Ryan Fry Makes International Headlines and Why Curlers Should Care

It is has made major headlines all over the world.  Curling Team ejected from event in Red Deer, Alberta because of drunkenness.  It seems that, in reality, it was just Ryan Fry.  He was subbing for the Jamie Koe rink.  They were upstairs in the lounge and putting them back, so to speak, They got cut off and just as that happened, they had to go curl.  I wasn't there, so I am relying on reports in the media, of which there have been plenty.  Jamie Koe took a practice slide and decided he was too drunk to curl.  He sat out.  That left Ryan and two others.  Apparently, the other two tried to cool Ryan Fry down but it didn't work.   He broke three brooms during the game, and disrupted the game for other players who weren't even playing on his sheet.  Apparently, some damage was done.

Ryan Fry has apologized and has offered to pay for damages.  This story was even covered by Fox News. It made headlines all over the world.  In the aftermath of this story, Ryan Fry is taking an indefinite leave of absence to focus on his personal issues. 

If you read between the lines, it sounds like he is going to seek treatment for addiction issues.  That is laudible and I sincerely wish him the best in his health and career. 

My mother was a legendary curler in Dauphin.  Legendary because she was so awful and legendary for being drunk while curling.  The truth is that my mother was an awful curler, however, she was also drunk while playing bonspiels.  But, she had the same fun-loving approach to the game so people couldn't really tell the difference.  Drinking alcohol reduces inhibitions so that you are more likely to be a truer version of yourself.  My mother was silly but she didn't have it in her to be mean.  She didn't have it in her to break brooms, let alone three.  My mother didn't have it in her to disrupt other people's games on purpose.  My mother didn't have it in her to swear nastily at others. 

Last April, my partner and I volunteered at the World Men's Curling Championship in Las Vegas.  As an uber curling fan, it was like going to Disneyland.  Also, I learned a great deal about the sport.  This was surprising because I thought I knew everything about curling.  The biggest thing that I learned is that curling is a struggling marginalized sport.  There are few uber curling fans.  It was also interesting because my partner and I were among the youngest volunteers there out of the 120 volunteers from around the world.  It took us decades, but we were finally the "cool kids".  The average curling fan is aging and there is isn't a significant growth to replace them.  Curling clubs are struggling because it is becoming more and more expensive to curl. 

Ironically, the arrival of "professional" curlers have contributed to its demise.  There are so many teams who do nothing but curl and the same teams compete together.  It is hard to break into the elite curling level.  It has become a business of getting sponsorship, etc.  The curling season is becoming longer and longer for the professionals and shorter for the average curler.  Curlers have to put their lives on hold in order to pursue curling as a profession.  Only a small amount can do this.  All teams that want to be competitive get an agent and try to create a "brand" for themselves. 

Team Jacobs branded themselves as the most physically fit curling team.  I remember Ryan Fry skipping a rink at the Junior level in Manitoba.  The difference in his shape is dramatic.  Perhaps he does work out 10 hours/day every day and that is why he is has bigger piper than an oil pipeline.  However, it seems unlikely that he could obtain such results without some assistance with steroids.  From what I understand, it is one of those things that becomes easily addictive.  The more you see results, the more you want to be see better results.  I also know that alcohol and steroids are a poor combination.  Yes, I am speculating on the use of performance enhancement steroids, but I am not speculating on his problematic use of alcohol.  Fry has acknowledged this and is going to take some time off to work on this. 

Unfortunately, this damages the sport for all of us.  People already have stero-types of curlers being drunk, etc.  It doesn't help to grow the sport when this makes international headlines.  It doesn't help to sell tickets to major events in order to keep the sport alive. 

Ryan Fry is also an Olympic Gold Medalist.  People who are trying to ruin our sport usually go after the high profile curlers or the successful curlers to try and marginalize the sport further.  His black mark mars the whole sport. 

One of the highlights for my partner and I at the World Curling Championship was spending time with John Shuster and Matt Hamilton.  They had just won the most recent gold medal in curling and were still riding that high.  Regardless, each of them spent a great deal of time with us talking curling and anything else we wanted to talk about.  They let us hold their medals.  It was amazing.  John Shuster said that winning the gold, their team now had more access to the resources of Sports USA then ever before.  They were using the services of a psychological coach because they didn't want to get too caught up in their fame because they always wanted to remember they were just curlers and they were having fun.  I had an ordinary conversation with Matt Hamilton and both of us started crying.  Two class acts who just loved the game of curling.  I see now that they have the Orlenas entertainment centre as their primary sponsor.  I am sure that helps them focus on curling and not to be too worried about bonspiel fees. 

Some Canadian curlers should go back to their roots and try and remember why they started to curl.  I know Ryan Fry was inspired by his father Barry Fry and wanted to achieve what his dad had.  Somehow, those original goals have become lost in the "business of curling".  He certainly put in his dues, playing for Jeff Stoughton and then Brad Gushue, before obtaining success with Jacobs team.  He spent a couple of years in Sault Ste. Marie before moving to Toronto and then moving to Calgary.  He would join his team for events and train by himself.  Since curling is such a team sport, making the decision to move three provinces away is also not helpful. 

Curling is great fun and it is great exercise.  When anything that is that good, people are always jealous and try to bring it down.  That is human nature.  That is why Ryan Fry's actions are so troubling.  It is sad when one of the best sabotages the success of curling.