Perspective is key for Canada’s curling elite

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Representing Canada in curing on the international stage can be a draining experience, even for the game’s very best.

Shortly after missing the mixed doubles playoffs – by a centimetre, mind you – at the Beijing Olympics, Rachel Homan took to Twitter to share how she was struggling to deal with the devastating loss upon her return to Canada.

“Being completely honest because I know many athletes have felt this but I’m in the deepest of black holes wishing we could have found another centimetre for Canada,” Homan wrote. “Know that I’m cheering hard for every athlete in Beijing right now but personally struggling beyond words. I never take the maple leaf for granted and am grateful for the chance to fight for you all.”

To Canada, the smallest, biggest community I know. I just want to thank you all for your tremendous love and support. After coming home, I was so overwhelmed with feelings that I had let everyone down and it was hard to navigate. pic.twitter.com/LuFvbU653z

The curling community was quick to rally around the 32-year-old native of Ottawa. Homan’s mixed doubles partner John Morris, who is competing at the Tim Hortons Brier this week for Alberta, can relate to how she was feeling.

Morris’s previous Olympic experiences – winning the gold medal on home soil in 2010 and then mixed doubles gold in Pyeongchang four years ago – were much different compared to this year.

“It was a grind. We were away from our families for five weeks. It was a really tough Olympics because of the restrictions. It was tough on my mental health as well. It was a tough whole situation. It felt great representing Canada and being able to wear the Maple Leaf, but it’s a grind,” Morris told TSN.ca “Especially Rachel, she’s