The unmistakable voice of Kevin Martin—that passionate Alberta drawl familiar to curling enthusiasts nationwide—will soon echo in Canada’s sporting pantheon. The Canada Sports Hall of Fame has announced that Martin, affectionately known as “The Old Bear,” will be inducted into the Order of Sport class of 2025, cementing his legacy as one of the nation’s greatest curling strategists and ambassadors.
Standing on the ice in Edmonton where his remarkable journey began, Martin appeared genuinely humbled when I spoke with him about this latest accolade. “You never play the game thinking about honours like this,” he said, that characteristic competitive glint still evident in his eyes. “But when they call with news like this—well, it’s pretty special.”
Special indeed, though hardly surprising for those who’ve followed Martin’s illustrious career. His resume reads like a curling fantasy: Olympic gold in Vancouver 2010, silver in Salt Lake City 2002, four Brier championships, and a world championship title in 2008. Beyond the medals and trophies, Martin revolutionized the sport’s strategic approach, bringing an unprecedented analytical mindset that transformed how the game is played at elite levels.
What truly distinguishes Martin in Canadian curling lore isn’t just his trophy case—impressive as it is—but his role in elevating the sport’s profile during a critical period of growth. As curling struggled to maintain relevance in the early 2000s, Martin’s charismatic presence and competitive excellence helped propel the sport into mainstream consciousness.
“Kevin made curling cool again,” explains longtime TSN curling analyst Russ Howard. “His teams played with this aggressive, take-no-prisoners style that appealed to casual fans, while his tactical brilliance satisfied the purists. That’s an incredibly rare combination.”
The timing of this announcement feels particularly poignant as Canadian curling undergoes another transformation period. The emergence of mixed doubles, the professionalization of the sport, and changing team dynamics have all shaped a curling landscape quite different from Martin’s heyday. Yet his influence remains undeniable, with current champions like Brad Gushue and Brendan Bottcher openly acknowledging their debt to Martin’s innovative approach.
At CO24 Culture, we’ve long observed how sporting figures transcend their athletic achievements to become cultural touchstones. Martin exemplifies this phenomenon—his distinctive voice now doing color commentary has educated a new generation of curling enthusiasts, while his entrepreneurial ventures have helped develop grassroots curling infrastructure across western Canada.
“The game gave me everything,” Martin reflected with characteristic modesty. “If I’ve been able to give something back, that means more than any medal.”
The Order of Sport induction ceremony will take place in Toronto next October, where Martin will join an illustrious group of Canadian sporting icons. It’s worth noting that curling representatives in this prestigious circle remain relatively few—a reminder of the sport’s complicated relationship with mainstream athletic recognition despite its deep cultural significance in Canada.
As we examine current trends in Canadian sport, Martin’s induction signals something important about how we value our sporting heritage. In an era of flashy highlight reels and instant celebrity, there’s something refreshingly authentic about celebrating a career built on strategic brilliance, competitive longevity, and genuine passion for the game.
The Old Bear may have hung up his competitive broom years ago, but his growl still resonates across Canadian curling clubs. This latest honour ensures that future generations will recognize what those of us who watched him compete already know: Kevin Martin didn’t just play the game—he transformed it.
For those with opinions on Martin’s place in Canadian sporting history, the debate will surely continue. Is he the greatest skip of all time? Perhaps. What’s undeniable is that when that distinctive voice calls “hurry hard!” in curling clubs and broadcast booths across the country, it carries the authority of someone who defined excellence in Canadian sport for nearly three decades.
And really, isn’t that the true measure of sporting greatness? Not just what you accomplish, but how profoundly you change the game for those who follow.
