Saskatchewan’s curling community is in shock.

Glen Despins, who won the provincial senior men’s title as a skip in 2015, and represented Saskatchewan twice at the Brier as a third on Rod Montgomery’s rinks in the late 90’s was one of two men killed last week in a traffic accident near Osler on Highway 11.

Dwayne Mihalicz curled with Despins for over 20 years and was a part of those teams that went to the Brier and the Canadian Senior Championship.  He says the 56-year-old had a very special relationship.

“We were like brothers.” Mihalicz said. “That got us into the odd scrap here and there because we were both feisty, but we had so many good memories that outweighed anything that was bad over the years.  It was quite a relationship.”

Mihalicz says the one thing he will remember would be the fire with which he played.  While he didn’t have the best form, Mihalicz says he could make all the shots and he had an intensity that was second to none.  He adds that while he was never a coach, he would take a chance to share wisdom with fellow players, especially younger ones learning the game any chance he got.

Glen Despins was 56.