John Morris has deep perspective on Canadian curling. Morrises have been making waves at Briers since the 1930s. Gold in 2010 in Vancouver, Gold again in 2018 at Pyeongchang, he has played with all the Canadian greats. For Morris, it’s about staying motivated. That’s partly why he needs new teammates- if he can’t face new challenges, solve new puzzles, he just can’t compete with maximum intensity.

And that intensity question will make things interesting now that Morris has signed on with Skip Kevin Koe. How will the easygoing team leader, and the ultra intense second get along? Morris says his broom-snapping days are behind him now, but there’s no denying, he remains one of the most focussed and competitive athletes on the ice. You need a mix of personalities to keep a team balanced, is how he puts it. With the Oympic trials starting to nudge onto the horizon, you can be sure Morris is already plotting his shots. Given the depth of talent in the Canadian game now- he’s quick to admit, Olympic curling is almost a relief compared to the effort involved in rising to the top of domestic competition.