Grant Olsen (left) and Jim Cotter have been competing together at the B.C. curling championships in Kamloops (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD!

Cotter, Olsen reunite at B.C. curling championships after years apart

Jan 7, 2022 | 2:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — They curled together as youngsters at the Kamloops Curling Club. Jim Cotter and Grant Olsen spent many of hours on the ice honing their craft, even as little ones with their parents playing at the club.

“When we were kids, we played Saturday mornings, then in the afternoon there was another league that we played in with our parents, then our parents would go have a cocktail after the game and we’d go back out on the ice for another little bit,” remembers Olsen. “So pretty much every Saturday we were down here for eight hours or more.”

Cotter ended up working at the curling club when he was a teenager, then the pair teamed up to win the 1995 B.C. junior championships.

“We had a heck of a team back then, playing with Grant and Neil Dustin and Brendan Willis that year in 1995. It was a special year, special time playing those years with Grant,” said Cotter. ”

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After going their separate ways — with Cotter moving up in his career, playing in a B.C.-record 10 Briers — the two great friends have been reunited this year and are playing together at their former home club for the B.C. championships.

“Yeah I get goosebumps,” said Cotter about being back in Kamloops. “This is my home curling club. I worked here for five, six years at least, starting when I was about 13 years old. I grew up coming here with Grant Olsen, so to be playing with him as well is awesome.”

A young Jim Cotter (left) and Grant Olsen at the Kamloops Curling Club (Image Credit: Lori Olsen)

Olsen added, “It’s fun. Playing with Jimmy again. It’s been a long time since me and him played together, so those first couple games, it was like old times out there.”

Both credit their fathers — the late Rick Cotter and Ray Olsen — for the success they’ve experienced in their careers. One generation mentored the other and created great curlers.

“My dad and Jim’s dad were big parts of our careers growing up,” said Olsen. “They were the guys that kind of taught us and then me and Jimmy kind of feed off each other, too. Good times.”

Cotter added, “Actually at our first junior nationals in 1990, my dad was coaching and Ray came along and was an assistant coach. They were such good friends. So many experiences with both of them, so they definitely had a great influence on my curling career.”

For Cotter, winning a B.C. championship at his former home rink would be icing on the cake.

“I grew up watching Barry McPhee, Eric Wilson, all those guys — Rob Kuroyama — so it would mean a lot,” he said. “Growing up being mentored from those guys and being able to come back home and play and ultimately win would be an added bonus for sure.”