PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum to induct five members at 13th annual induction ceremony

Five inductees, all in the “Curler” category, are being honoured for their achievements in and contributions to the sport of curling: Mike Dillon, John Likely, and Shelley Muzika, all from Charlottetown,  Leslie MacDougall, from Cornwall PEI, and Dr. Wayne Matheson, former resident of both Summerside and Charlottetown, now residing in Sudbury, Ontario.

“Recognizing the accomplishments of curlers and builders who have dedicated their time and energy to the sport of curling is an important component of our curling history”, says Jerry Muzika, Chairman of the PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum.  He invites everyone to come out and honour the inductees.

Curl PEI president Sandy Matheson says that she is very pleased that the PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum is continuing its work to recognize curlers and builders, and looks forward to attending the event.

The main objectives of the Curling Hall of Fame and Museum are to recognize, honour and pay tribute to individuals or teams on the basis of playing ability, as an amateur or a professional (“Curler” category), and to individuals who have given distinguished service and have made major contributions to the development of curling on Prince Edward Island (“Builder” category).

The event, with host Paul H. Schurman, gets underway at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 per person and are available at the door.

This year’s ceremony is sponsored by PEI Ford Dealers, Beaton’s Wholesale Dry Goods, Peake & McInnis Ltd. Insurance Brokers. Phillips Feed Service, the City of Charlottetown, and Consolidated Credit Union Ltd., Summerside.

Here are the biographies of each of the inductees:

Mike Dillon

Mike started curling at the Belvedere Golf and Winter Club in the fall of 1976. He won the Prince Edward Island Junior Men’s Curling Championship in 1982, playing second with skip Wade MacRae, third Paul Dillon, and lead Roy Whitlock.

In 1983, he won his second PEI junior title with skip Wade MacRae, Blair Weeks at third stone, Paul Dillon at second, and Mike playing lead. Also, in 1983, Mike won the Canada Games Curling Championship for PEI, with skip Wade MacRae, third Paul Dillon, second Roy Whitlock, and Mike again at lead. Their coach was Dr. Bob Johnston.

Mike had another Junior win in 1984, this time with a new team, skipped by Alan Brown, with Mark Butler at third, Mike at second, and lead Phillip Gorveatt.  Mike was awarded the Ken Watson sportsmanship trophy at the 1984 Canadian Juniors, an award voted on by the players.

In 2003, Mike won the Prince Edward Island Men’s Curling Championship, playing lead with skip Robert Campbell, third Kevin Champion, and second Phillip Gorveatt.

In 2005, with Rod MacDonald skipping the team of third Kevin Champion, second Phillip Gorvett and Mike at lead, they won Mike’s second Prince Edward Island Men’s curling title, winning again in 2006.

Switching to second stone, Mike was back in the winners’ circle again in 2011, winning the PEI Men’s Curling Championship, this time with skip Eddie MacKenzie, Mike Gaudet at third, and Alex MacFadyen at lead.

Mike won the PEI Mixed Curling Championship in 2004, with skip Kim Dolan, third Kevin Champion, second Marion MacAulay, and Mike at lead.

In 2017, Mike won the PEI Seniors Curling Championship, playing second for skip Phil Gorveatt. The third was Kevin Champion, and lead was Mark Butler.

Mike again won the PEI Seniors Curling Championship in 2019 playing lead for Phil Gorveatt, with third Kevin Champion, and second Larry Richards.

Mike has been a lifetime volunteer at the Charlottetown Curling Complex, helping with the junior program, the ice, and in many other capacities.

Mike’s curling career has spanned 37 competitive years, and has resulted in one PEI Canada Games, three PEI Junior titles, four PEI Men’s championships, one PEI Mixed title and two PEI Seniors championships — a list of achievements worthy of Mike’s induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame, in the curler category.

John Likely

John started to curl at the Charlottetown Curling Club 46 years ago in 1973 and has been a successful winning competitor for the past 40 years.

Beginning in 1979, John won the Prince Edward Island Juniors Men’s Curling Championship with skip Peter Jenkins, Billy Dillon at third, John at second, and Richard Kays at lead.

Also in 1979, he won the Canada Games PEI Curling Championship, skipping his team of third Richard Kays, second Doug MacGregor, and lead Bill Tinney.

John’s main curling success came competing in the PEI Mixed Curling Championships, winning nine titles in 35 years of competition.

The first was in 1984, skipping his team of third Marion Partridge, second Billy Dillon, and lead Judy Lund.

The second PEI Mixed title came eight years later, in 1992, with third Susan McInnis, second Mark Butler, and lead Gail MacNeil. This same team stayed together and won the PEI Mixed Curling Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1997.

John’s sixth win of the Prince Edward Island Mixed Curling Championship was in 2000, again with McInnis and Butler, but with Nancy Cameron at lead. In 2001, John had another PEI Mixed win, with Kathie Gallant at third, Mark Butler at second and Krista Cameron at lead.

Win number eight for John in 2002 saw Susan McInnis back at third, Mark Butler again at second, and Nancy Cameron back playing lead.

In that three year run of 2000, 2001 and 2002, the team placed third, third and second, respectively, at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship.  All three winning skips in those years went on to win Briers: Kevin Koe, Jean-Michel Ménard, and Mark Dacey.

2004 was John’s ninth provincial Mixed Championship curling title. Playing with him were third Janice MacCallum, second Mark Butler, and lead Nancy Cameron.

John holds the national record for the most appearances as a skip at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship with nine, and he also holds the record for the most wins at the Canadian Mixed with 55.

John was the all-star skip at the 2000 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship.

John won his first Prince Edward Island Men’s Curling Championship in 1985, playing second for skip Wayne Matheson. Doug Weeks was third stone, and playing lead was Billy Dillon. At the Brier, the team made the tiebreakers but lost to Saskatchewan.

His second provincial Men’s Championship title came in 2002, skipping his team of third Robert Campbell, second Eric Brodersen, and lead Jeff Smith.

In 2019, with third Anson Carmody, second Steve Burgess, lead Rob Doherty, and fifth player Matt Nabuurs, John won this third PEI Men’s Curling Championship.

Playing third for skip Rod MacDonald in 2013, with teammates Mark O’Rourke at second and Peter MacDonald at lead, John won the Prince Edward Island Seniors Championship. At the Canadian Championship, John was selected as the all-star third.

John was a volunteer during the 1984 Scotties held at the Charlottetown Forum and he served on the 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts Committee, responsible for hospitality.

John started the Ultramar Cash Spiel in 1987, managed the Charlottetown Curling Club from 1994 to 2000 and served two terms as President of the Charlottetown Curling Club.

With a stellar career of involvement and success in his chosen sport as a competitor, with one provincial Junior title, one provincial Canada Games, three Men’s, one Seniors and nine provincial Mixed titles. John Likely is recognized with induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame as a curler.

Leslie MacDougall (Allan)

Leslie began curling in 1982 at the Chinguacousy Curling Club in Bramalea, Ontario.

As lead with the 1990 Ontario Junior Mixed Championship team of skip Matt Hames, third Jayne Flinn and second Chris Harris, Leslie gained great competitive experience, preparing her for a career in women’s and mixed curling on Prince Edward Island.

She won her first of three PEI Mixed Curling Championships in 1990, playing first stone with skip Peter Gallant, third Kathie Gallant, and second Phillip Gorveatt. Leslie’s second Mixed win was in 1997, at third position, with skip Mike Gaudet, second Brian Scales, and lead Lori Robinson. Her third provincial Mixed win came in 2006, again playing lead for skip Mike Gaudet, with third Suzanne Gaudet and second Craig Arsenault.

In 1993, Leslie was the fifth player for skip Angela Roberts at the Scott Tournament of Hearts in Brandon Manitoba, her first appearance at the national event.

In 1996, she won her first Prince Edward Island Women’s Curling Championship, playing lead with skip Susan McInnis, third Kathy O’Rourke, and second Tricia MacGregor.

Playing second with a new team in 2000, with Shelly Bradley skipping, along with third Janice MacCallum and lead Tricia Affleck, Leslie won her second PEI Women’s Curling Championship title. This same team defended their provincial title in 2001.

Ten years later, in 2011, Leslie won her fourth provincial Women’s Curling Championship, playing lead for skip Suzanne Birt, with third Shelly Bradley, and second Robyn MacPhee.

In 2013, again as lead, she won provincial women’s title number five, with skip Suzanne Birt, third Shelly Bradley and second Sarah Fullerton.

Leslie organized the Ultramar Curling Bonspiel in Charlottetown for many years and holds a Level Two Curling Coach certification.

A provincial Junior mixed title, three Provincial Mixed Curling Championships, one provincial fifth player at the Canadian Women’s Championship, and five Prince Edward Island Women’s Curling Championships are highlights of Leslie’s career as a curler, making her worthy of induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame in the curler category.

Dr. Wayne Matheson

Wayne started curling in Summerside as a 13-year-old, curling in the men’s draws at night whenever he could, as he lived a few blocks from the old curling club on Notre Dame Street. He would sit outside for the 7 and 9 pm draws and someone would come out to get him if they were short. He wasn’t allowed to wait inside because of the liquor laws.

He played with the men’s teams at that time, and won a Maritime Mixed with skip Eric Johnston in 1961 at age 17.

In 1962 Wayne won the PEI Schoolboy Curling Championship, skipping his team of Ronald Ramsay, Bob Ramsay and Allan Morrison out of Summerside High School.

In 1963, skipping his team of Barry Willis, Rundell Seaman and Marc MacPherson from Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown, he again won the PEI Schoolboy Championship, defeating his brother David Matheson from Summerside High School in the final.

After completing Prince of Wales, Wayne went to Acadia University and from 1964 – 1966 he skipped his teams to three consecutive Maritime Intercollegiate Curling Championships.

At that time, there were 14 teams playing in the Intercollegiate league, many featuring future and current Brier players including Jack McDuff and John Fortier.

In 1967, Wayne skipped an Acadia team– Island-loaded with brother Dave Matheson, Al Ledgerwood, and Jim Fogarty, to the Silver Medal at the very first Canadian University Curling Championship in Calgary.  The event was won by 1984 Manitoba Brier winner, Mike Riley.  Wayne was the all-star skip at this inaugural Canadian Intercollegiate event.

From 1968-1975 Wayne was in Alberta at university and returned to PEI in 1976 after the loss of his brother David.

In 1979, Wayne skipped his team of third Kenneth MacDonald, second Al Ledgerwood and lead John Scales to his first Prince Edward Island Men’s Curling Championship. At the Brier in Ottawa, Wayne had a winning record, defeating three Canadian Curling Champions: Rick Folk, Jim Ursel and Paul Devlin.  Also at the 1979 Brier, Wayne shared the first prestigious “Ross Hartstone Award” for the most gentlemanly player, and was also selected second all-star skip behind champion Barry Fry.

In 1984, Wayne again skipped the PEI’s Men’s winning team, with Kenneth MacDonald at third, Al Ledgerwood second, and Mark Victor lead, and went on to play at the Brier in Victoria, BC.

1985 saw Wayne winning his third PEI Men’s Curling Championship, with a different line-up, skipping his team of third Doug Weeks, second John Likely, and lead Billy Dillon. The team played incredibly well at the Brier, and ended up losing to Eugene Hritzuk for fourth in a tiebreaker.

In 1985, Wayne coached the Kent Scales junior team to the provincial title.  The team consisting of Kent Scales at skip, Robert Campbell, Phillip Gorvett, and Andy MacDonald, led the round-robin at the Canadian Junior Men’s Curling Championship. They finished with a 10-1 record, losing the final to Kevin Martin of Alberta. All four members of the PEI team were selected as all-stars.

Wayne did many clinics for new curlers on the Island and was very involved in Junior development.

Wayne left PEI in 1987 to resume his professional career and, although away from the Island, he did continue to curl.

In 1989 he won the Northern Ontario Mixed with a team from Timmins. This was the first team to win a Mixed title from that community. Interestingly, the Mixed was played in Brandon and the winner was Robert Campbell, who Wayne had coached in Junior and was now a national champion.

In summary, during his competitive period of play on PEI from 1961-1964 and 1976-1986, Wayne won a Maritime Mixed title, two PEI Schoolboy Championships, three Maritime Intercollegiate championships; one Canadian University Championship silver medal, plus three Prince Edward Island Men’s Curling Championships.  In competition at the Briers, two were with a winning record, and his team is the only Island team to-date to play in a Brier tiebreaker. Wayne Matheson is worthy of induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame as a curler.

Shelley Muzika

Shelley began curling at the Charlottetown Curling Club when she was in Junior High School. Marty Winslow, the physical education teacher at Birchwood at the time, and an avid curler himself,  brought interested kids from Birchwood to the nearby Charlottetown Curling Club and provided them with an opportunity to learn the game. Although curling was always a sport of interest at home, it was participating on-ice at the club where she honed her skills.

Her first taste of a win in competitive play came in 1983 when Shelley won the PEI Canada Games Curling Championship, playing second for skip Heather Mader, with third Janice MacCallum, and lead Karolyn Godfrey. Their coach at the Canada Games was Marilyn Sutherland and they finished tied for first in their pool at 3-2, but lost in the tiebreaker for the medal round.

In 1984, Shelley won the Prince Edward Island Junior Women’s Curling Championship at third stone, with skip Janice MacCallum, Karolyn Godfrey at second, and Anne Partridge at lead.  Their coach was Dr. Bob Johnston and they came away at the Canadian event with a 4-7 record.

Shelley won five Prince Edward Island Women’s Curling Championships. Her first was in 1987, with skip Kim Dolan, third Karen Jones, Shelley at second, and lead Nancy Reid.

Her second win was in 1990, again with Kim Dolan skipping, Karen Jones playing third, Shelley at second, and lead Janice MacCallum. 1994 saw her win again, with Shelly Danks (now Bradley) skipping, Nancy Reid at third, Janice MacCallum at second, and Shelley playing lead. They finished at the Scott with a 7 and 4 record, losing the tiebreaker to the playoff round.

Four years later, in 1998, she won the PEI Women’s championship for the fourth time. with skip Tammi Lowther, Susan McInnis playing third, Shelley at second, and lead Julie Scales. Their 4-7 record at the Scotties in Regina was disappointing to them, but they did beat the Sandra Schmirler team from Saskatchewan in round-robin play.

Her fifth provincial women’s title was in 2009, playing second with skip Robyn MacPhee, third Rebecca Jean MacPhee, and lead Tammi Lowther. They finished round-robin play with a 7-4 record but lost in tie-breaker play.

Shelley was runner up seven times in the PEI Women’s Curling Championship: 1985, 1986, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Shelley won the PEI Mixed Curling Championship in 1996, with her husband Blair Weeks skipping, Janice MacCallum at third, Doug Weeks at second, and Shelley playing lead. They finished the nationals with a 5-6 record.

She was runner up three times in the PEI Mixed Curling Championship events: in 1985, 1986, and 1995.

Shelley was a frequent participant on various teams at cashspiels in the Maritime region and the wins include 1987 Fredericton Cashspiel, 1993 Charlottetown Ultramar, 1995 Halifax Moose Light Cashspiel, 1997 Charlottetown Ultramar Cashspiel, along with Charlottetown Superleague wins in 1987, 1993, and 1996.

Her volunteer activities include co-chairing the Charlottetown Curling Club’s annual cashspiel from 1991-1993 and chairing from 1994-1997.

Shelley was a Level 1 official at the 1987 Canadian Mixed held in Summerside, a level 1 official at the 1999 Canadian Women’s (Scotties) held in Charlottetown, and from 1994-96 was a volunteer instructor at Charlottetown Curling Club beginners’ clinic.  She also was a co-writer for the Scotties Heart Chart column during the 2011 Scotties held in Charlottetown.

Shelley is a certified Level 1 and 2 official and holds Levels 1 and 2 theory certification.

Shelly Muzika has an impressive curling career spanning more than 36 years, with one PEI Canada Games title, one PEI Junior Women’s Curling Championship, one PEI Mixed title, and five Prince Edward Island Women’s Curling Championships. She is recognized with her induction into the Prince Edward Island Curling Hall of Fame as a curler.

  -30 –

Contact:Jerry Muzika, Chairman, PEI Curling Hall of Fame and Museum jerrymuzika@gmail.com