Guy Beaudry’s new ‘pre-retirement’ job as the new Manager of the Charleswood Curling Club began with just over a month left in the season. It seems fitting, however, that the last event of the season and his first major event as Manager was helping to host CurlManitoba’s Canad Inns Youth Bonspiel.

Beaudry’s name has been closely associated with junior curling in Manitoba over the last decade as a volunteer junior organizer at St. Vital and as coach of his daughters’ junior teams. He’ll continue that volunteer role at St. Vital next winter as he immerses himself in other aspects of Charleswood’s programs.

Beaudry describes the new job as “very much a part time thing”. He will continue his professional career as Business Manager of the U of M’s Faculty of Environment but acknowledges that, at the age of 60, the time is coming when that will come to an end. He was interested in getting involved at Charleswood as a way to be involved in a different way in the sport and as a way of exploring post-retirement options.

He says, with a smile, the start at Charleswood with about a month left in this season was “a good way to find out where the buzzer and light switches are.” Obviously, it was also a good way to get to know the Board members he will be working with and the overall personality of the club.

Beaudry has not yet had a chance to meet with Jim McRae, the long-time Junior program organizer at his new club. However, he does not visualize any immediate direct involvement as he doesn’t want to get in the way of a program that has worked well in bringing large numbers of young people into the club on Saturdays.

What he does see is opportunities created by existing blank spaces in the club’s scheduling. Among the events and leagues he foresees talking with the Board of Directors about is a Stick League, a Doubles League, a Junior bonspiel, and perhaps some CurlManitoba berth bonspiels.