Stephenville man most decorated N.L. under-21 curler behind Brad Gushue

Ryan McNeil Lamswood has won the provincial junior curling championship five times second only to Newfoundland and Labrador's most decorated curler, Brad Gushue.

McNeil Lamswood's latest title came last week in Corner Brook at the under-21 championships with the Bruce team.

"My team does such a great job of staying level headed and making sure that everybody stays levelheaded on the team," McNeilLamswood said, who is a third.

"We're all on the same page and we know that if we'regood enough, that if we get down by a little bit that we will come back and grind our way back into a game."

At age 13, McNeil Lamswood first competed in the junior curling provincial tournament, but didn't win a single game.

Since then, the now 20-year-old from Stephenville has won five under-21titles. Olympian Brad Gushue won six.

"It's pretty crazy that I've been mentioned in the same vein," he said.

"But it's also because of the great teams I'm on, really. I would have never even been close to what he'd done if it weren't for such great teammates I've had."

Coach Dennis Bruce said the team works well together and has great camaraderie.

"Ryan, in past years, changed positions so we could bring another person in," Bruce said.

"There is no ego on this team, and that's a large part of why they're successful."

The team will now compete at the national U21 championships, which take place in Langley, B.C., in January.

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