Dumfries and Galloways Former World Champion Curler and Olympic Silver Medallist David Murdoch and family launched a Youth Curling Foundation in memory of his father Matt Murdoch today (4 August).
Matt Murdoch was a legendary curler and former president of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, his passion and enthusiasm for the sport was well known and he inspired his children to compete and coach curling. After his untimely death in 2014, his wife Marion decided to set up the foundation in recognition of his commitment to youth curling.
The foundation’s first recipients Leeanne McKenzie (16) from Perth and Ryan McCormack (15)from Lockerbie will fly to Canada in a couple of days to attend the Trillium Junior Summer Curling Camp in Ontario. The camp brings together around 200 aspiring young curlers from Canada, Australia and USA, giving them a chance to share training techniques and develop their on-ice skills. The foundation’s aim is to present exciting opportunities to encourage youth involvement and development in curling.
Matt Murdoch who came from Lockerbie was an extremely successful curler. His competitive skill in the game is legendary. As a former President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club he led from the front, competing successfully against other countries. Matt was a member of the Rotary club, he regularly competed against Canadian Rotarians where he was held in the highest esteem. He encouraged his young family to take up the game. Their skill and competitiveness inherited from their father was to see David go on to be an Olympic silver medallist and twice world champion as well as other family members featuring successfully in competitive curling.
The Matt Murdoch Curling Foundation was set up with charitable status with a view to sending two young curlers from Scotland annually, one from Lockerbie area and one from any other part of Scotland to the Trillium Junior Summer Curling Camp in Ontario, Canada where they will have the opportunity to benefit from the unique Canadian coaching style as well as meeting up with like-minded young people from Canada and other International participants. The applicants must be aged 15 or 16 at the time of the camp and must hold at least RCCC silver skill award standard.
Alistair Mackintosh, Chairperson of the Foundation explains more:
“Matt Murdoch was and still is known for his love of curling in Scotland and in Canada and it is a fitting tribute that we continue his memory through the Foundation. We have been working toward a 3 to 5 year plan to maintain links by sending our most appropriate youngsters to Canada for training and more rounded view on what has fast become a worldwide game. We are indebted to all our contributors who have helped make this possible and who are proud to be associated with this worthy cause and help continue our mission to promote our sport”
Marion Murdoch adds:
“On behalf of the family and myself I extend grateful thanks to the many people who have shown their generosity by contributing to this new charity. This would not have been possible without the enthusiastic trustees who have put in a tremendous amount of work to set up this Foundation in Matt’s memory.
Matt would have been delighted this wonderful opportunity for young people to form new friendships, has been created to visit Canada where he so loved to go.
He always encouraged youngsters to participate in the sport of Curling at local, national and International levels.”
As an active Rotarian and Curler Matt Murdoch did much to strengthen International relations in the game of Curling. Many fellow Rotarians in Scotland and Canada have contributed both financially and giving of their time in setting up this exciting new Curling Foundation. The Murdoch family also chose to contribute to the Foundation part of the generous sum raised from the retiring collection at Matt’s funeral. Financial support was also received from Dumfries and Galloway Council as well as generous support from the local community and beyond. Clothing was generously supported by a prominent supplier to the game of curling.
