Earlier this week, Brad Gushue announced his intention to step away from competitive curling at the end of the season.
Gushue’s achievements include winning Olympic gold and bronze medals, appearing in 21 Briers, winning a record-breaking six Brier titles, playing in five world championships, and winning a World Championship gold in 2017.
Gushue says the time is right for him to move on from the sport.
“You weigh the pros and the cons. The pros are obviously hanging out with your teammates, playing in big events, and getting to practice. I still love the game. All the other stuff starts to tip in the other direction over time. The training, the time in the airport, and the time away from your family and friends. That's what it comes down to.”
Gushue and his team are focusing on the season ahead, which includes hoping to qualify for the 2026 Olympics in Italy. With that in mind, Gushue felt it was important to make the announcement before the season.
“I'll answer that by going back to last year, where I felt I knew and I kept it to myself. I didn't share the feelings that I had with anybody, and I struggled last year with motivation and drive. I think my teammates knew that. I think our coach knew that. When I got to that 100% point, if I know, it's just as well to let everybody else know. My hope is that by sharing it with everybody, it will take a burden off me, and to be honest, waking up this morning now with everybody knowing, I do feel better.”
Gushue says the announcement isn’t impacting his approach to the season.
“I've probably come into the season more fit than I have in a number of years. I've worked my tail off. We will put it all out there and give everything we can. I think the only change that we made was to really have as much fun as we can over this year. I think I'm going to make an effort to really enjoy every moment I'm going to have.”
Gushue has been at the forefront of competitive curling worldwide for the last quarter of a century, and pinpointing an accomplishment he is proud of is a tall task.
“It is probably the quarter century, just the longevity, that we've been able to stay at or near the top of the game for such a long time. Keeping that motivation at the level that it has and going through how the game has evolved over the last 25 years. I think that's something I'm very proud of, and that's hard to achieve.”
In terms of a lasting legacy, Gushue hasn’t considered it yet.
“I want to be known as a good friend. All the other accolades are great. I'm not too worried about if I win a seventh Brier or an Olympic gold medal, it won't change how people feel about me. Ideally, it's the other side, a good father, teammate, and friend.
Gushue, the proud father of two girls, has his season mapped out. He hopes to qualify for the Olympics and win another Brier in his hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Labrador.
“We're not playing a big schedule. We're playing next week in London at the Grand Slam of Curling. Then we have the Points Bet Invitational in Calgary and play another Grand Slam in Nisku. Then we're heading to Switzerland for our last event before the trials. After the trials, our schedule depends on how the trials go. So, if we win the trials, obviously the Olympics become the main priority, and if we don't, we're going to shift focus to the Brier.”
Gushue isn’t ruling out a return to Saskatchewan for the Grand Slam of Curling’s Co-op Canadian Open at Saskatoon’s Merlis Belsher Place, December 16-21.
“That's the intention, depending on how Halifax goes and the trials. Obviously, we're going to be making adjustments to our schedule one way or the other, but the Grand Slams are great events and getting to Saskatchewan is, next to playing in Newfoundland, one of the best provinces to play in. You guys are curling country out there, and you support the events as well as anybody. So I would say there’s a very high likelihood we'll be there.”
