Of all the lessons two-time world curling champion Marilyn Bodogh learned in her half century on the ice, one that stands out was taught to her by her father when she was 10 years old.

“My dad didn’t coach us, but he watched us. The only thing he told us was to be the same when you win as when you lose,” said Bodogh, who won both the Scotties Tournament of Hearts (national championships) and the World Curling Championships in 1986 and 1996 while curling out of the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club, where she first stepped on the ice in 1965.

Looking out over that same curling rink Monday morning, Bodogh said she’s looking forward to passing on those same types of simple, yet important lessons to the Brock Badgers varsity curling team.

Bodogh will join the Badgers this season as a mentor to skip Terri Weeks and the rest of the squad. For the first time in 51 years, Bodogh won’t be competing this winter, which made the timing perfect to assist Badgers head coach Murray Etherington.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the program. We knew Terri was ready to take on the full role of skip, but what we can’t provide is someone who has been to Canadian and World Championships and won,” he said. “What we’re asking for this season is to help mentor Terri. Help her call a game, read the ice — all the things a true skip needs to do. And also give us that winning attitude.”

Brock’s curling program is highly regarded in Canada — with multiple silver medals at both the provincial and national championships since Etherington became head coach in 2009. But a national title still eludes the team.

“We haven’t reached the top yet and we think that is what Marilyn can help us with,” he said.

We haven’t reached the top yet and we think that is what Marilyn can help us with

Bodogh has worked with elite curlers, but this will be her first hands-on mentorship role where she will attend some of the Badgers’ practices.

“Terri is a bright star just waiting to capture a good win for herself and her teammates. I’m excited to be part of it and to watch Terri develop into her own,” Bodogh said.

Weeks, who is in her third year of five at Brock, said she’s thrilled to work with the curling legend.

“I’m excited about the support and all the new things we’re introducing into the program this year,” she said. “I’m looking forward to grasping all the little bits and pieces (Bodogh) can tell me and running with them.

“I know I’ll use what she teaches me for the rest of my curling career,” said the 20-year-old kinesiology student.

In addition to Bodogh coming on board, two former Brock curlers, Ashley DeJonge and Mike Idzenga, are coming back to act as peer coaches to help the younger curlers adjust to life as student-athletes. They will join the existing coaching team of Etherington, Jodi Dickinson, Mike Smith and Karen Heywood.

Neil Lumsden, Director, Brock Sports, called the announcement another positive step forward for the University’s varsity program.

“There’s no better person to mentor our curling teams and our skips than Marilyn,” he said. “When you aspire to be the best, to have the best as a mentor is spectacular. It says a lot about Marilyn and a lot about our curlers.”

Both Bodogh and the Brock varsity team will also be involved with the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts being held in St. Catharines in February.

Bodogh is an athlete liaison, working with the provincial championship-winning teams who will be competing at the Scotties. Brock University is a tournament sponsor, and the varsity curling teams will be volunteering at the event.

“We’re looking at it as helping us grow the profile of our curling program,” Etherington said.

Brock Curling is working on a community outreach program that will see elementary students from across the region taking field trips to watch the Scotties tournament at the Meridian Centre.