It was recently announced that the Olympic Trials for curling will once again be held in Omaha Nebraska in November 2021. The Trials for the last Olympics were also held in Omaha in 2017. Wow that seems like a long time ago!

I was asked how I felt about going back to Omaha. I was quick to answer that Omaha was great, the arena was huge, ice amazing, city beautiful, everything we could ask for. The question was then clarified, how do you go back to a place where the greatest heartache in sport happened to you? I can still see that last shot in my mind as if in slow motion. The rock stopped just off its mark. I swear for a split second everything froze, even the crowd and then my heart dropped. The crowd applauded and I shook hands while holding back tears; actually I couldn’t really hold them back.

That night I got dragged out to get something to eat. While at the restaurant a lady and her daughter came up to me and said they had watched the game, were cheering for me and were sorry we lost. I found out later she had paid for my dinner!

Now that’s what Omaha is all about, the great people and their passion for sport. Yes I’m excited about going back to Omaha for the Olympic Trials. I want the outcome to be different but I want Omaha to be the same.