Aaron Squires was six years old when he threw his first rock, and the talented curler has been around the rink often ever since.
“I always played soccer growing up in the summer, and when my stepfather was introduced into the family … he’s an avid curler … he taught me the game which I fell in love with,” said Squires, who was picked up this year by Team Bice, who previously competed in the 2014 Brier as Team Balsdon.
Squires says he owes a lot to Tom Devaney, his stepfather, for not only introducing him to the sport of curling, but also for his countless years coaching and managing the youngster. The hard work has certainly paid off. Squires counts among his accomplishments an Ontario Junior Men’s Championship (2013), a provincial silver medal and a national bronze (2014) in university play (in addition to national all-star honours), and an appearance at the 2015 Ontario Men’s Provincial tournament. But he’s not resting on his laurels.
“Technically, there is always some fine-tuning to be done,” Squires said. “But the majority of the development that I look for now is physically in order to remain in good shape, as it is becoming increasingly important. Mental training is also essential, as it has always been a huge part of the game.”
It has also been one of Squires’ strengths over the years. The St. Thomas native says he’s long been good at keeping his emotions in check on the ice, and he tends to keep the same mindset throughout his games, regardless of the score or external distractions.
On the physical side, the Wilfrid Laurier University student is in the gym training 3-4 times a week during the offseason, and continues to play competitive soccer in the summer. He’s dedicated to his craft, and he has some impressive goals tucked away.
“I dream of winning the Ontario Tankard and participating in the Tim Hortons Brier,” said Squires, who cites Kevin Martin as his favourite curler and Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi as his sports role models. “More importantly, winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be amazing.”
To be sure, Squires has a lot of supporters, most notable his stepfather, Devaney.
“He’s taught me many lessons on and off the ice that have shaped me as a curler and as a person,” the youngster said.
Meanwhile, Squires is also thankful for the kind support of Roy Inch & Sons, who have partnered with Team Bice for the upcoming season.
Said Squires: “Their support will go a long way in us achieving our goals in 2015-16.”
