Luke Samuels Ready To Represent Jamaica In Curling, To Compete In Canada Next Month: Plans To Teach The Sport In Jamaica

Nicolas SimpsonJanuary 12, 2024, 3:36 PM

After acquiring his ultimate goal of being called up to Jamaica’s curling team, Luke Samuels who is a Scottish/Jamaican speaks about the current state of curling in the nation he will be representing and what the future will hold for the sport.

With all things remaining equal, Luke will be sporting the unmistakable gold, black and green colours in competitive games next month. Samuels will be showcasing his skills in the Jamaica playdowns on the 24th and 25th of February at the Dundas Valley Curling Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Playdowns are for the 2024 Pan Continentals.

Reports are that the 2024 Pan Continentals will take place in Asia or North America.

Notably, Jamaica’s women’s team won silver at the 2023 Pan Continental Curling B Championships.

Curling Jamaica was founded by Ben Kong and the current president is Ian Robertson.

It’s no surprise that the Scottsman with a deeply rooted Jamaican heritage has made headlines locally and internationally as he continues to share his story about his eagerness to represent Jamaica in curling and his plans to develop the sport locally.

However, Jamaica is not known for its exploits in the untraditional sport, given its tropical conditions. In one of his latest interviews, Samuels was asked about the current state of the sport on the Caribbean island, and he revealed that it is pretty much non-existent.

According to Samuels, Curling Jamaica, which is the body in charge of the sport in Jamaica, is comprised of the Jamaican diaspora, made up of individuals who were born in Jamaica and moved to Canada or the USA or who are living in Canada, the USA, and Scotland and have Jamaican roots.

Samuels’ connection to the island is via his grandad Edwin Luther Samuels who was born in Watt Town, St Ann, Jamaica in 1922.

Samuels also points to the fact that there is no ice in Jamaica as to why the sport is dead locally and has to be participated in overseas by Jamaicans interested.

As he continued, Samuels said the current state of the sport in Jamaica is understandable because Curling Jamaica was established in 2020. However, Samuels said plans are in place to change the current status of the sport locally. He also desires to spend half of the year annually on the island to live and teach the sport in Jamaica.

In closing, Samuels revealed that his most significant achievement in the sport so far was his call-up to represent the country he holds close to his heart. His “dream” is to make it to The Olympics.