Russ Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Russ HowardCM, ONL |
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| Born | February 19, 1956 |
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| Career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member Association |  Ontario (1979–1998) New Brunswick (1998–2010) Saskatchewan (2020) |
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| Brier appearances | 14 (1980, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top CTRS ranking | 12th (2004–05) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam victories | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Russell "Russ" Howard is a famous Canadian curler and Olympic champion. He was born on February 19, 1956, in Midland, Ontario. Russ is known for his strong voice and amazing curling skills.
He has competed in the Brier (Canada's national curling championship) 14 times. He won the Brier title twice. Russ also won two World Championships in 1987 and 1993. A big highlight of his career was winning a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Today, Russ Howard works as a curling expert and commentator for TSN.
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Russ Howard's Curling Career
Russ Howard has had a long and successful career in curling. He is famous for his smart strategies on the ice. He also helped create a special rule in curling called the "free guard zone". This rule makes the game more exciting. It is believed that this rule helped curling become an Olympic sport.
Olympic Gold Medal Win
In 2005, Russ Howard joined Brad Gushue's team for the Canadian Olympic Trials. Even though he usually played as the "skip" (team captain), he played as "second" for this team. The team, including Brad Gushue, Jamie Korab, and Mark Nichols, won the trials. This meant they would represent Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Russ Howard's team won the gold medal. They beat Finland 10-4 in the final game. This was a historic win because it was the first time a Canadian men's curling team won Olympic gold. Russ Howard was 50 years old during these Olympics. This made him the oldest Canadian to ever win an Olympic gold medal.
Brier Appearances and Records
The Brier is a very important curling event in Canada. Russ Howard has played in the Brier 14 times. He played for Ontario 8 times and for New Brunswick 6 times. He won the Brier title twice while playing for Ontario.
By 2009, Russ Howard had played in more Briers than any other curler. He also played more games at the Brier than anyone else, with 174 games. His brother, Glenn Howard, later tied and then broke Russ's record for most Brier appearances and games.
Broadcasting and Commentary
Russ Howard started working as a curling commentator in 2001. He joined The Sports Network (TSN) as an analyst for the Brier. Since 2008, he has been a regular expert on TSN's curling coverage. He helps explain the game to viewers.
He also worked as a commentator for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. His experience as a top curler makes him a great person to explain the sport.
Awards and Recognition
Russ Howard has received many honors for his contributions to curling.
- In 2006, he was inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2013, he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2015, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honors.
- He was also inducted into the WCF Hall of Fame in 2015.
Russ Howard's Family Life
Curling runs in Russ Howard's family! His brother, Glenn Howard, is also a very famous curler. They have even played on the same team many times.
Russ's daughter, Ashley Howard, is also a competitive curler. She is currently the executive director of CurlSask. This organization helps manage curling in Saskatchewan.
Outside of curling, Russ Howard used to work as a real estate agent. He also coached curling teams in Switzerland. In 2019, he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, to be closer to his children.
See also
In Spanish: Russell Howard para niños
