Proud Regina dad cheers on Manitoba son at the Brier

Kelly Moskowy is very particular about where he sits in the Brandt Centre this week. He has to be right behind the sheet of ice, and not too high because he wants to be able to see properly what’s going on in all his son’s games.

Every parent is at least a little bit proud of their kids — whether it’s from the third grade talent show, or a high school graduation. But Kelly’s pride is on full display this week as he cheers his son Braeden on to victory.

Kelly is from Saskatchewan but he’s cheering on Manitoba this week, with Braeden at third.

“To be 27 years old and be playing in your third Brier, it’s pretty exciting and I’m proud as a dad just to see him out on the ice every time he’s out there. (I) had the opportunity to go watch him in the Olympic trials in Ottawa. Proud to see him out there,” Kelly said.

He said you’ll never know if your child will have a love and a passion for sport after picking it up, or if they’ll succeed.

Kelly’s been watching and supporting Braeden for years, and he’s had plenty of opportunity to do so. In Juniors, Braeden’s teams won the Saskatchewan championship twice and the Canadian title once.

Though Braeden had been part of Team Manitoba for the past two Briers, Kelly said it’s still a little odd to put on the yellow and white instead of green and yellow.

“I think now that he’s been playing out of Manitoba for the past four years I’m a bit more comfortable with it, but the first time I put on the Manitoba colours it was a real strange feeling.”

Kelly said, even now, when he’s looking to see the next game he automatically looks to Saskatchewan instead of Manitoba, or, watching the ice his eyes will search out the green team first and he has to remind himself Braeden’s in yellow and white.

“The first one was really weird,” said Braeden about wearing a Manitoba uniform. “And seeing my family put the colours on too was really odd.”

Kelly lives in Regina and Braeden grew up here, so the Brier being in the city is nice because more family can come to watch. However, Kelly said the dynamic of the crowd is a little different here because Braeden’s with Manitoba.

“You don’t get the same cheers when Manitoba makes a (shot) as when Saskatchewan makes a shot. And it has a bit of a different feel just being that he’s wearing a buffalo on the back of his jacket, that’s for sure.”

Manitoba finished the round robin at 5 and 2, earning a berth into the championship pool, so Kelly will have at least a couple more games to watch before he has to put the Manitoba colours away for another year.