Eric Preston grew up in Rorketon and went to school just down the road in Ste. Rose from kindergarten through graduation in 2021.
Preston was always front and centre in the sports scene in the community. Whether it be volleyball, basketball, baseball, or curling, Preston always stayed busy athletically while achieving great marks in the classroom.
In grade 10, when competing at the provincial high school championships in track and field, Preston rose to the occasion going up against the best of the best in the javelin competition. He ended up winning a gold medal and while this was more than a half a decade ago, Preston remembers it as if it were yesterday.
"That was pretty crazy," said Preston. "To know that I was the best in the province at that sport at the time, it was a surreal moment."
Eric graduated high school with honours in Ste. Rose in 2021 and then moved to Winnipeg to study kinesiology at the University of Manitoba. In January of 2023, Preston needed a change. That change was to work towards serving and protecting as he enrolled at the RCMP Academy Depot in Regina.
Training is six months and four months into his training, Eric found out that he would be based in Hay River, Northwest Territories. Moving 22 hours away from his hometown in Rorketon and away from all of his family and friends was a daunting thought at the start. With that said, Eric always had an interest in moving up north and while he didn't think it would be Hay River, Preston was ready for the next stage of his life.
He graduated from the academy in April of 2023 and on October 11, 2023, Eric worked his first shift as an RCMP officer in Hay River. Preston remembers all of the emotions that he was feeling ahead of his first shift.
"All of them. You go through training and they try to prep you for your first shift, but your first shift is always going to be different when you're not in a safe environment," continued Preston. "It was exciting, it's a brand new job, and something I had always thought of doing. It was more exciting than I thought it ever would have been."
Eric wanted to become an RCMP officer because he was always one of the first people to lend a helping hand.
"I've always been a guy that found enjoyment in helping people out," commented Preston. "As an RCMP officer, I have the opportunity to help people make their bad days a little bit better."
Still with a deep passion for sports when he moved to Hay River, Eric was lucky enough to spend some time on the pebbled ice as his detachement had a curling team. That was last year and now, we fast forward to this year.
Still curling with the detachment team, Eric was presented with an opportunity to join Team Bartling, a team that would enter the Northwest Territories regional championships. The winner of that event would advance to the Montana's Brier in Kelowna from February 28 - March 9 at Prospera Place, home of the Kelowna Rockets.
Going into the event, Eric never met Aaron Bartling, the team's skip nor the team's second Norman Bassett. Preston and his foursome arrived at the rink for their first game of the playdowns against Team Skauge and scored a game-defining four in the fourth en route to winning 10-3. Then the team went cold, losing three straight games. They faced a must-win game in the semifinals against Team Skauge and edged out a 6-5 thrilling win as they scored a single in the 10th, after blanking the ninth.
The stage was set. Preston and Team Bartling against a legend in Northwest Territories, Team Jamie Koe. The winner would advance to the Brier, the loser would endure heartbreak.
The two teams went back and forth and Team Koe was in the driver's seat, up 6-5 with hammer playing the 10th end. Preston set up the 10th end perfectly and his foursome ended up stealing a point to tie the game. At this point, they were still underdogs, they needed another steal. After two more perfect rocks from Preston to start the 11th, all Team Bartling could do was watch and hope for a miss.
Jamie had to remove Team Bartling's rock at the back of the four foot and despite a furious sweep to keep the rock straight from Team Koe, Jamie's final ticked the guard, leaving Team Bartling's rock shot and the celebration was on.
"It was very nerve-racking, to steal in two straight ends is a pretty wild way to finish the game," offered Preston. "There was a lot of jumping and excited screams when Jamie missed that final one. It was a moment that I'll never forget."
From Rorketon to Kelowna. Eric Preston is heading to the Montana's Brier.
"Hay River has never won a spot to compete in the Brier, it's such a special feeling," continued Preston. "As a guy that always dreamt of going, it's so exciting. We get to go to the Brier and wear NWT jackets, it doesn't get any better than that."
Jamie Koe and his foursome were heavy favourites going in. Jamie has won the Northwest Territories 17 times but entered Preston, and he was denied an 18th opportunity this go around. Preston and his team will now go up against some of the best teams in the world with a national title on the line.
"Just getting the experience to play against the big names that I watched as a kid, that's very exciting," ended Preston. "Not everyone gets the chance to play in the biggest curling event in Canada."
Stay tuned to 730CKDM as when the official broadcast schedule is released, we'll let you know if Preston will play a featured game on TSN.
