Glenn Howard introduced his retirement from aggressive curling on Tuesday, ending a profession that included 4 world titles and 4 Canadian championships.
The 61-year-old from Midland, Ont., cited a nagging harm to his left knee as the explanation for his retirement in a social media publish.
“I by no means thought today would come as I used to be satisfied I’d play the sport eternally,” Howard mentioned in a publish on X, previously often called Twitter. “Sadly, my knee is telling me I’ve gone previous my expiry date.
“It’s all the time troublesome coming to this determination as my thoughts is aware of there may be a lot extra gas left within the tank, however my physique can’t sustain.”
Howard’s junior profession included two straight runner-up finishes on the Ontario Junior Championship (1980, 81) and an Ontario College Athletics Affiliation title in 1984 as skip of the College of Waterloo.
He joined as a 3rd on a staff based mostly out of Penetanguishene, Ont., skipped by his brother Russ in 1985.
That squad went on to win the 1987 Brier in Edmonton, scoring 5 within the tenth finish in an 11-7 win over British Columbia within the last.
They continued that success later that yr in Vancouver, beating Germany 9-5 within the males’s world championship last, once more on the power of a five-point last finish.
The Howards, with Russ as skip, teamed up once more for an additional sweep of Canadian and world titles in 1993 on a staff that included future star skip Wayne Middaugh.
They defeated B.C. skip Rick Folks 5-3 within the Brier last in Ottawa, then defeated Scotland 8-4 on this planet championship last in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Thanks to my brother Russ for paving the best way down the sheet and permitting me to observe in his footsteps. First as a fan, then as a teammate and lastly as a skip myself,” Howard mentioned.
“Howard took over as skip of his personal staff in 2000 and gained his first Brier in 2007 by defeating Olympic champion Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., 10-6 within the last, with a staff that included Richard Hart, Brent Laing, and Craig Savill.
That yr he gained his first of two phrase titles as a skip, scoring 4 within the first finish en path to an 8-3 win over Germany within the last in Edmonton.
Howard accomplished his final title sweep in 2012, successful the Canadian last in Saskatoon 7-6 over Alberta’s Kevin Koe and downing Scotland’s Tom Brewster 8-7 in an additional finish to take the world crown in Basel, Switzerland.
A veteran of 20 Brier appearances (he was an alternate on his staff this yr because of his knee harm), Howard was runner-up seven occasions and took bronze 3 times.
He additionally posted 14 wins on the Grand Slam tour, with the final one coming on the 2013 Masters.
His son Scott had been a part of his staff because the 2015-16 season.
“I knew a few years in the past I wished to complete my profession taking part in with my son Scott,” Howard mentioned. “We’ve got now performed collectively for eight years, far more than I had ever anticipated and hoped for.
“It has been a beautiful journey watching Scott develop into the assured roller that he’s at present. Now it’s time to go the baton off to him as he is able to tackle the skip place.”
