Wayne Middaugh embraces coaching role for Glenn Howard’s Ontario rink at Brier

OTTAWA – The sound of bagpipes filled TD Place on Saturday afternoon as players, alternates and coaches filed out for introductions at the Tim Hortons Brier.

Wayne Middaugh had his Ontario jacket on but watched the proceedings from a folding chair in a corner of the rink, his crutches leaning on the Sheet D scoreboard.

A broken left leg derailed his season last January, forcing him to give up the vice-skip role on Glenn Howard’s rink until he recovers.

Middaugh is still a big part of the team though. Instead of his usual position as third, the three-time world champion has returned to the national men’s curling championship to serve as a coach.

He brings over three decades of experience along with his trademark sense of humour.

“Good luck with the game,” he said to Ontario second Adam Spencer before the opening draw. “I’m going to get a doughnut.”

Spencer filled in for Middaugh earlier this season and was an easy choice when the rink needed a substitute at the provincial playdowns. Howard — a four-time national champ — edged John Epping in the Ontario final to lock up a berth at the Brier for the 16th time.

He had the near-sellout crowd on his side in a 5-4 win over Alberta’s Kevin Koe. Howard gave full credit to his teammates for the extra-end win, and added that Middaugh often weighed in with valuable advice between ends.

“Wayne is one of the best strategists on the planet and he always has been,” Howard said.

Koe jumped out to an early 3-1 lead but Howard pulled even with a deuce in the sixth end. Howard stole a single in the eighth and Koe tied it with a draw for one in the 10th.

Ontario had hammer in the 11th end and Howard delivered with a draw to the button.

In the other early games, Manitoba’s Mike McEwen dropped a 5-4 decision to Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador and Team Canada’s Pat Simmons topped Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard 7-2. Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories beat Nova Scotia’s Jamie Murphy 7-4 in the qualification final.

In Saturday’s late draws, New Brunswick’s Mike Kennedy beat the Northwest Territories 7-6, Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs slipped past Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock 6-5 in extra ends and B.C.’s Jim Cotter downed Prince Edward Island’s Adam Casey 8-4.

Middaugh needed surgery to repair his leg after a crash on the ski slopes. He was only too happy to join Howard, Spencer, third Richard Hart and lead Scott Howard for the playdowns.

“I was pretty happy to be in that coach’s chair,” Middaugh said after the game. “It was a big deal just to be here with everything that has happened the last couple months.

“I’m happy that I can help Glenn and the boys in any way possible.”

Middaugh, 48, is a certified competition coach. He has coached his daughter’s team and some other rinks at various points over his career.

“It’s not a completely new thing,” he said. “It is 100 per cent new at this level though.”

Round-robin play continues through Friday morning. The Page playoffs begin Friday night and the medal games are scheduled for March 13.

“It’s nice just to be able to have some input on the game and to be part of it,” Middaugh said. “Yes I want to be out there throwing the shots. But you know what, just the fact that I can help out in any little way is pretty rewarding.”

The Brier champion will represent Canada at the world men’s curling championship next month in Basel, Switzerland.

Notes: World champion Niklas Edin of Sweden was in attendance. … Gushue beat Manitoba’s Denni Neufeld to win the Hot Shots skills competition earlier in the day. … The 2017 Brier qualification round will feature Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Yukon and the last-place team from this year’s round-robin.

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