Home is where the heart is for Olympic gold medallist Marc Kennedy.
"I've got a really soft spot in my heart for St. Albert and the St. Albert Curling Club. This is where I got started," said the most talented second-rock thrower and sweeper in the world today. "I'm incredibly honoured to be from St. Albert and to be part of this curling club."
Kennedy's accomplishments in the sport were saluted at Tuesday's grand re-opening of the club's newly renovated facility with a special presentation by the City of St. Albert. He also joined Scott Pfeifer, Don McKenzie, Jackie Rae Greening, Cathy King and the late Hec Gervais as the club's inaugural wall of fame inductees.
"To be honoured with a gift and the wall of fame is really special and unexpected. I'm incredibly humbled and honoured," Kennedy said. "To be recognized at the place where you started curling and to have all the people here tonight that you knew growing up while you were learning how to curl is pretty special."
Prior to unveiling a framed collage of pictures spanning Kennedy's progression from a tiny lad on the ice to the lofty heights at the top of the Olympic podium, Mayor Nolan Crouse described the hometown hero as a "great St. Albertan and a great Canadian."
Crouse recalled Kennedy's reaction when the southpaw shooter was in the hack to throw a rock at the Olympics and the crowd busted loose with a rousing rendition of the national anthem.
"What struck me was Marc's poise in that entire moment. First of all he stood up and he allowed O Canada to be sung. He didn't have to look around. He didn't have to high five. He didn't have to fist pump. He didn't have to showboat or anything," Crouse said.
"Marc was a true Canadian in that moment. He allowed O Canada to be sung. He allowed the pride of Canada to take its moment. It was something I will never forget."
Little Rocker
Kennedy's hall of fame career started as a six-year-old in the club's Little Rockers program.
"It was really amazing. It's what made me love the sport," said the World Curling Tour men's MVP in 2007/08. "I have so many vivid memories of those Sunday mornings and afternoons. My dad use to run it and we would always start every Little Rockers day with a song, Little Rock by Reba McEntire, while we were stretching."
Those early years left a lasting impression on the future Olympian.
"I always had so much fun sliding out of the hack. It was just a rush every time you threw a rock. I absolutely loved it," he said. "I remember having some success early. We got to the provincials and I think I was 12 and my brother Glen was skipping me. It was that first taste of you know what? I might be good at something. That, combined with having so much fun every time when we're on the ice, was just a recipe for trying to make it as far as I could."
Kennedy, 28, would go on to win two men's club championships, three U20 provincial junior championships, the 2001 Inland Cement Tournament of Champions on a junior rink, gold medals at the Canada Winter Games and World University Games, three provincial men's championships, two Briers, one world championship and a shiny Olympic gold medal with the Kevin Martin rink.
"Everything I've done in curling success-wise is a tribute to the people you meet throughout your life and I've got a lot of close friends and family here at the St. Albert Curling Club," said the Paul Kane High School alumnus. "You can't get to where you get to in curling without a strong foundation and where it all began with the people that got you started in curling and the people that taught you how to love the sport and those are the people that are here tonight."
Blasts from the past
It felt like old times for Kennedy during Tuesday's celebration.
"There are a lot of people here that I haven't seen in years and just to see the looks on their faces is very special. They've been watching you curl for the last 10 years and they supported you the whole way through. There is a really special connection there with the people of St. Albert and the curlers of St. Albert," said the first-team all-star second at three consecutive Briers.
"The last time some of these people remembered seeing me, I was a 14- or 15-year-old cocky kid and now I get to see them and thank them for what they did for me way back in the day; people like the Al Edwards and the Brian Kupschs. I even got to see the Krembil family for the first time in a long time.
"It is indeed a special night and a special moment and I very much appreciate being a part of it. I'm incredibly proud to be a St. Albertan and an Albertan and a Canadian and it's because of the people that are here tonight."
While soaking up the festivities inside the brand-new 240-seat banquet facility and Friendly Giant Lounge, Kennedy realized how far he has travelled since his first draw to the button in 1988.
"My family is sitting right where the bar used to be and my mom was the bartender here for years and years. We were reminiscing about the days when I wanted to spare the 9 p.m. game. I had to get a nap before I curled and I would sleep on the couch by the bar. I think of those days and where I am now and it's pretty special."
Kennedy is the curler he is today because of his deep St. Albert roots.
"It was such a great place to grow up. There were so many amazing families around us, just a great support system and a great foundation for what I wanted to do in my life and it's hard to forget that," said the quarterback of the 1997 St. Albert Storm tier I provincial finalists. "My dad always taught me you've got to remember where you came from and I think that is kind of paying off now. To be able to come back and show the Olympic medal around and see everybody that I knew growing up, it's really special for myself and for them."
