By Min Lee
As the final Olympic Qualification Event kicks off this weekend in Kelowna, B.C., South Korea will rely on Canadian coaches to guide their athletes through their last shot at Milano–Cortina 2026.
Eight nations will compete on the men’s and women’s sides, and 16 in mixed doubles, all chasing the final tickets.
While Canada has already secured its Olympic spots, South Korea turns to Guy Hemmings, Peter Gallant, and Howard Rajala.
Guy Hemmings: Bridging worlds through curling
Hemmings has been part of the Korean curling scene since 2019, working with Team Eun-ji Gim as they rose to international prominence.
Under his guidance, the team earned bronze at the 2024 World Women’s Curling Championship and captured their first Grand Slam victory at the 2023 KIOTI National, making them the first Korean women’s team to win a GSOC event.
Coaching a non-English-speaking team comes with challenges, Hemmings explained, especially in understanding the mental side of the game.
“Talking about what should have been done is fairly straightforward, but exploring what a player was thinking or feeling in that moment is harder when you don’t share the same language,” he said.
Strategy conversations, however, are easier because curling offers a “universal language.”
Hemmings also emphasized cultural differences. He noted that “the strong emphasis on respect and politeness in Korea can sometimes limit open exchanges that are very common in Canada.”
Over time, however, working consistently with the athletes and seeing their English improve has helped deepen the relationship beyond purely technical instruction.
Peter Gallant: Returning to Korean ice with a veteran eye
Gallant is a familiar face in Korean curling, having helped Team Eun-jung Kim secure silver at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. His early experiences coaching in Korea in 2016 required patience and adaptation.
“The main difficulty was the language,” he recalled, and he needed to speak slowly, use short sentences, and rely on a translator.
On-ice discussions of strategy were manageable, but conversations about preparation, focus, and the mental aspects were more challenging. Cultural norms also meant players were sometimes hesitant to ask questions.
Now coaching Team Soo-hyuk Kim, Gallant finds a more comfortable dynamic. The players are older and more willing to engage, and having Chang-min Kim as an advocate has helped foster trust from the start.
“I feel the guys are comfortable with me right from the start,” he said, noting that early conversations allowed him to focus on where his guidance can have the most impact.
When South Korea faces Canada, including Gallant’s son Brett on the other side, he will keep perspective: “Once the game starts, the preparation work is done. I just hope everyone plays well, and the result will happen.”
Howard Rajala: Communication, clarity, and connection
Rajala, who previously coached South Korea’s mixed doubles team in 2023, emphasized clarity and relationship-building. Communication and cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings, he explained, so he relies on visuals, demonstrations, video reviews, and written instructions to make his points clear.
Even with only a short period together, he has already started building trust.
“I’ve tried to get to know them as people, not just curlers,” he said.
Encouraging two-way communication and asking open-ended questions allows him to understand how the athletes approach the game and foster a stronger connection.
A global sport strengthened by shared expertise
Curling has become an increasingly popular international sport, and Canadian coaches play a central role in its growth. Hemmings, Gallant, and Rajala exemplify how experience and cultural adaptability can help teams from emerging curling nations compete at the highest level.
This weekend in Kelowna, their combined expertise will be on full display as South Korea pursues its last Olympic dreams. With guidance from these three Canadian coaches, South Korea hopes to turn opportunity into success and make its mark on the world stage once again.
