Team Canada though the years!

Since the beginning of wheelchair curling, it has been a question of who can win for Canada. Over the last week we took this somewhat controversial topic on in a poll regarding the current team Canada and the result are somewhat surprising.

We asked the question; can Team Canada win without Jim Armstrong?

After we took out the one person who keep voting from the same IP address (you are only allowed 1 vote per address) the results was very interesting. It seems the World does not believe Canada could win without Jim Armstrong but by such a close margin that I must declare the poll a tie.

The results came in at:

49% - YES

49% - NO

2% - Maybe
So does it answer the question, I think YES. I think in the history of wheelchair curling in Canada we have shown that this team – TEAM CANADA; Can win and why? Well it is well developed, well trained, have the desire, the determination and are the very best regardless of who is on the team. We have won before and will win again. Our track record from the start shows us that. 2 Paralympic Gold’s, 2 World Championships, 1 silver at World and 1 Bronze. Not to mention the countless bonspiels, worlds cups and other events Team Canada has won or at least hit the podium on.

I was proud to be a member of the team for some 7 years and honoured to be skipping. I have had a chance to either introduce or see most of the players in this country play  and I can say this. Any one person who plays in Canada has the ability to obtain the “Maple Leaf”, the jacket, whatever you want to call it. Training right, understand the game and you can make Team Canada and we will win regardless of who is on this team; after all it is curling and it is Canada’s game even if those hockey guys want to argue that fact. Some 1.2 million curlers in Canada and some 200+ wheelchair curler who believe in the flag and this game will fight for that point.

Can you name all the members of Team Canada from the beginning?

Here are photos of all the Team Canada since the start.

The first Team Canada - 2001 - Worlds Silver & Bronze
Chris Daw (Skip), Don Bell (3rd), Jim Primavera (2nd), Karen Blachford (lead),
 Richard Fraser (Alt.)Tom Ward (Coach)

Team Canada 2006 - Paralympic GOLD

Chris Daw (Skip), Gery Austgarden (3rd), Gary Cormack (2nd), Sonja Gaudet (Lead)
Karen Blachford (Alt.), Joe Rea (Coach)

Team Canada 2009 - World Champs
Jim Armstrong (skip), Darryl Neighbour (3rd), Ina Forrest (2nd), Chris Sobkowicz (Lead)
Sonja Gaudet (Alt.), Joe Rea (Coach)

Team Canada 2010 - Paralympic Gold , World Champs
Jim Armstrong (skip), Darryl Neighbour (3rd), Ina Forrest (2nd), Sonja Gaudet (Lead)
Bruno Yizek (Alt.) , Joe Rea (Coach)

The current Team Canada has not released a picture yet but includes all the Member in the above photo other than Bruno Yizek (far right) who has been replace by Jack Smart from Alberta.

What will the genration look like?