By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator
Ed Werenich (Athlete/Curling)
Ed Werenich, or “The Wrench” as he is commonly known, was a curling dynamo born in Benito, Manitoba. He first started playing a makeshift form of curling when he was 10 years old, throwing jam cans at a slough close to his home. 
It was in his early teens, though, when he started playing the game with his brother, Tony, beating many teams in the Swan River area. He was known to have an aggressive style, energizing crowds with his high risk shots and keeping many rocks in play, much to the chagrin of his opponents.
After high school, Ed moved to Toronto, Ontario and once again teamed up with his brother, brooming away opponents on their way to winning the 1968 Ontario League Curling Championship. Overall, Ed curled in 19 Men’s Ontario Provincial Final Tankard Play-Downs, winning it 10 times and being the skip on 6 of those teams.
His first appearance at the Canadian Brier was in 1973. From that point on, he never had a losing record and amassed a total of 82 wins with only 33 losses. Talk about impressive!
He won his first Brier as a skip in 1983, which gave him the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championships. He relished this opportunity as he led his team to victory and decided to do it again in 1990, giving him the right to be called World Champion twice.
Ed loves to be around the game, whether that was being a part of a team with his Firefighter work mates or donating his time to curl and raise money for charities. It was in his blood to curl. He changed the way the game was played and viewed. No longer considered a game viewed as a defensive stalwart, he brought a passion and excitement that allowed it to grow into the juggernaut sport it is today.
Currently retired and living in Holland Landing, Ontario, Ed Werenich is already a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and is now a worthy member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
