OUT OF THE HACK: Eye disease doesn’t stop Funnell from skipping

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This article was published 22/02/2018 (2996 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Carson Funnell enters the hack and looks down toward the house at the other end of the ice he can’t see the broom.

He doesn’t even look at his vice skip’s broom, instead doing his best to focus on a spot on the near hog-line where he wants to slide toward and release the rock before.

Funnell, 17, has Stargardt’s disease, which is progressive vision loss caused by the death of photoreceptor cells in the central portion of the retina. And he has it in both eyes.

“I have vision loss in my central vision, so there’s just a blind spot there,” he said during a recent practice at the Brandon Curling Club. “I do have all my peripheral vision.”

His vision is about 20/400. He isn’t able to drive but he can curl.

“It’s not that big of a challenge for me so I can work around it,” the Crocus Plainsmen boys’ skip said.

Funnell, third Brayden Atkinson, second Carter Howarth and lead Caleb Long, are at the provincial high school curling championships in Winkler, which begin today and run until Saturday.

The Plainsmen earned their spot at provincials by finishing 3-0 in a playoff round at zones, beating Logan Church and the Neelin Spartans 8-5 in the final on Feb. 12.

Crocus is one of five Westman teams in the 16-team boys’ field, joined by the Neepawa Tigers, Reston Tigers, Strathclair Skyhawks and Dauphin Clippers, who finished second last year as hosts.

The girls’ field includes the Vincent Massey Vikings, Waskada Wolverines, Prairie Mountain Predators from Somerset, Dauphin and Neepawa.

Funnell’s team plays its first game in the double-knockout bonspiel versus the Linden Christian Wings and with a win might face the defending champion Miles Macdonell Buckeyes in its next game.

The last Westman teams to win provincials were the Carberry Cougars — girls in 2015 and boys two years earlier.

Funnell isn’t expecting to become the first Westman boys’ skip since Braden Calvert led his squad to a Manitoba title, but he is hoping to guide his new-look foursome to a victory after an 0-2 showing in Dauphin.

At last year’s event, Funnell curled with Shane Smith, Adam Izzard and Dalton Darling, but they have since moved on.

Atkinson, Howarth and Long are all in Grade 10, but Funnell knows other teams can’t take the Plainsmen lightly simply because of their lack of experience.

“Underestimating anyone is a mistake and it all depends on how we are playing for provincials because if we are not playing well then that’s a different story, but if we are playing like how we are playing when we beat Neelin then we definitely have a chance at getting at least one win,” Funnell said.

Despite his team’s lack of experience, Funnell, who finished his rookie year playing in the UCT No. 448 Junior Super League by reaching the consolation final before losing 10-2 to Elliot Martens, is comfortable with his new teammates and believes the chemistry is forming just in time for Winkler.

Communication will be the biggest key.

“You kind of have to readjust because each individual person throws differently,” Funnell said. “You have to make new ice for each guy and make sure they are communicating is the biggest thing.”

“We’re not as experienced as some of the other teams going into provincials this year, but we’ll try our best,” he continued.

EXTRA ENDS: Killarney is hosting a senior mixed bonspiel on Tuesday and a ladies event March 3-4. Anyone interested in the seniors bonspiel can contact Sandra at 204-523-4519 for more information; and those who want to register for the ladies event can get in touch with Jackie at 204-537-2558 … On Tuesday, the Brandon club will have a reception to honour Stacey Fordyce, Christy Erickson, Stacey Irwin and Pam Gouldie for winning the national Travelers women’s club curling championship in November; it begins at 8 p.m. … Boissevain’s men’s and ladies’ bonspiels will run from March 2 to 4 and costs $120 per team. For more information, contact Neil Bugg at 204-534-2548 or Donna Easton at 204-534-6491 … The Hamiota Ladies Bonspiel will be happening from March 2 to 4. Contact Alison at 204-851-061, Nicole at 204-764-0172 or Marisa at 204-724-7582 for more information … Dauphin’s men’s bonspiel is taking place from March 2 to 4 and costs $200 per team. For more information, contact Dustin at 204-572-6735 or James at 204-572-6126 … Holland’s Open Bonspiel will run from March 2 to 4. The entry fee is $180 per team … A senior men’s bonspiel will take place in Rivers on March 6 and 7. The cost is $100 per team and interested parties can contact Dennis Veitch at 204-328-7133 to register.

Nathan Liewicki is the Brandon Sun’s curling reporter.

» nliewicki@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @liewicks