Canada's national men's curling team head coach Jeff Stoughton has high expectations for Brad Jacobs' group at the World Curling Championships after that squad won the 2025 Brier.
"They ran the table and they beat pretty well all teams that were top six in the world and top four in Canada," Stoughton told The SportsCage. "It was quite an impressive run and we expect them to do the same thing here."
Stoughton's curling resume is extensive, he's won 12 different medals across various curling tournaments, including three Briers in 1996, 1999, and 2011 and two World Curling Championships, one in 1996 and one in 2011 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
"It was the greatest week ever, the fans were unbelievable. We've been there before we played at the Brier with thousands of people. The heartbeat, I don't think ever got under 120 for that first game," Stoughton said.
"We were pretty calm and cool, but it was thumping pretty good. We finally took control with the shot in the eighth, the roof blew off because the fans were waiting for something to happen and it took a long time. The fans in Regina are outstanding, it was like playing at home, basically down the road from Winnipeg. It's a memory I'll never forget with all the fans and the family. It was cool because the kids were old enough to understand what dad was doing."
Stoughton explained his role with the team to fans who were not aware.
"I look after our five national teams. We have teams that we have that are carded, meaning they're carded athletes. They get funding from the Olympic association and they get funded from Curling Canada," Stoughton explained.
"We have five men's teams and five ladies' teams. I look after the five men's teams and get them all set up for the start of the year. I go to some big events with them and sit on the bench for any of those teams. Really lucky that I got to take the winning team from the Brier to the World Championships and then coming up with the winning team from the Olympic trials to the Olympics. I see the guys all year, I'm not their team coach, but I help out because I've done this so often behind the scenes with World Curling and Curling Canada and everything else."
Stoughton said it was a pretty easy decision as to why he started curling.
"Like most young kids growing up in Winnipeg, I played everything from hockey and soccer and baseball and curling. I took up curling probably later than most, I was probably 14 or 15," Stoughton detailed.
"I knew I wasn't gonna be big enough to play hockey or football and I just loved it. I was down at the club every night, begging someone to let me play lead or let me throw some rocks if someone got off early. Kids find their passion, I found it pretty early and loved it ever since. I'm lucky to be involved even now."
