Every Monday night at the Juan de Fuca Curling Club, Ryan Cassidy鈥檚 juvenile rink competes in the men鈥檚 league.
Occassionally they鈥檒l manage a win, but more times than not, it鈥檚 losses with valuable learning experiences along the way.
But for one key member of the rink, second Lucas Savage, this curling season 鈥� and the last two years as a whole 鈥� have been more of a battle for his very life.
The 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Belmont Secondary was diagnosed with T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma 鈥� a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma 鈥� back in December of 2010, the cancer forcing him away from the game he loves.
Along with skip Cassidy, third Mat Macdonald and lead Derek Chandler, Savage returned to competitive curling this season and the foursome won a berth to the Tim Hortons sa国际传媒 Juvenile Championships, slated for next month in Prince George.
鈥淗e left the game of curling not by heart, but on ice,鈥� says Lucas鈥檚 mom Dana Savage. 鈥淗e was well supported by the men鈥檚 league and the juniors here.
鈥淭he goal for Lucas has always been to come back. He slowly immersed himself last year, playing on a Monday night men鈥檚 league with a group of friends and an adult, and he had a great time.
鈥淎t the end of the year he decided, 鈥楴o, I need to come back, full-time competitively,鈥� 鈥� she says.
So, between chemotherapy treatments, Lucas began his search and Team Cassidy picked up the young man.
鈥淗e was very lucky. It鈥檚 been interesting, between treatments,鈥� says Dana, who is so proud of her son鈥檚 team鈥檚 accomplishments, on and off the ice.
In fact, Lucas had his last lumbar puncture for his treatment and maintenance just four days after earning a berth to provincials at playdowns in Powell River. The Savage family is hoping that treatments will be complete by the end of April.
鈥淚 missed every bit of it,鈥� Lucas says of his absence from the sport he鈥檚 played since Grade 5.
鈥淚t has been good therapy for me. I just try and stay positive and hope for the best,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚鈥檓 really surprised with how far we鈥檝e come.鈥�
Dressed in their Loudmouth Pants 鈥� the attire that pro golfer John Daly and Norway鈥檚 Thomas Ulsrud has helped make famous on the curling ice 鈥� the Cassidy foursome has clicked from the start.
鈥淚 love every bit of playing second,鈥� says Lucas. 鈥淣o major pressure setting up the game or finishing the game.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 been there for everything with us. We鈥檙e all good friends and we jelled right away,鈥� says Cassidy, a 14-yeard-old Grade 9 student at Dunsmuir. 鈥淚 had been curling with Derek for a while. Mat joined the team last year and I knew Lucas from a couple of years ago.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know if he was curling this year. We emailed his mom. He wanted to play and it鈥檚 worked out really well.鈥�
The team won a sa国际传媒 berth at playdowns in Powell River defeating Duncan Silversides of the Victoria Curling Centre two of three times to advance.
鈥淚, personally, thought we could make it here. I thought, as a team, we pulled through and did quite well,鈥� says Chandler, 14, who attends Grade 9 at Esquimalt High.
As for provincials?
鈥淭here are a lot of good teams that also competed in juniors,鈥� says Macdonald, 16, a Frances Kelsey Secondary student. 鈥淭op four would be good.鈥�
鈥淚 expect for them to go and have fun; learn a bunch; just enjoy themselves and get used to the competition,鈥� says coach Julie Semenchuk.
But there is no denying Lucas has already won the biggest battle.
鈥淲e can see the light. Looking back on it, it鈥檚 something you never forget,鈥� mom Dana says of the initial diagnosis. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 wish it on anybody.
鈥淗e had some big hurdles to come across, but he鈥檚 made it. He鈥檚 always been positive and this [curling] is what kept him going.鈥�
The group is now hoping to raise funds to help the team offset travel costs and donations can be made through [email protected].
