'Premier of Saskatchewan' Ben Hebert emotional about curling worlds
Canada's star-studded lead stoked to play not far from home in front of 'best sport fans in the country'
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Tears of joy engulfed Ben Hebert two weeks ago amid the Brier celebration on the ice of Prospera Place.
Plenty to think on and take in from that win in Kelowna, B.C.
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'Premier of Saskatchewan' Ben Hebert emotional about curling worlds Back to video
The superstar curler was understandably overcome with what he and his rink-mates had just accomplished … an impressive national victory.
And he was curiously overwhelmed with what lay ahead — another shot at a world curling championship — this time not far from where he grew up learning the sport.
“Heading back to my home province of Saskatchewan for the worlds … is emotional,” said Hebert, talking through tears to a throng of reporters mere minutes after the Brier triumph with rink-mates Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Paul Webster.
“I’m not getting any younger,” continued the 42-year-old lead. “So you never know how many of these you’ve got left.
“But I’m so stoked. And to get to do it with these guys means a lot.”
He’s on the scene now in Moose Jaw — a few games into the worlds — and not much has changed in his excitement of playing so close to his home of Regina.
The site of the 2025 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship, Temple Gardens Centre, is less than an hour by car from the Saskatchewan capital.
“Up there,” answered Hebert, on where vying for worlds in his home province ranks in his career highlights. “Good crowd. And a lot of familiar faces out there, which I was expecting to see.
“I mean … pretty special,” continued the already two-time world champ, after gold-medal wins in 2018 Grand Forks, USA, and 2016 Basel, Switzerland. “I’ve never got to play in a world championship at home. But we played a world championship in Montana, played the (2010) Olympics in Vancouver, a world championship in Lethbridge … and anywhere you hear the Canadian fans roaring and waving the flag, it’s pretty awesome.
“But … you know … I’ve said this for my whole life. I’ve been in Alberta 20 years now, and I still think the best sport fans in the country are in Saskatchewan — not just curling fans, but sports in general.”
Right now, it’s curling that’s on the minds of those ‘best sports fans’ making the trek to Moose Jaw, with Hebert — as expected — at the centre of their cheering spirit.
Those familiar faces are family members, friends and even those he’s competed against on the pebbled ice.
“I said last year at the Brier in Regina, I forgot how many people I knew in the curling world,” Hebert said. “I saw so many people that were supporting me … they’re all older now. They’ve got kids, and I expect to see them all in Moose Jaw cheering us on.”
Included was many on hand for the third game of the worlds for Hebert and Canada (3-0) — that a 9-3 victory over South Korea’s Kim Hyo-jun (0-4) on Sunday afternoon.
“We’ve been calling Ben the ‘Premier of Saskatchewan’ over the last couple weeks, with the amount of people we know that are going to come and support him,” said rink-mate Kennedy, of Hebert. “He’s going to have all of Saskatchewan behind our team, which is terrific.”
It could all be so very overwhelming — distractions, if you will — for anyone to attract that kind of attention.
But Hebert, who’s forever been among curling’s elite rock stars on and off the ice, knows how to handle a situation of being the focus of attention between games.
It’s no longer about the distractions off-ice, enjoying good times with fans and friends in the beer gardens.
“The game has changed,” Hebert said. “There’s the Olympics, and there’s money, and you’ve got sponsors and the Brier and world championships and a lot of good athletes.
“The athletes aren’t wheeling through the Brier Patch much anymore. We’re in bed early and playing cards and sipping Bublys and being professionals, where it used to be — me and Marc and John Morris used to joke at the ’08 and ’09 worlds — we’d look at the schedule and figure out what nights we were going to the Patch because we played a bunch of knee-sliders the next day.
“Like, that doesn’t exist anymore. You know … these teams are real, real tough, and anybody there could beat you.”
Being older, wiser and more in tune with all that’s at stake has helped him shift gears.
“Yeah … I’m older, I’m married, I got kids …” added Hebert. “I have great memories of my past. But I will be with my teammates in the hotel room, blocking out distractions, looking forward to taking down the world teams, because they’re very, very good.
“I mean … I guess if it was equal level and they all wanted to go out and we went position for position, maybe we could give it a go,” joked Hebert. “But I’m pretty sure we won’t.
“You won’t see us in the (Original 16) Patch too much outside of visiting some family and friends.”
How Canada beat South Korea?
Jacobs opened with a three-ender and never trailed in the eight-end victory.
Canada also scored with the hammer in the third, fifth and eighth ends, getting deuces in all those frames to cruise in its only game of the second day.
“We just had control of that last game from the git-go,” Jacobs said. “The guys played great in front of me. We had a great set of rocks on a great sheet and made a lot of shots.”
It’s got them on top of the standings, becoming the first team to reach 3-0.
“What did I like about the opening weekend?” queried Jacobs. “Well … everything. Everything was great.
“Everything … yeah,” added Kennedy. “Great crowds. Ice is good. I think we’ve brought good energy and lots of good shots. And I think we’re staying in the moment and focused on trying to make each and every shot.”
Extra ends
Monday’s match for Hebert and Canada pits them against No. 1 Bruce Mouat of Scotland in the afternoon (4 p.m. ET, TSN). Mighty Scotland (3-0) defeated Japan (0-3) 9-6 early Sunday … The other AM games saw: China (3-0) drop USA (2-1) 8-2; Switzerland (2-1) defeat Austria (0-3) 9-4; and Czechia (2-1) upset Germany (0-3) 8-7 … The afternoon draw also featured: USA 12-7 over Switzerland; Norway (2-1) 7-3 over Czechia; and Sweden (2-1) 10-5 over Japan … Draw 5 late Sunday saw: Norway upend Germany 8-3; Sweden double up Austria 8-4; China smoke Italy (1-2) 9-4; and Scotland down South Korea 9-3 … Draws 6, 7 and 8 are slated for Monday respectively at 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. — all times ET and on TSN.
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