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Today we have the honour of hearing from our Athlete Now Ambassador, Kyle Waddell. Safe to say Kyle comes from Curling royalty with his Grandfather having been a European Curling Champion in 1979. Kyle made his Olympic debut at PyeongChang in 2018, after winning a Silver medal at the European Championships in St Gallen. Since then, he has won a Bronze and two European Gold medals. Kyle also won the 2023 Men’s World Curling Championship as part of Team Scotland, in Ottawa, Canada.
About Curling: A Brief History
Curling is a sport with a rich history, particularly in the Winter Olympics. Curling was played on frozen ponds and lochs, and it gained popularity in countries with cold climates, particularly Canada, where it became a national pastime. The first recorded Curling game took place in Scotland in 1541, and made its debut at the Chamonix Winter Olympics in 1924.
Since 1924, Team GB’s Curling squads, particularly those from Scotland have had vast success on the global stage, inevitably contributing to its continual growth, across Asia, Europe and North America. The sport is one of focus and known for its emphasis on strategy, precision, and sportsmanship, often being referred to as “chess on ice.”
Interview Questions With Kyle Waddell – GB Curling Athlete
How did you get into Curling? What or Who was your inspiration?
Family. Most of my family members had played to some extent. My grandparents were successful in their day and they were probably the ones who first introduced me and my brothers to the sport. I think they were also my initial inspiration, they had won national and international medals and I think I knew from a young age that’s what I wanted to do.
When was the moment you realised that this was more than just a hobby?
I’d say around 14-15 years old, I knew I wanted it to be more than just a hobby. At that time I had no idea that it would be possible to be a full-time athlete in Curling. I think at that stage, I just knew I wanted to win the Europeans, Worlds and Olympics. The realisation of becoming a full-time athlete probably came around 18 years old after winning my first Scottish Junior Championship and joining the British Curling programme.
What is the structure of a competition?
For example: is it all on points or is it a knockout to the Final?
Different events have different formats. Typically your tour events will consist of a group/pool stage, followed by a playoff/knockout stage. A championship (European, Worlds & Olympics) is a round robin format followed by a playoff/knockout stage.
What are the points worth within the Bullseye?
It’s a normal assumption, but the ‘bullseye’ or ‘button’ if you want the correct terminology isn’t actually worth any points. Curling isn’t scored in that way. In Curling, earning points is based on how many of your stones are closer to the ‘Button’ than the opponent’s nearest stone after all the stones are thrown. It sounds a lot more complex than it actually is!
Preparing for Competition
What did/does a typical week look like for you when leading up to an event?
In terms of training focus, it just depends on where we feel we need to work on heading into the event. There will be some technical focus, but most of the focus will be on team play. Working on key shots, communication processes etc. Off ice, I will have lighter gym sessions, a bit of work and maybe some team discussions around the upcoming event.
Preparation can be slightly different depending on where the event is. If we are playing in Scotland or Europe, we would normally travel a day or two before the event. If it’s a Canadian event or somewhere in Asia then we would head out 3 or 4 days prior.
Do you have a routine you go through before you play each shot?
I do. My pre-shot routine has changed over the years though. Mostly down to playing different positions in the teams I have played in. At present, I have a pretty deliberate pre-shot routine. For me, it is more to focus and visualise the shot I am about to play.
Can you share a memory from your Curling career that you often look back on? What made it so special?
I have been lucky enough to have had many great memories. I think the one that sticks out the most is winning the The National (Grand Slam event). The Grand Slams in Curling are curling’s equivalent to Golf’s majors. It’s the top 15-16 ranked Curling teams in the World in the same event. They are typically the most difficult competitions to win in the sport.
It was the first all Scottish final in Grand Slam history, and the first and only Grand Slam I have won to this point in my career.
Travelling For SporT As Athlete
Which is your favourite destination that you have travelled to with curling? and why?
Yeah I have been fortunate enough to have travelled a lot through Curling. I really enjoyed Japan. I have spent a few days in Tokyo and played a few events in Karuizawa. I really enjoyed exploring Tokyo, the food in Japan was great and
What’s a moment in your curling journey that taught you a valuable lesson, whether it was a victory or a setback?
There have been plenty. Good & bad. Probably losing the tie-break game at the 2018 Olympics. We put everything into preparing for that event and unfortunately we didn’t achieve what we set out to do that week.
What would be the Biggest Tip you would give to travelling athletes?
Kyle: Noise cancelling headphones! Mine (Holly’s) would be don’t forget your Passport!
Managing a Dual Career As An Athlete
You now work for Gameplan Financial as an Advisor: How important has this role been for you in terms of being able to balance your sport and career?
During lockdown, I realised that as a full-time athlete, I wanted to utilise the free time I had away from training and competing. To be honest, a role in Financial Services was never something I thought I would do, but I am really enjoying it.
With your current role in mind, would you say it’s important for athletes to look into post sport options? I.e. career transitions etc
Definitely. I think it’s healthy to have other focuses. Don’t get me wrong, prioritising your sport is key and I have always put Curling first. It’s important to think about what you think you’d like to do after sport, there are plenty of ways you can utilise free time when you are an athlete to explore opportunities that might help you figure out what it is you’d like to do.
Final Thoughts
For anyone reading this interview and wanting to give Curling a try, how can they get started?
If you want to give Curling a go, visit Try Curling (https://trycurling.com/find-a-rink/). This link will show you where your closest rink is and you will be able to see when you can head along to a Try Curling session.