Park tapped to lead Trojans curling program

CALGARY, ALTA., (April 27, 2020) – Kalynn Park may have retired from competitive curling, but her desire to win still exists and the SAIT Trojans hope to benefit from it.

Park was named the new head coach of the Trojans curling program on Monday. She takes over for David Cooper, who led the team in their first year back in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) this past season.

"I've been playing it my whole life, and thought this would be a good way to transition out of competitive play but still be involved at a competitive level" stated Park, who has coached at many levels, including the Spanish mixed doubles team that competed at the 2016 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship . "I'm really excited to meet them all and see where they are at in their skill level, and I'm excited to see what they want to learn from me."

Park has curling in her blood, as her father Kevin Park earned a lot of success playing third for Kevin Martin – including winning the 1991 Tim Hortons Brier and earning silver at the 1991 World Curling Championship.

Like her father, Park has captured her fair share of success as well. She earned bronze at the 2009 Canadian Junior Curling Championships and then silver at the 2009 World Junior Curling Championship.

One year after placing second at the 2014 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials, Park and her partner Charley Thomas toppled everyone at the 2015 event.

The win allowed them to represent Canada at the World Championships in Sochi, Russia where the pair finished fourth.

She also spent three seasons throwing second for Alberta curling legend, and Olympic bronze medalist, Shannon Kleibrink.

"Different experience at different positions," Park said when asked what she brings to the table. "I had a lot of success in juniors playing skip and third, played second a lot as a professional and then mixed doubles with a male partner. I have a lot of experience with both female and male curlers. . . I've been around the sport my whole life which is something you can't teach."

At the post-secondary level, Park played for the University of Alberta, so she understands the life of a student-athlete.

"It's about competing at a high level, and still having a life outside of it," she stated. "I can relate to what they have been through and what they will go through. Even in my professional career, I always had a full-time job or was a full-time student while curling. Knowing how to schedule and juggle multiple things will come in handy."

Her playing and post-secondary careers made Park an easy choice for the role, says SAIT's Director of Athletics, Wade Kolmel

"We are very excited to have someone with not only Kalynn's pedigree, but her post-secondary, national and international experience leading our curling program going forward," he says. "We were fortunate to have some success in our first year back, and are confident for much more with Kalynn in charge."

This past year, SAIT fielded both a men's and a mixed team – making it the first time Trojans curlers competed in the ACAC since the 2006/07 season.

While the mixed team struggled to find wins throughout the season, the men's side went on to capture the ACAC championship – their first since 1991 – and advanced to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships.