OTTAWA — Jon Mead is listed as an alternate for Team Manitoba at the Tim Hortons Brier. His list of duties is much longer than that.
Mead stepped away last spring after a long career as a player and moved into a new role as a coach, mentor, team manager and fifth for Mike McEwen’s rink.
It’s the first year that McEwen has had someone in the position on a full-time basis. Mead has helped guide the team to another strong season and McEwen’s first berth in the national men’s curling championship.
"He’s the guy who keeps us accountable, keeps us honest," McEwen said. "At the end of a long day, he knows how to put smiles on our faces and help us relax.
"He’s such a well-rounded individual and we’re very happy to have him on our bench."
Mead, who won Brier titles as a third for Jeff Stoughton in 1999 and 2011, spent last season with Ontario’s Glenn Howard before they parted ways.
He joined the McEwen crew of third B.J. Neufeld, second Matt Wozniak and lead Denni Neufeld last June.
"It’s been a neat way to continue to try to find a way to stay in the game and stay relevant, but in a role that I’m really comfortable with," Mead said.
Mead provides advice when needed and handles a variety of tasks so that the players can focus on their game. The new structure helped the team finally win a provincial title and get to the Brier.
"There’s tons of stuff to do behind the scenes," McEwen said. "Booking flights, hotels, scheduling our practices and events and media stuff. He’s started to slowly take over more and more roles that maybe (in the past) we would have done as the four athletes on the ice.
"That’s been huge as far as that support is concerned."
Mead, 48, still has the game to step out on the ice when needed as well. The third-ranked team has plenty of experience, but Mead is helping them handle the challenges of performing well at a national championship.
"They’re probably the most experienced first-time team to ever make a Brier," Mead said. "There’s a different buzz in the crowd. I think they have to be really honest with how they’re feeling because if they try to suppress stuff, it’ll be a distraction."
McEwen split his first two games at TD Place, dropping a 5-4 decision to Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador on Saturday before topping Howard 6-2 on Sunday morning. McEwen improved to 2-1 with a 6-3 win over New Brunswick’s Mike Kennedy in the evening draw.
In other Draw 5 games, Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs defeated B.C.’s Jim Cotter 5-3, Gushue beat Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories 6-3 and Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard held off Prince Edward Island’s Adam Casey 4-2.
Jacobs and Canada’s Pat Simmons were the only unbeaten teams at 3-0. Howard, McEwen, Gushue and Alberta’s Kevin Koe were next at 2-1.
Kennedy, Menard, Cotter and Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock were 1-2 while Casey and Jamie Koe remained winless at 0-3.
Round-robin play continues through Friday morning. The medal games are set for March 13.
Mead, meanwhile, has found his new job to be fun and rewarding. And he doesn’t find himself itching to get out there and compete.
"I don’t need to play in these things anymore," he said. "I don’t miss the anxiety. I don’t miss the need to win all the time and these guys are just so big and so good now.
"I think I got out at the right time."