CAN vs AUS. Morris won’t like it.
“You can put this on the record. Those guys are such great humans, such great people. We’ve developed a great bond over the last few years and I was really looking forward to that journey with them.”
John Morris is speaking passionately about … the Australian mixed doubles team.
The two-time Olympic champion has one regret about the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Okay—two regrets. The first is that he won’t get to coach Australia’s youthful Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt in Beijing, as he’s been doing all season. The second is that his upcoming battle against them, which is scheduled near the end of the mixed doubles round robin on Feb. 6, will take a toll on him.
“This journey isn’t over, even though I can’t coach them there, but that will no doubt be my most difficult game to play at the Olympics,” said Morris. “I have trouble playing against great friends who I have a lot of respect for, and it’s hard for me to get that killer instinct with really good friends … and I consider those two really good friends of mine.
“So that will be my toughest game to play, mentally. But at the end of the day, I’m wearing the red and white and I’m playing for my country, and that trumps all.”
Morris is following in his father’s footsteps. The famous curling coach nicknamed Earle the Pearl—who has coached both his son and Homan’s women’s team in the past—also coached the Australian men’s team back in the mid-2000s, a squad that included Hewitt’s father.
In fact, that team—skipped by Hugh Milliken with Ian Palangio throwing last stones—missed a shot to beat Randy Ferbey and knock him (and Pfeifer) out of the 2005 world playoffs in Victoria, B.C. The Canadians finished in a wild six-way tie at 8-3 and eventually won the championship.
“That game in Beijing will be a great game to watch, no doubt,” adds Morris. “They’ve really developed a lot this year as curlers. Besides that game against them, I’ll be cheering wholeheartedly for them.”
Morris was with Gill and Hewitt at the Olympic Qualification Event in Leeuwarden, Netherlands in early December when the Aussies rolled to seven straight victories, including a sudden-death Olympic qualifier over Korea.
As Gill’s winning stone settled and the Aussies began to celebrate, Morris grabbed fellow Australia coach Pete Manasantivongs in a reverse bear hug before dashing down to ice level.
Moments before, Gill and Hewitt had called a time out before their final throw. Morris suggested Gill throw a different turn on her winning stone, based on familiarity of the running path and speed. She took the advice and the shot was executed perfectly.
“We asked (Morris) to coach us because we wanted to be coached by the best,” said Hewitt, 27. “We’re grateful he played a big part in helping us qualify for the Olympics. His experience and knowledge has been crucial for us growing as athletes.
“It’s so great to have a coach who you can go on adventures with off-ice too, and he’s treated us like family.”
Gill and Hewitt bade farewell to their friends and family members back in September of 2021, and have been based near Morris in Canmore, Alta. ever since. Even the appointment of Morris and mixed doubles teammate Rachel Homan to the Canadian Olympic Team hasn’t changed the preparation routine very much.
“They’re still training with me, and we pretty much leave (for Beijing) on the same day,” said Morris. “It’s perfect, we’ve even got some good hard games against them. It’s almost like we’re training partners, which I think is ideal.”
Morris has been sharing a cabin with Homan and Pfeifer in an isolated area of Canmore. Over the past two weeks the squad’s new Twitter feed has proudly displayed a variety of alternative Olympic training techniques—ice fishing and snowshoeing among them.
Such is the high-performance life in a pandemic.
“We knew it would be a high possibility we could be competing against John at the Olympics and we were prepared for it,” said the 22-year-old Gill. “We are so excited to compete against John and Rachel, I think it will be a really fun game. They’re a great team and we always want to play against the best to get better ourselves.”
“We’re having a really good time, keeping it light,” said Morris back in December.
“I think Canadians and Australians are kindred spirits that way. We enjoy a lot of the same things and are pretty laid back.
“It’s been a really good relationship and I’m really proud of them.”
Morris is grateful to the Canmore Golf and Curling Club for providing the Canadians and Australians with private ice in isolation.
“It’s tough to find a great facility and great conditions, but here it is,” Morris said. “These friendly matches are helping get us both battle-ready in lieu of no trials or events leading up to the Olympics.”
Departure is just a day or so away. How about some medal predictions, John?
“No way, it’s such a deep field this year,” Morris said. “It’s going to be such a great Games to watch. Every game’s going to be an absolute battle.”