It will be a poignant moment when Don Rodger Jr. of Sidney plays the bagpipes at the opening ceremonies of the Ford World Men’s Curling Championship at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre today.
Don Jr., 50, will be one of 30 pipers welcoming men’s curling teams from around the world for a week of competition.
His performance will echo his father’s performance in 1982, when Don Sr. was part of a Canadian Forces pipe band playing at the Air Canada Silver Broom men’s curling championship in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
For this occasion, the son has borrowed his father’s bagpipes.
Don Jr. said he’s more excited than nervous.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been part of anything like this,” he said.
He started learning to play the bagpipes in 1986, four years after he watched on television as his dad piped in curlers in Germany.
Don Jr. plays with the Saanich Peninsula Pipe Band, which was asked by the Castle Carey Pipe and Drums to help out at the world championship.
“I thought, ‘Hey, this would be a good opportunity to take my father’s pipes and play 31 years after he played,’ ” Don Jr. said.
Don Sr., now 77 and living in Chilliwack, said he’s excited his old bagpipes will be part of the big event. “It was quite a surprise for me,” he said.
He remembers playing in Germany with fondness — particularly because Canada won the competition.
“It was very moving,” he said.
Now he’s anxious to watch television coverage of the opening ceremonies and see Don Jr. walking in his footsteps. “To think that in 1982 that I did that, and now he’s doing the same thing,” he said.
The championship starts today and continues until April 7.
