.”

And last Monday, Deanna was posthumously awarded with the Joan Mead Builder Award at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw. Bryan, alongside his daughter Peyton and son Preston, accepted the award on her behalf.

Bryan got a call from Kruger Inc., who sponsor the Scotties each year, back in December to tell him about the award. Rindal was caught so off guard by the call he thought it was about a potential sale.

“I didn’t put two and two together that it was about the Scotties. I thought he was trying to sell me paper. We’re not that big of an office. Why would you waste your time with me?” Rindal said. “When we finally got to that, I was like ‘oh.’ I was really taken aback, thinking about it. That’s a really big honour just to be considered. When you look at some names on that plaque, there are some big-time names.”

Cheryl Bernard, Vic Rauter, Melissa Soligo, Elaine Dagg-Jackson are on the same plaque, just to name a few. Rindal added he was touched that Deanna’s name will always be on that star-studded list.

The 1^st Annual Deanna Rindal Memorial Open Doubles Spiel will start on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Centre. It will wrap up on Sunday.

–

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW

by Jeff D'Andrea

Deanna’s memory will live on through curling tournament in her name

What's Trending