Very few people are as dedicated to a sport like Weyburn resident Fred Hoff is to the game of curling.

Hoff played his first bonspiel during the 1928-1929 season in his home town of Mair, Sask.. He was only about three or four years old when he started playing the sport.

"My dad was curling and, therefore, the kids curled," he said.

Now, at the age of 88, Hoff is one of the oldest members of the Weyburn Curling Club. Except for a couple of years when he was with the Armed Forces, Hoff has never missed a season of curling since 1928.

Hoff curled in Mair until the mid-50s. Once the school closed down in the area, he and his family were forced to move to Redvers where he curled at the Redvers Curling Club for 12 years.

From there, Hoff ended up moving to Balgonie, where he curled from 1970 to 1996.

"When I turned 60 I joined the Regina Senior Curling Club until I moved here in 1998," he said.

Some of the highlights of his career in curling so far include participating in the Winnipeg Bonspiel, where he competed against teams such as Howard Wood and Wes, Ernie, Sam and Arnold Richardson.

On Sunday, Hoff had the opportunity to play in a four-generation curling game in Regina. He was one of the oldest there, while the youngest relative was eight years old.

Although he has never played in provincial playdowns, Hoff was able to win the Legion District 5 senior and men's curling titles in 1986.

"I remember it was a Weyburn rink we beat to win the seniors," he said, adding that they were the only men's team entered so they automatically won that title.

After curling so many years and with all his experience, Hoff continues to curl twice a week at the Weyburn Curling Club. He has skipped a team every year since 1939 until he moved to the lead position this year.

So, what keeps Hoff playing after nearly 80 years in the sport?

"I have always enjoyed it," he said.