LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche-raised curler Eric Richard, the lead in Ted Appelman’s Edmonton-based provincial men’s curling team, has won the coveted Bo Davidiuk Award that celebrates the most supportive team-player and best front-end male curler competing at the provincial championships.
The award was presented to Richard’s at the recent Alberta Boston Pizza Cup provincial championships in Grande Prairie, where the Appelman rink recently competed. The provincials crown the team that will represent Alberta at the 2022 Brier national curling championships. The Appelman team made it to the finals, but lost to the Kevin Koe rink, a seven-time provincial champion.
Although missing out on the event award, Richard, 34, said receiving the prestigious Davidiuk award is a great take-away from the championships, especially because it was other curlers who selected him as the best sweeper, sportsman and team-focused player.
“It’s player voted, so this year the other teams voted for me to win it. I was surprised but definitely honoured to receive that award. I think anytime that your peers give you some votes, it definitely makes you feel appreciated,” he said.
The award was presented to Richard’s at the week-long provincial tournament that was held at the Bonnetts Energy Centre in Grand Prairie earlier this month in conjunction—for the first time—with the women’s Sentinel Storage Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
The championship, which brought together teams from all across the province was Richard’s fifth time over the years but the first time receiving the award, he said, adding that he’s been curling since he was in nine.
A positive attitude towards the game, his teammates and opponents have been with him since the beginning.
“I have been around for a while so I know a lot of the other teams and opponents. I think from knowing them, trying to be a positive person out there and trying to be friendly with everyone makes people see you as a good sport.”
In his youth, Richard, who now calls Cochrane home, curled with family members and friends in community curling leagues. His dad, Maurice Richard, is a veteran curler, high school curling coach, and the bench boss behind the 2014 Portage College men’s curling team that won their first-ever provincial gold medal. Richard has also curled with and against fellow Lac La Biche Curling Club member, and current Canadian Senior Men’s champion team member Barry Chwedoruk. Richard has been curling since he was in Grade 5 and says the sport — and his home community — are very near to his heart.
“I basically curled in Lac La Biche until I moved to Edmonton for university. I’ve curled with other groups in Lac La Biche and Barry Chwedoruk in the past. I feel quite connected to the community and I really appreciate all the support at provincials from the people of Lac La Biche—it’s always my home.”
Tournament
Although the Appelman won’t advance to the national 2022 Brier’s — being held in early March in Lethbridge this year — Richard says having the opportunity to play after COVID pandemic measures cancelled last year's tournament, then to win the Davidiuk award, all while tackling a provincial and national champion for the title ... and having it broadcast on national sports channels... was a win nonetheless.
“Anytime you make it to the playoffs it’s a big thing—it's not easy to do, and anything can happen when you make playoffs. But for us to make the finals was a big highlight and we got to play on ‘Sportsnet'. Just for the event to happen with so many things shutting down and non-existent last year and provincials being cancelled; this year for it to happen again was pretty cool.”
It’s no surprise that the latest Bo Davidiuk award winner is already pumped and ready for the run to next year’s provincials and nationals. He knows there is a big community of support behind him, too.
“The goal moving forward is to make the finals again and hope for a different result in the tournament…Throughout the week I got a lot of positive messages from residents in Lac La Biche that I’m still connected with and haven’t seen or heard from in a long time, so that was really supportive and nice to hear,” Richard said.
“I haven’t lived there full-time for 14-years but it still feels like my hometown and the place I feel most connected to.”
Bo Davidiuk was an avid Alberta curler who passed away in 2009. He was the brother of Northern Alberta Championship Curling Society executive Darwin Davidiuk.
