Brendan Bottcher

Brendan Michael Bottcher (born December 19, 1991) is a Canadian curler from Sherwood Park, Alberta.

Brendan Bottcher
Curler
Born
Brendan Michael Bottcher[1]

(1991-12-19) December 19, 1991
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Team
Curling clubSaville Community SC,
Edmonton, AB
SkipBrendan Bottcher
ThirdDarren Moulding
SecondBrad Thiessen
LeadKarrick Martin
AlternatePat Janssen
Mixed doubles
partner		Bobbie Sauder
Career
Member Association Alberta
Brier appearances4 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Top CTRS ranking2nd (2018–19)
Grand Slam victories3 (2019 Canadian Open, 2019 Players', 2019 Champions Cup)
Medal record
Men's curling
Representing  Canada
World Junior Curling Championships
2012 Östersund
Winter Universiade
2013 Trentino
Representing  Alberta
Tim Hortons Brier
2018 Regina
2020 Kingston
Representing Team Wild Card
Tim Hortons Brier
2019 Brandon

Born in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Bottcher enjoyed a successful junior career winning the 2012 Canadian Junior Curling Championships and the 2012 World Junior Curling Championships.[2] He was also the 2010 Alberta junior men's champion and the 2007 Alberta juvenile provincial finalist.[3] Bottcher skips his own team out of the Saville Sports Centre in Edmonton.

Career

Junior career

In the 2009–2010 season, with Brad Thiessen at third, Landon Bucholz at second, Bryce Bucholz at lead, and Bernie Panich as their coach, they had much success winning four junior bonspiels and being a runner-up in another. In the Edmonton Men's Super-League, they posted a .500 record. In a few exhibition games throughout the season prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, they played Olympic calibre teams such as Kevin Martin and Thomas Ulsrud. The team would then go on to win the Alberta junior provincial curling championships, beating their cross town rival Curtis Bale 6–4 in the final.[4] This provincial junior title earned him a berth to the 2010 Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. At Canadian Junior Curling Championships, the team had mixed success, finishing with a 6–6 record.[5]

Although contenders to return the following Canadian junior curling championships, the team lost the 2011 Alberta junior provincial semi-final to Scott Smith of Calgary.[6] The end of the 2010–2011 season saw Brad Thiessen age out of junior eligibility. The team then added long time Alberta junior competitor Evan Asmussen to the lineup prior to the 2011–2012 season. After his junior curling season concluded, Bottcher skipped his University of Alberta Golden Bears men's team to a semi-final finish at the CIS curling championships.

The 2011–2012 season saw Bottcher continue his previous success at the 2012 Alberta junior provincials, finishing the round robin with a perfect record and defeating Jordan Steinke of Dawson Creek in the final to win his second provincial junior title. At the 2012 Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Napanee, Ontario the team finished the round robin with an 11–1 record, earning a bye to the Canadian final. Bottcher himself would earn first team all-star skip honors for the highest shooting percentage in the round robin. Bottcher would then defeated Wark of Northern Ontario 9-6 to win the Canadian junior championships. The team would then proceed to the 2012 World Junior Curling Championships in Östersund Sweden, where he finished the round robin with an 8–1 record, only losing to Scotland's Kyle Smith 8–4. A 1-2 page play-off 9–3 victory over Sweden gave Bottcher and his team a direct berth to the final. Sweden would defeat Norway 8–4 in the semi-final game, setting up a re-match in the final. Bottcher would score five points in the seventh end of the final for a 10–4 win and become the 2012 World Junior men's curling champion - the first world junior men's curling championship title for Canada since 2007.

Prior to the World Junior Curling Championships and after the Canadian Junior Curling Championships, Bottcher's University of Alberta Golden Bears team went undefeated at the Canada West Curling Championships, qualifying them for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Curling Championships. Days after the world juniors, Bottcher returned to Canada to compete at the CIS nationals and led the Golden Bears to the university's first ever curling national championship. Bottcher and his university team of third Mick Lizmore, second Brad Thiessen, lead Karrick Martin and alternate Parker Konschuh had a strong weekend, only losing one game to the UPEI Panthers' Brett Gallant 10–4. The team's strong performance was demonstrated when the front end was awarded 1st team All-Canadian honours while the back end received 2nd team All-Canadian honours. The championship was Bottcher's third in five weeks.[7] A chemical engineering student, he was named Athlete of the Year and Academic All-Canadian of the Year from the University of Alberta.[8]

Bottcher's rink represented Canada at the 2013 Winter Universiade, where he was named Canada's flag bearer for the opening ceremony.[9] Team Canada won the bronze medal at the event.[10]

2012-present

Now aged out of junior, Bottcher continued to curl with his University of Alberta team. They won their first World Curling Tour (WCT) event at the 2012 Red Deer Curling Classic. The team played in their first men's provincial at the 2013 Boston Pizza Cup, winning just one game before being eliminated. The following season, the team played in two Grand Slam events: they played at the 2013 Canadian Open, finishing with a record of 1–4, and the 2014 National, again earning a 1–4 record. They did however win their second WCT event, the 2013 Spruce Grove Cashspiel. At the 2014 Boston Pizza Cup they again won just one game before being eliminated.

Following the 2013–14 season, Lizmore left the team to form his own rink, and was replaced with Albertan veteran curler Tom Appelman. The team found immediate success with their new addition, beginning the 2014–15 season by winning the 2014 HDF Insurance Shoot-Out. That season, the team also won the German Masters. They also played in three Grand Slams, making it to the semifinals in all three events. At the 2015 Boston Pizza Cup, the team would make it all the way to the final, where they lost to the Kevin Koe rink. The following season, the team had less success on tour, as they did not win any events, and only made it as far as the quarterfinals in two of the five slams they played in. At the 2016 Boston Pizza Cup, they would lose in the semifinals.

After two seasons, two-time Brier champion Pat Simmons joined Bottcher in place of Appelman. Over the 2016 Christmas break Simmons left the rink, with Darren Moulding taking over at third.[11] With Moulding on the team would make it to the quarterfinals at the 2017 Canadian Open of Curling, which was their first event with the new lineup. In February 2017 Bottcher, Moulding, Brad Thiessen and Karrick Martin won the 2017 Boston Pizza Cup Alberta men's title and a place representing the province in that year's Brier Canadian championship; they had a perfect 5–0 record, beating Ted Appelman 6–5 in the final.[11][12] The team represented Alberta at the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier, Botcher's first career Brier appearance. There, he led his province to a 3-8 round robin record, missing the playoffs. On the tour, the team would not win any events, and would only make the playoffs in one slam, the aforementioned Canadian Open.

Team Bottcher qualified for the 2017 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials (held December 2–10 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario) by winning one of the two pre-trials spots at the Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials November 6–12 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They had a 4–4 record at the Trials for 4th spot, one place out of the playoffs. By winning the 2018 Boston Pizza Cup, Team Bottcher qualified as Team Alberta for the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier, held from March 3 to 11, 2018 at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. The team had an 8-3 round robin record, and had to fight through the 3 vs. 4 game beating Brad Jacobs (Northern Ontario) and the semifinal against John Epping (Ontario) to make it to the final, where they would lose to Brad Gushue of Team Canada 6–4.[13] On the tour, the team won the Medicine Hat Charity Classic and the Red Deer Curling Classic.

2018 Team Bottcher won the Canad Inns Men's Classic beating Team Koe in the finals with a score of 7–5. The team came in second to Brad Jacobs losing in the finals at the Grand Slam of Curling 2018 Tour Challenge.

In 2019 he would win his 1st Grand Slam of Curling titles at the Meridian Canadian Open with an 6–3 win over Team Epping, in April The Players Championship with a 6–1 win over Team Koe and again in the Champions Cup with another 6–5 win over Team Koe. Earlier in the year, Team Bottcher would win the 2019 Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game, the team winning $54,500.

At the 2019 Tim Hortons Brier (held from March 2 to 10 at Westoba Place in Brandon, Manitoba), the team played their way into the main draw by winning the wildcard game over Team Epping (Ontario) and then went 8–3 in the round-robin, making the playoffs for the second straight year. The team was 8–3 in the Championship Pool. Beating Brad Gushue (Team Canada) and then Team Jacobs (Northern Ontario) in the semifinals in the playoffs to make it to the final for the second straight year. In the finals, Team Wildcard was defeated 4–3 by Kevin Koe of Team Alberta.

Team Bottcher began their 2019–20 season at the 2019 AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic where they lost the tiebreaker to Yannick Schwaller. In Grand Slam play, they had quarterfinal finishes at the Masters and the National, a semifinal finish at the Tour Challenge and missed the playoffs at the Canadian Open. They had a semifinal finish at the 2019 Canada Cup after losing to eventual winners John Epping. After losing the semifinal to Kevin Koe at provincials the previous season, Team Bottcher would win the 2020 Boston Pizza Cup with a draw to the button to defeat Karsten Sturmay 7–6. For the third year in a row, they would finish runner-up at the Brier, this year to Brad Gushue.

Coaching

Bottcher coached the Spanish Mixed Doubles Team at the 2017 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.[14]

Accomplishments
  • 2006 Alberta Winter Games Participant[15]
  • 2007 Alberta Juvenile Provincial Finalist
  • 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Alberta Junior Provincial Participant
  • 2010 Alberta Junior Provincial Champion
  • 2011 CIS Nationals Semifinalist
  • 2012 Alberta Junior Provincial Champion
  • 2012 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors Champion
  • 2012 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors First All-Star Team
  • 2012 CIS 2nd Team All-Canadian
  • 2012 CIS Champion
  • 2012 World Junior Champion
  • 2015 Boston Pizza Alberta Men's Provincial Finalist
  • 2017 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup Champion
  • 2018 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup Champion
  • 2018 Tim Hortons Brier Finalist
  • 2018 Canad Inns Men's Classic
  • 2018 Grand Slam of Curling Tour Challenge Finalist
  • 2019 Grand Slam of Curling at the Meridian Canadian Open Champion
  • 2019 Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game, Champion
  • 2019 Grand Slam of Curling Players' Championship Champion
  • 2019 Grand Slam of Curling Champions Cup Champion

Personal life

Bottcher works as an Application Specialist for Spartan Controls Ltd.[16] He is engaged to Bobbie Sauder.[17]

Year-by-year statistics

Team events
Year Team Position Event Finish Record Pct.[lower-alpha 1]
2010 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Juniors 1st 7–2 –
2010 Alberta (Bottcher) Skip Canadian Juniors 6th 6–6 72[18]
2011 Bottcher Skip Alberta Juniors 3rd 5–4 –
2011 University of Alberta (Bottcher) Skip CIS 3rd 5–3 –
2012 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Juniors 1st –
2012 Alberta (Bottcher) Skip Canadian Juniors 1st 12–1 84[19]
2012 Canada (Bottcher) Skip World Juniors 1st 10–1[20] –
2012 University of Alberta (Bottcher) Skip CIS 1st 7–1 –
2013 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials DNQ 1–3[21] –
2013 University of Alberta (Bottcher) Skip CIS 2nd[22] 6–2 –
2013 Canada (Bottcher) Skip Winter Universiade 3rd 8–3[23] –
2014 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials DNQ 1–3[24] –
2014 University of Alberta (Bottcher) Skip CIS 2nd 5–4[25] –
2015 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 2nd 5–3[26] –
2016 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 3rd 5–3[27] –
2017 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 1st 5–0[28] –
2017 Alberta (Bottcher) Skip 2017 Brier 10th 3–8[29] 81[30]
2017 Bottcher Skip Olympic Pre-Q 2nd 5–4[31] 81[32]
2017 Bottcher Skip 2017 COCT 4th 4–4[33] 81[34]
2018 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 1st 5–0[35] –
2018 Alberta (Bottcher) Skip 2018 Brier 2nd 10–4[36] 84[37]
2018 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Canada Cup 4th 4–3[38] 82[39]
2019 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 3rd 4–3[40] –
2019 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Brier Wildcard 1st 1–0 85[41]
2019 Wild Card (Bottcher) Skip 2019 Brier 2nd 10–4[42] 81[43]
2019 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Canada Cup 3rd 5–2 80[44]
2020 Canada Skip Cont'l Cup 2nd 0–4 78[45]
2020 Bottcher (SSC) Skip Alberta Provincials 1st 7–1[46] –
2020 Alberta (Bottcher) Skip 2020 Brier 2nd 11–2 88[47]
Brier Totals[48] 34–18 84
Olympic Curling Trial Totals[48] 4–4 81

Mixed doubles
Year Partner Event Finish Record Pct.
2017 Dana Ferguson CMDCC T5th 7–2 –
2018 Dana Ferguson CMDCOT T7th 6–4 81
2019 Bobbie Sauder CMDCC T5th 6–3 81
2020 Dana Ferguson Cont'l Cup 2nd 1–0 86[49]
Olympic Curling Trial Totals 6–4 81

Grand Slam record
Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
Elite 10 N/A DNP Q DNP DNP DNP N/A
Masters DNP DNP Q Q DNP DNP QF
Tour Challenge N/A N/A QF Q T2 F SF
The National Q SF Q Q DNP DNP QF
Canadian Open Q SF QF QF DNP C Q
Players' DNP SF DNP Q Q C N/A
Champions Cup N/A N/A DNP DNP QF C N/A

Notes
  1. Round robin only

References
  1. "Announcements". Edmonton Journal. December 29, 1991. p. B4. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  2. "Canadian Bottcher wins world junior curling championship". CBC Sports. March 11, 2012.
  3. Northern Alberta Curling Association Past Champions
  4. Final Draw at Subway Junior Provincials Archived February 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Junior Nationals Archive
  6. 2011 Alberta Junior Provincials Website Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Chris O'Leary (March 19, 2012). "Busy curler refocuses on studies". The Edmonton Journal.
  8. Lingley, Scott (June 9, 2015). "A champion and a scholar". University of Alberta. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  9. "Golden Bears curler named Canadian flag bearer". University of Alberta. December 9, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  10. Gutsch, Matt (December 19, 2013). "UAlberta curling team wins Universiade bronze for Canada". University of Alberta. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  11. Brazeau, Jonathan (February 13, 2017). "Eight Ends: Change at third key to Bottcher's breakout". Sportsnet. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  12. Hood, Connor (February 13, 2017). "Trio of Golden Bears curling alumni win Alberta Curling Championship". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  13. "Curling Canada | Team Alberta to face Team Canada in Tim Hortons Brier final".
  14. "All Teams Declared for Vancouver Olympic Winter Games". 2010-01-08.
  15. "Alberta Winter Games". Archived from the original on 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  16. 2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup Media Guide: Brendan Bottcher
  17. "2020 Tim Hortons Brier Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
  18. "2010 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Men's Curling Championship" (PDF). Canadian Curling Association. May 3, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  19. "Juniors All-Stars and Award Winners Announced". Curling Canada. February 10, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  20. "World Junior Curling Championships 2012". World Curling Federation. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  21. "Bottcher 1–3 at 2013 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  22. "Warriors, Bisons Win CIS-CCA National Titles". Curling Canada. March 24, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  23. "XXVI. Winter Universiade 2013". World Curling Federation. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  24. "Bottcher 1–3 at 2014 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  25. Kreutzwieser, Paige (March 23, 2014). "FINAL 2014 CIS / CCA Curling Championships, presented by Travelers: Carleton Ravens women, Manitoba Bisons men crowned curling champions". U Sports. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  26. "Bottcher Runner-Up at 2015 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  27. "Bottcher 4–2 at 2016 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  28. "CHAMPION: Bottcher Wins 2017 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  29. "2017 Tim Hortons Brier: Reports: Team Standings". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  30. "2017 Tim Hortons Brier: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  31. "2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials—Men: Teams: Team Bottcher". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  32. "2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials—Men: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  33. "2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings—Men: Reports: Team Standings". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  34. "2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings—Men: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  35. "CHAMPION: Bottcher Wins 2018 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  36. "2018 Tim Hortons Brier: Teams: Alberta". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  37. "2018 Tim Hortons Brier: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canad. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  38. "2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup—Men: Teams: Bottcher". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  39. "2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup—Men: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  40. "Bottcher Reaches 2019 Alberta Boston Pizza Cup Semifinals". CurlingZone. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  41. "2019 Tim Hortons Brier Wild Card Game". Curling Canada. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  42. "2019 Tim Hortons Brier: Teams: Wild Card". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  43. "2019 Tim Hortons Brier: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  44. "Cumulative Statistics by Team". Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  45. "STATISTICAL REPORT FOR DRAW 11" (PDF). Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  46. "Live Score Board". 2020 Boston Pizza Cup. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  47. "2020 Tim Hortons Brier - Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  48. "Career Statistics for Brendan Bottcher". Curling Canada Stats Archive. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  49. "STATISTICAL REPORT FOR DRAW 5" (PDF). Retrieved January 18, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.