No matter the outcome, Jiri Snitil has come out a clear winner at these 2013 Ford World Men鈥檚 Curling Championships in Victoria.
The Czech Republic skip, who was battling for his playoff life on Thursday night 鈥� a position many thought improbable 鈥� has developed a strong following as he and his Brno rink impressed throughout the week.
It鈥檚 a story of perseverance, hard work and just rewards for Snitil; brother Martin Snitil, his third; second Jindrich Kitzberger; lead Marek Vydra; and alternate Jakub Bares, who have collected the best finish ever for the nation at the worlds.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been working hard, practising almost every day after work,鈥� said the 38-year-old IT consultant and executive director of a small company. 鈥淭he work is done, you鈥檙e done, but you still have to go to practise.
鈥淪ometimes you say, 鈥業鈥檓 not going tonight.鈥� But the boys say, 鈥楥ome on; let鈥檚 go.鈥� 鈥�
So it becomes a sense of playing for one and country for the group, which is led by Canadian coach Dan Rafael of Montreal.
They have support back in their sponsored curling club in Brno, a two-hour drive from their base in Prague, where they still practise.
鈥淥ur heart beats for Brno,鈥� skip Snitil said with a smile, which grows wider when he sees messages on Facebook and Twitter. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy we have a lot of followers back home, and we thank all of them.鈥�
There are 500 members on four sheets of ice at the Brno club, which the Snitil rink joined seven years ago.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been together for 15 years and we鈥檝e said, many times, we鈥檝e had enough,鈥� Snitil said of his curling career.
But the team finished third at the 2012 European championship.
鈥淪o we said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 give more of a push and see where we can get to,鈥� 鈥� said Snitil, who brought in Bares, who is 12 years younger.
鈥淗e brings the new blood into the team, and we have new fire. So I鈥檓 very happy he鈥檚 curling with us.鈥�
Curling doesn鈥檛 get the attention that hockey 鈥� which is now going into playoffs back home 鈥� or soccer receives.
His team鈥檚 work ethic is not going unnoticed here, however.
鈥淚 have a lot of respect for Jiri and for what he鈥檚 been doing,鈥� said Scottish skip David Murdoch. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been working their way up, even beating sa国际传媒 earlier this week. They medalled at the European championship. That鈥檚 what the game is all about. If you consistently practise and dedicate to the sport, you can achieve something.鈥�
For the rink and country.
鈥淚 hope we can give them reason to party,鈥� Snitil said of the Brno club.
