During the opening ceremonies for Monday afternoon’s draw, Curling Canada took a moment to honour the late Deanna Rindal for her impact on the sport as one of the top on-ice officials in the country.
Rindal had an enormous impact on both the Prince Albert and Saskatchewan curling communities and gave her expertise as an umpire at numerous national and international events throughout her career — including the World Championships in Japan & the Continental Cup of Curling.
In 2017, Rindal was inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder, and earlier this month, the Prince Albert Golf and Curling Club — Rindal’s home club — announced an annual doubles curling event named in her memory.
Rindal’s legacy was more than just her professionalism as an official on the ice. With numerous coaching credits, continuous volunteer work, and a personality that made the game, the curling community was left with sadness after her passing in November of 2019 following a battle with cancer.
Curling Canada honoured Rindal’s contributions by naming her this year’s recipient of the Joan Mead Builder Award, given annually to a member of the curling community who has significantly contributed to the development of women’s curling in Canada.
The crowd at Mosaic Place took a moment to honour Rindal’s accomplishments and positive influence on the game as Curling Canada welcomed her husband, Bryan Rindal, to the ice to receive the award on her behalf.
“I really want to thank Curling Canada, just for even thinking of my wife for this award. It's special. My wife Deanna, those that knew her or know of her, know that she did not do this for recognition,” said Bryan, in an emotional address to the stadium.
“She did this for the love of the game, a love of the sport,” he continued. “She was a volunteer for everything, so we're accepting this award on behalf of all volunteers across Saskatchewan, across Canada, that make this game great.”
