Player's Own Voice podcast: What motivates John Morris?

John Morris has deep and wide perspective on Canadian curling.

The Morris family has been making waves at Briers since the 1930s. John himself won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and again in mixed doubles at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang. He's also teamed up with a who's who of Canadian greats in the game.

For Morris, it's all about staying motivated. That's part of the reason why he needs new teammates — if he can't face new challenges and solve new puzzles, the 41-year-old just can't bring himself to compete with maximum intensity.

That intensity question will make things interesting now that Morris has signed on with skip Kevin Koe. How will the easygoing team leader and his fierce second get along? Morris says his broom-snapping days are now behind him, but there's no denying that he remains one of the most focused and competitive athletes on the ice.

Morris shrugs that intensity talk off as "yin and yang," with a smile. He tells Player's Own Voice podcast host Anastasia Bucsis you need a mix of attitudes and personalities to keep a team balanced.

With the Olympic trials nudging onto the horizon, you can be sure Morris is already plotting his shots. Given the depth of talent in the Canadian game, he's quick to admit that Olympic curling is almost a relief compared to the effort involved in rising to the top of domestic competition now.

Like the CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice essay series, POV podcast lets athletes speak to Canadians about issues from a personal perspective. To listen to all three seasons, subscribe for free on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In or wherever you get your other podcasts.