Curling legend Glenn Howard reflects on his career & what's next
After decades of dominance on the ice, Glenn Howard, one of the most decorated curlers in history, has announced his retirement.
With four world championships, four Briers, and 17 provincial titles under his belt, Howard leaves behind a legacy that has not only elevated the sport but also put the shores of South Georgian Bay on the world map.
In an interview with CTV News, conducted just two days into his retirement, Howard reflects on his illustrious career and what lies ahead.
"I realize now it is time to pack it in, and I've come to terms with it," Howard remarks, addressing the toll the sport has taken on his body. "My knee is so sore now that it's taking the fun out of the sport."
For Howard, curling has been more than just a sport; it's been a way of life deeply intertwined with his family and community.
"I felt at peace on the curling sheet," he shares. "It was everything. My family was involved, [my] mom, dad, brother, my two kids. Curling is everything to me."
Throughout his career, Howard shared the ice with his family, including his brother Russ. In 1987, Howard won his first Canadian championship and world championship with his brother by his side. The brothers played together for 15 years.
Howard also played eight years with his son Scott.
Reflecting on his journey from the small town of Midland, Howard acknowledges the significance of his achievements.
"It's super cool to be able to say you won a world championship championship. Those are special memories with all those amazing teammates," he says.
Howard's longtime friend, Bryan Wilson, highlights how the curling icon's talents extend far beyond his accomplishments on the ice.
"It's not just the curling but what he's done for the communities around here," Wilson says. "[He's a] great ambassador for the game [and] hard to replace."
As Howard steps into retirement, he leaves behind a changed game, with one of his proudest achievements being the evolution of the rules, spearheaded alongside his brother Russ.
"It was right here in this curling club [that] he came up with that idea of not being able to remove the first couple of rocks of an end. We just did that in practice. Long story short, it morphed into the three-rock, four-rock and the now existing five-rock rule," Howard says.
Looking ahead, Howard expresses confidence in curling's future, noting the abundance of young talent. He hopes to stay around for a bit longer as a coach.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Loblaw boycott organizers say they plan to keep movement going past May
The organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores say they've decided to extend the boycott past May.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Winnipeg trial hears admitted serial killer searched web for serial killer definition
The trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four women has heard he searched the internet to look up the definition of what it means to be a serial killer.