Brier, world champ Nolan Thiessen joins Curling Canada team as consultant

Curling Canada is adding one of the game’s best players to its organization, it was announced today. Three-time Tim Hortons Brier champion and former world men’s champion Nolan Thiessen of Edmonton is joining Curling Canada as a consultant, effective July 1. Thiessen announced in April that he is stepping away from competitive curling after a brilliant career that saw him win three Canadian titles — 2010 and 2014 with Team Kevin Koe, and 2015 with Team Pat Simmons, all in the lead position — in addition to the 2010 World Men’s Championship. “Nolan’s experience as a high-performance player, in addition to his big-picture perspective on the sport of curling, make him a natural fit for Curling Canada, and he brings another professional voice to our team as we continue to work to build our sport across the country,” said Katherine Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. “While Nolan is known in our community as an elite curler, he also is familiar with all aspects of our sport, from the grassroots on up, and also brings a business perspective as a Chartered Professional Accountant. He has the respect of his peers as well as curlers and fans across our country, and he will be a valuable resource, and ambassador, for our organization and our sport.” Thiessen will be working with Curling Canada’s Event Model Review team, which is assessing all of Curling Canada’s championships and setting a future path for them, in addition to providing an athletes’ perspective to many other Curling Canada initiatives and continuing to work with Curling Canada staff and the Athlete Advisory Council. “Curling has been a huge part of my life, and I couldn’t be happier that it will continue to be, even as I step back from competitive curling,” said Thiessen. “There are so many opportunities for our sport as we move forward, and I’m excited to be able to contribute to an organization that consistently performs at a high level, both on and off the ice, and produces best-in-class results, and also to help grow the sport of curling, which means so much to me.”