Four-time world and Canadian men’s curling champion Glenn Howard announced his retirement on Tuesday.
The 61-year-old from Tiny, Ont., missed the second half of the season after sustaining an injury to his left knee.
His son Scott moved up from third to skip the squad alongside second David Mathers and lead Tim March. The trio captured the Ontario Tankard as a trio and represented the province at the Montana’s Brier, with Mat Camm joining the club, and the elder Howard on the bench.
“I truly never thought this day would come as I was convinced I would play the game forever,” Howard said in a statement. “Unfortunately, my knee is telling me I have gone past my expiry date. It is always difficult coming to this decision as my mind knows there is so much more fuel left in the tank, but my body cannot keep up. I know now that the time has come, and with wrapping up this season, I can confidently say that I will (finally) be retiring from men’s competitive curling.
“I knew many years ago I wanted to finish my career playing with my son Scott. We have now played together for eight years, way more than I had ever anticipated and hoped for. It has been a wonderful journey watching Scott grow into the confident curler that he is today. Now it is the time to pass the baton off to him as he is ready to take on the skip position.”
Howard won world and Brier titles playing third with his older brother Russ in 1987 and 1993 as well as Players’ Championship titles in 1993 and 1997.
After Russ moved to New Brunswick, Glenn moved up to skip his own squad. He won additional world and Brier championships with third Richard Hart, second Brent Laing and lead Craig Savill in 2007 and again in 2012 with Wayne Middaugh at third when Hart stepped back from the sport.
Howard also captured 14 Grand Slam of Curling men’s titles as a skip, third on the all-time list, and completed a career Grand Slam in 2009.
He has also coached teams skipped by Eve Muirhead and Jennifer Jones.
“While I am sad that this journey and my curling story is coming to an end, I am hopeful that I will keep my hand in the best sport in the world in some way, shape or form,” Howard wrote. “I look forward to the future and what it will bring for both myself and the sport of curling.”
