Jumping for joy: Greg Smith, 21, taking N.L. to the Brier with Team Gushue

Not many eight-year-olds dream of curling in the Canadian national men's championship. 

But Greg Smith, now 21, sure did. 

"I feel incredible. It's absolutely amazing to get to go there at such a young age," Smith said after winning the provincial men's tankard Sunday afternoon. 

"I've been dreaming about this ever since I threw my first stone at eight years old!"

His mom, Diane Smith, concurred. 

"This is his dream ever since he was a little boy, and I'm so, so happy for him, and so proud of him," she said, beaming through tears of joy on the ice at the Re/max Centre. 

You could probably hear the crowd at the curling club halfway across town Sunday afternoon as Team Smith beat Team Symonds in the tankard.

That means they'll join Team Gushue in representing Newfoundland and Labrador next month at the Brier.

N.L. Curling Win

7 years ago

Duration 2:04

Team Smith curled their way to represent N.L. at the Brier.

Smith led Matthew Hunt, Andrew Taylor and Ian Withycombe to a 9-6 finish over skip Andrew Symonds, Mark Healy, Dave Noftall and Keith Jewer in the final, after losing to Symonds Saturday night.

Thanks to a double-life option in this province, as Smith had gone undefeated, his team got a second chance at the final if they lost their first one — which they did. 

"We certainly needed it last night," he said. "We learned last night, we learned how to come back firing today."

Teammate Taylor said consistency during the week played a part in their success.

"Fitness during the week, making sure we had a routine," he said, as well as figuring out where they would eat each day and what they were doing so they weren't rushing to the rink. 

"I was actually blown away. This Team Smith that's out here in the final, they've been playing amazing," said Olympic gold medallist curler Jamie Korab, watching the final.

"The curling level out here is great, and it's nice to see, and I think that's a tribute to Team Gushue and the boys. They brought the level of curling up that high."

Team Gushue has won the provincials every year since 2002, except in 2006 when his team — including Korab — was winning gold at the Olympics.

After winning the 2017 Tim Hortons Brier in St. John's, Gushue secured a spot at this year's national competition. 

The 2018 Tim Hortons Brier starts, with two Newfoundland and Labrador teams, March 3 in Regina.