After years of hard work and perseverance, Rylan Kleiter and his Saskatoon Nutana Curling Club team have secured their spot at the 2025 Montana's Brier. The foursome captured the Saskatchewan men’s curling championship with an 8-5 victory over Steve Laycock’s Swift Current rink on Sunday night in Kindersley, earning the prestigious SaskTel Tankard.
The win marks the first provincial men’s title for Kleiter, 26, a four-time provincial junior champion, alongside teammates Joshua Mattern (third), Matthew Hall (second), Trevor Johnson (lead), and their coach, Dean Kleiter. The team will represent Saskatchewan at the Brier, held February 28 to March 9 in Kelowna, B.C.
For Kleiter, the championship represents a dream come true. “It’s still setting in, but we’re excited and ready to represent Saskatchewan,” he said, reflecting on the team’s journey from provincial junior champions to their first senior-level title.
Their road to victory wasn’t easy. After finishing the round robin as the third seed with a 5-3 record, Kleiter’s team defeated Regina’s Team Kelly Knapp in the 3-4 playoff game Saturday. They advanced to beat Saskatoon’s Team Dustin Kalthoff in the semifinal Sunday morning, setting up a rematch with Laycock.
The championship game was a different story from their round robin meeting, where Laycock prevailed 7-6. This time, Kleiter broke open the game with back-to-back three-point ends in the third and fifth, taking a commanding 6-2 lead. Despite Laycock’s efforts to close the gap, Kleiter sealed the victory by running Laycock out of rocks in the tenth end.
“After last year, we learned a lot and applied it this season,” said Kleiter. “We’re thrilled to head to the Brier with another Saskatchewan team, Team Mike McEwen.”
The moment was especially poignant for Kleiter and his father-coach, Dean, who previously represented Saskatchewan as an alternate in 2001 and 2003. “It’s a dream come true,” Dean said. “To see Rylan and the boys perform so well is incredible.”
Dean recalled the team’s humble beginnings 15 years ago when he asked Rylan to recruit a couple of friends to play. That group, featuring Trevor Johnson and Joshua Mattern, has stayed together through U18, U20, and now men’s curling.
“I’m just excited to share this experience with them,” Rylan added.
Sunday’s success wasn’t limited to Kleiter’s team. Nancy Martin and her Nutana Curling Club squad also claimed the women’s Viterra Prairie Pinnacle, defeating Jolene Campbell’s Regina rink 9-7 in the final. Martin and her team will represent Saskatchewan at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ontario, February 14-23.
“This is a huge day for our club,” Kleiter said. “Corey and Lawrence, the manager and ice maker at Nutana, have created an incredible environment for us to grow and excel.”
As Kleiter and his team prepare for their first Brier, they carry the pride of a province and the legacy of a family deeply rooted in Saskatchewan curling. “We’ve been working towards this for years,” Rylan said. “Now, it’s time to make the most of it.”