Knapp rink on the button for another Brier appearance

By Greg Campbell BFA’84, BJ’95

For this band of brothers headed for the Montana’s Brier, their connections run deeper than just the Saskatchewan colours stitched across their backs. They’re also connected by their alma mater – each of the five players is a graduate of the University of Regina.

Later this month, when the Kelly Knapp rink steps out on the Montana’s Brier pebbled ice, beneath the bright lights, and the low murmur of a sold-out arena, they know that on this national stage the margins disappear. Every rock carries consequence. Every end can tilt a game.  

On January 11, skip Kelly Knapp BKin’12, lead Mat Ring BKin’16, BAdmin’17, second Dustin Kidby BSc’11, third Brennen Jones BKin’11, and alternate Trent Knapp BAdmin’12, punched their ticket to the men’s national championship in St. John’s, Newfoundland, from February 27 to March 8.  

This is not the first time this group has seen the national spotlight. It’s essentially the same team that represented Saskatchewan at the 2023 Brier. The only differences are Ring’s new role as lead, Trent Knapp moving from lead to alternate, and Kidby replacing former second Mike Armstrong.  

Skip Knapp doesn’t label this Brier repeat as improbable. Intentional? Perhaps. Earned? Certainly. 

“I think we assembled this team knowing qualifying for the Brier was an attainable goal,” he says. “In saying that, you always have to feel like you are performing well through the season and peaking at the right time. I felt like we got stronger as the season progressed.” 

The turning point came in Martensville when the rink qualified for the playoffs at the Grand Slam of Curling event. Something clicked. 

“It gave us a ton of confidence going into provincials a few weeks later,” Knapp says. “Our results there affirmed we could compete against some of the best teams in the world.” 

For a team balancing careers, families, and responsibilities beyond the ice, confidence has to be held tightly when it comes. They don’t chase every event. They don’t criss-cross the country every weekend. Their schedule is deliberate. 

Coach Brian McCusker sees that restraint as a strength. 

“They don’t have the flexibility in jobs and family commitments to travel out of province to cash spiels, or to play every weekend,” he says. “But when they do play, they have the maturity and drive to treat every game like a championship game. They rarely ever have an off game, and if one player has a rough game, the others always have his back.” 

individual curling
This is skip Kelly Knapp’s second trip to the Brier having represented Saskatchewan at the 2024 Brier. Photo by Wanda Harron

Every curling team develops a personality over the course of a season. That steadiness, that refusal to crack under pressure, has become part of the team’s identity. Brennen Jones describes the team as tight and competitive in equal measure. 

“Kelly, Dustin, Brian and I have been together for quite some time, so it was important this year to find someone who shared a similar mindset and personality,” he says. “We spend a lot of time together on and off the ice throughout the season, and having fun is a huge part of what makes us successful.” 

In the team’s world, fun means relentless competition, card games in hotel rooms, strategy debates over meals, and a steady current of jokes that keep the mood light when stakes climb. 

“We joke around a lot, play games, we’re extremely competitive, and really prioritize team bonding and building,” Jones says. “Our identity is being a tight-knit group that supports each other while enjoying the process. Having fun is the most important piece for us.” 

Kidby echoes that sentiment when asked about behind-the-scenes rituals that fans never see. 

“Spending time together and enjoying each other’s company is a big help to being grounded out on the ice and always having each other’s backs,” he says. 

The foundation of that camaraderie runs deep. Twins Kelly and Trent have curled together since childhood, building a shorthand that can’t be manufactured. A raised eyebrow, a half-smile, a quick nod in the hack, communication that predates provincial jackets and televised draws. 

Representing Saskatchewan at the Brier is, as Jones puts it, “an incredible honour.” Wearing provincial colours never loses its edge. But sharing a University of Regina bond makes this run different. 

“It’s pretty unique to be able to say that’s [the team’s shared alma mater] part of our team identity, not many teams can,” Jones says. “Every single player, including our fifth Trent, falls into that category. It makes it really meaningful and something we’re proud of.”

Smiling individuals.
The Knapp rink bettered all the competition at the Sasktel Tankard in Melville in January. Their win earned them a trip to the Montana’s Brier being held in St. John’s Newfoundland beginning Februrary 27. Team members (left to right) Kelly Knapp, Brennen Jones, Dustin Kidby, Mat Ring, and Trent Knapp. Photo courtesy of CURLSASK

For Mat Ring, the University was more than a stop along the way. It was a launching pad. 

“I would honestly say that my time at the U of R 100 per cent helped launch my professional and athletic careers,” Ring says. 

He points to mentor Alison Fisher, who supervised his first placement and opened doors, including a six-month opportunity at the 2016 World Women’s Curling Championship, that helped him build professional connections and see the sport from a different vantage point. 

On the ice, the university experience looked different then. Athletes pieced together their own teams and battled for the right to represent the school at Canada West playdowns. 

“My very first year, we actually lost out to Brian’s son’s team in the U of R final,” Ring recalls. “I was fortunate to go with them as a fifth and learn the ropes at that level. An amazing experience that helped launch that part of my curling career.” 

Kelly Knapp’s path underscores a reality many student-athletes face – timing. 

In a sport where athletes often peak later in life, he was able to prioritize education first, completing both bachelor’s and master’s degrees and stepping away from competitive curling to finish his physiotherapy program. 

“I just had to find a balance between sport, family and work,” he says. “I have an amazing support system so that makes it easier.” 

His advice to current University of Regina student-athletes is honest. 

“It’s difficult, but achievable,” Knapp says. “If you are passionate about your sport and you have goals, I say go for it. But you do have to be conscious of your own priorities and what is being sacrificed.” 

Banner photo: Coach Brian McCusker (second from left) remains optimistic heading into the Brier. In his estimation, the team can definitely make the playoffs and at that point, he says, anything is possible.  Photo courtesy of CURLSASK 

About the Author

Greg Campbell is an award-winning writer who has spent the past 25 years working in the University of Regina’s Communications unit. For 20 years he served as the editor of Degrees, the U of R’s alumni magazine.

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When Terry McKague passed away on the first morning of 2026, the educational community lost not just a dedicated teacher and administrator, but a person who made learning come alive. "Whether in a high school or university classroom, a teachers' convention or perhaps a church sanctuary, Terry was considered a person with something worthwhile to say and a way to make it sound interesting," his obituary noted-a fitting tribute to someone who spent his career in service of education.

"Terry was passionate about public education, at all levels," said Jim Tompkins LLD'25. "As Chancellor, he helped to guide the University through a difficult financial period. His insight and dedication will be missed."

Born in 1939 to parents who valued education-they'd both been teachers-Terry's path seemed almost predetermined. Growing up in Regina and attending Wetmore School and Central Collegiate, he developed not only academic skills but also talents in music and drama through the Conservatory of Music, Regina Children's Theatre and the Golden Jubilee Choir, talents that no doubt brought a spark to his teaching style later on.

While at university in Saskatoon, Terry met his future wife, Sheila Ledingham, at church. They married in 1963 at Knox United Church, beginning a 62-year partnership. Terry's graduate program took them to Edmonton, where their son Michael was born, and then to Saskatoon, where daughter Meredith was born.

After three years of teaching at the university level, Terry joined the staff of the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, where he spent the remainder of his professional career. His transfer to Regina in 1973 proved to be "the last move in a rewarding professional journey filled with satisfying experiences and worthwhile pursuits." While Terry occasionally joked about the endless strategic planning sessions "in blue-smoke-filled boardrooms, while drinking coffee from Styrofoam cups," his commitment to improving education in Saskatchewan never wavered.

One of Terry's most significant contributions came when he was seconded to the Saskatchewan Department of Education to coordinate the curriculum review for the Directions Report (1984). This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allowed him to directly influence K - 12 education reform across the province, shaping the learning experiences of Saskatchewan students for years to come.

In 1989, Terry became Chancellor of the University of Regina, a major career highlight. Though still employed full-time at the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, he devoted all his leisure hours to his role at the University, finding the experience deeply rewarding. After his six-year term, Terry recounted his time as Chancellor by authoring the book, The University in the Nineties, which showed his commitment to understanding and learning from institutional history.

Terry's passion for education extended far beyond Saskatchewan's borders. His travels took him to five continents, but it was his work with educators in Africa, Taiwan and the Caribbean that held the deepest meaning for him. A sabbatical provided the opportunity to pursue a post-doctoral program at UCLA while the family lived in Santa Monica.

Beyond his career, Terry served his community through leadership in numerous organizations, including the Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society, Canadian Club, the Provincial Honours Advisory Committee, and Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan. He also supported literacy organizations and the local arts community, recognizing that education extended well beyond classroom walls.

The church remained an important part of Terry's life, from his infant days at Carmichael Church to his funeral at Harmony United Church 86 years later. His service at all levels of ministry in the United Church of Canada reflected his understanding that teaching and learning happen in many contexts.

In his final years, Terry found joy sitting by the fire in his condo, reading over trip diaries from his travels with Sheila, reliving the adventures and learning experiences they'd shared. He delighted in his family's achievements, particularly proud that his children had embraced values their parents exemplified and that his grandchildren excelled both academically and athletically.

Terry believed deeply in the value of education and gained great satisfaction from service. He was keenly interested in those he met and always ready with a witty anecdote to share. These qualities made him not just an effective administrator but a beloved figure in Saskatchewan's educational landscape.

For someone born and raised in simple surroundings, Terry McKague lived a remarkable life. He made the most of his abilities and embraced all that came his way-whether it was a strategic planning session, a curriculum review or the chancellorship of a university.

Terry's passing in "the pre-dawn darkness" (a quote from one of his past Christmas letters) of the new year marks the close of an exceptional educational journey. But his influence lives on in the students whose experiences were shaped by his curriculum work, the institutional changes he helped guide and the countless individuals who encountered his gift for making learning interesting.

Terry McKague's greatest lesson to us may simply be this: education, pursued with passion and purpose, can transform not just individual lives but entire communities.

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