Curling in the Zoo

It was snowing here in Southern Ontario a few days ago, an unusual weather report for mid-May. And although the leaves are almost all out and the tulips are done – which means Spring has sprung and moved on – I couldn’t help thinking of curling.  So to say a final farewell to the winter, I revisited some mail I received from Jason Hall of the Kalamazoo Curling Club.  This past February, Jason sent me some great photos of Kalamazoo curlers playing the game “au naturel”.

Now, now – don’t get too excited.  This is what he meant:

No, this isn’t a shot of the Kalamazoo Curling Club.  It’s an afternoon of throwing some rocks on real Mother Nature-created ice, just the way it was done when the sport first came to North America.  Here are some Fergus, Ontario, curlers doing the same thing on the the Grand River in 1890.

All you have to do is gather some usable rocks, shovel off a stretch of the lake or river, and Game On!

See the house rings scratched into the ice?  Obviously the technique had to change a bit.  The curlers above used chunks of granite from rocks found in their fields, or blocks of wood smoothed and weighted.  The curlers from the Zoo appear to be using a set of Little Rocks. Smart!  Although the current thrower does look a bit as if he’s thinking “bowling” instead of “curling”…?

“We've been having a great time down here in Kalamazoo,” Jason wrote to me in February, just as the Olympics were winding down.  “Being able to watch curling on TV is a real treat for us Americans. We're very much looking forward to hosting the US Curling National Championships here in another week or so, and looking forward to the direction in which our new club is headed.”

Curling in the Zoo appears to be headed in the right direction.  Check out the Kalamazoo Curling Club website, here.  Thanks for the pics, Jason!

Technorati Tags: Kalamazoo Curling Club,curling,Olympics,US curling national championships,Fergus

Job insecurity happens in curling too

Jennifer Jones had a so-so season.  Sure, she won the Scotties, but she and her team just didn’t get it done at the World Championships. Winning that bronze medal took a lot of guts, but that was never the ultimate goal.  And let’s not even talk about the Olympic Trials, which were a (pick one or all):

1. disaster

2. disappointment

3. unfortunate example of a team not getting its act together at the right time.

In a sport with a short season and only a few high-profile events – with small but growing financial rewards – a curling team needs to be practical and forward-thinking. So teams change their personnel all the time.  Ask Brad Gushue and Kevin Martin, both Olympic gold medalists.

It’s really not that different from staffing in any other organization.  You go with the “players” who will meet the organization’s goals, who can be counted on today, tomorrow – and next year – to deliver the talent, energy and strengths required.

We can look at Jennifer’s decision to drop Cathy Overton-Clapham from the roster as a nasty way to treat a valued, contributing teammate and friend, or we can see it for what it is: a management decision with a goal in mind.  Jones wants to go with a team that will get her to the 2014 Olympics, and in her opinion, that means taking steps  “to ensure we will have a complete set of skills and strengths come 2014.” 

Yes, it hurts Overton-Clapham.  She was given the unexpected news at a team meeting and that’s shocking. But in the business world, downsized employees are asked to hand over their keys and are then escorted off the premises. Now that can be shocking.

Perhaps more devastating for Cathy O is the realization that this late in the season, it will be hard for her to pull a viable team together for next year.  Not only that, but despite her own great performance this season, she now misses out on returning to the Scotties as Team Canada and competing with the Jones team at the Canada Cup and Continental Cup. In business there’s a severance package, but not for curlers, unless you count the Scotties’ diamonds and seeing your name in the official records of the sport. That probably doesn’t provide much consolation to Cathy right now.

In the end, we can look at this move as a harsh reaction to a disappointing season. Or we can see it as the painful but necessary decision-making that’s required to help an organization meet its long term goals.  And in sport as in business, I’m guessing that no one involved particularly enjoys the process.

Technorati Tags: Jennifer Jones,Cathy Overton-Clapham,curling,Brad Gushue,Kevin Martin,Olympics,Sochi,2014

Curling Cold Turkey: How to survive the off-season without your regular fix

 

Kevin Martin has walked off into the sunset, somewhat bent over under the weight of all that loot, and you’re looking around with a lost expression on your face wondering how the heck you’re going to get through the next few months without watching any curling on TV, or reading it in the Sports pages, or (unless you live in a town with a summer league) finding some on-ice action at the local club.

It’s a challenge we face every year, Grassroots Curlers, and here are a few tips to help you cope.

1. Relive the magic

An Internet search of “Olympics” and “curling” pulls up over 20 million hits.  You can surf the web all day, and all night, and all day – and never come to an end.  And that’s just the Olympics!  Try “Grand Slam”, “Brier”, “Scotties” and – well, you get the picture.  There’s the Canadian Curling Association site, the fan-friendly and very newsy folks at Curling.com, and all those other wonderful links which you can see listed on the left-hand side of this page.  And let’s not forget The Curling News blog, source of wild and wonderful curling news, rumours, stories and links. Go forth and surf, Grassroots Curlers. 

2. Get in shape for next season

One of the biggest strides the sport of curling made this year was to sell itself – and be recognized – as a sport that requires fitness, strength, flexibility and all that jazz. John Morris’ Fit to Curl made a splash, as did the obvious (and much-admired) fitness level of Cheryl Bernard at the Olympics.  Real curlers know that you need sturdy legs, arms of steel, a back that doesn’t creak and enough gas in the tank to go eight ends – or more – several times in a day or weekend spiel. The required level of fitness doesn’t just happen, no matter how much we think we’ll be 20 years old forever.  Now’s the time to hit the road, the bike, the weight room, the yoga mat – whatever turns your crank and will show results on the ice next season.  Don’t wait for August – start now.

3. Embrace curling’s alter ego, golf

A lot of curlers are golfers, too: Wayne Middaugh, Russ Howard, Mike Harris, to name three.  I know it’s not a game played on ice, but golf does have its attractions. Fresh air, cool clothes, the 19th Hole.  (We don’t have to mention Tiger Woods, do we?) And it can be a cruel game too, just like curling.  Four members on a “team”. A long implement that helps propel the playing piece (ball, as opposed to rock) forward. Celebratory drinks when the game is done.  Not so far away from the things we love about our own game, right? If you’re suffering the night sweats and trembling associated with curling withdrawal, golf might just help ease you through to next season.

4. Take a break

And if all else fails, bury your equipment in the back of the sports closet until next year and just, simply, walk away for a while.  This was a season of highs and lows, excitement and drama.  It was fantastic, exciting, exhausting and draining.  The number of shots we had to call!  The number of games we had to analyze!  Oh, the times those players on TV just didn’t listen to us! Let it go and take this time to regroup and recover.  It might just be time to take a break…

Until next season, when you can fire up your curling engine, refreshed, recharged and ready to give ‘er, all over again.

(Photo by Jean Mills)

Technorati Tags: curling,Olympics,Brier,Scotties,John Morris,Fit to Curl,Cheryl Bernard,Wayne Middagh,Russ Howard,Mike Harris,golf,Tiger Woods,spiel

Life Lessons I learned from CURLING

1. How to lose with grace

When Cheryl Bernard’s last shot ended the Gold-medal Olympic curling final – ended it badly for her – did Cheryl cry? Did she stomp? Collapse? Blame someone?  No. After gracious handshakes, she turned to her team and they closed ranks, supportive, calm, and in control of what must have been overwhelming disappointment.  This is how to lose, people.  

AND she won a Silver Medal at the Olympics. I wish I could do that.

2. Never lose faith

Everyone knows Kevin Koe’s story. Years and years of trying to get out of Alberta. Years and years of watching Kevin Martin and Randy Ferbey walk off with the Brier trophy and the shirts with the maple leafs on the back.  Years and years of coming oh so close.

This year?  Brier Champs.  World Champs.  It does happen, even when you think it never will.

3. There’s a little humour in everything

Norwegian pants. Enough said.

4. Use it or lose it

Okay, she’s not a household name.  And okay, you’ve probably never heard of her.  But my skip in the final draw of the Monday Night Business Ladies’ league at the Guelph Curling Club this year was the incomparable Hilda Peterson. She’s 94 years old and still curling.  Not only that, but she’s good at it, and she makes the game fun.  When I grow up, I want to be just like Hilda.

5. It’s okay to wave the flag

And chant.  And cheer. And sing our glorious anthem so loudly that an Olympic curling game has to grind to a halt to listen. Wave the flag, Canada.  We. Are. Just. Awesome.

6. Many hands make etc etc

How many people does it take to run a Grand Slam curling event? A club’s 175th Anniversary? A Little Rocks bonspiel? Lots. Curlers are experts at stepping up and taking on the often thankless role of volunteer. Other segments of society could learn a lot from this selfless, generous, fun-loving curling culture. Ever seen a 50-50 Ticket seller who’s not smiling?  I rest my case.

7. You don’t get anything if you don’t ask for it

I write and I curl.  I wanted to write about curling, so I got in contact with George Karrys, the editor of The Curling News, pointed him to my blog and asked if maybe I could sort of kind of try to maybe write something for his publication…? He said yes.  In fact, he not only said yes, but he gave me a number of cool assignments during the year, made sure I had access to the behind-the-scenes madness at a Grand Slam curling event, and edited my work with finesse and skill, making me look good in print. George, thank you!

I’m feeling pretty empowered now. I think I’ll ask Jennifer Jones if I can join her team…

8. How curling has made me a better person

See 1-7 above.

Technorati Tags: curling,Olympics,Cheryl Bernard,Kevin Koe,Grand Slam,Norwegian pants,George Karrys,The Curling News,Jennifer Jones

Curling is cool and getting cooler – thanks to a big bonspiel called the Vancouver Olympics

Curling is so cool right now.  Of course you and I knew that already, but apparently the World needed some prodding.  And oh, did the Vancouver Olympics ever deliver!

Word from curling clubs around Canada and the U.S. is that interest is on the rise.  Watch for an article in the April issue of The Curling News for more, but here are some early indications that curling is more than alive and well:

Judy MacKinnon, General Manager of the Cloverdale Curling Club in Surrey, B.C. says:  “My phone has not stopped ringing for ice rental, minor hockey windups, young 15-30 guys and gals looking to try the sport.  It seems that curling is not referred to as an old person’s game as it has [been] in the past.”

Arnold Mallais, Past President of the Beausejour Curling Club in Moncton, N.B. says:  “Since the Olympics, the Brier and our provincial events, our ice bookings have certainly increased.”  He adds that ice rentals are ahead of last year, “and all in all, I would have to say that the awareness is up!”

Doug Jaixen of the Aksarben Curling Club in Omaha, Nebraska, describes an Open House held at his club just after the Olympics: “From the e-mail and phone inquiries we were receiving prior to and during the Olympics we anticipated a total of 100 to 150 people were going to show up.  We have a sign-in list with 355 names and contact information.  At least 450 people stepped onto the ice and learned how to curl that evening.  We were not quite prepared for 450 people but we adjusted quickly.”  Guests were given only 15 minutes of instruction on the ice – not much time, but it was the only way the club could give everyone a chance. And it worked!  Doug adds: “We had five full teams from the open house sign up for our season-ending bonspiel.  At least three of these teams said they will be playing in our leagues next season!”

And yes, even the guy wearing the orange shirt in the photo above (in action at The National Grand Slam event in Guelph, Ontario in January) was a beginner once too.  Now?  Now he’s just cool … and an Olympic gold-medalist, of course!

(Photo by Jean Mills)

 

Technorati Tags: curling,John Morris,Vancouver,Olympics,2010,The Curling News,Cloverdale,Beausejour,Aksarben,Grand Slam,National

Undefeated Curling Masters Off to Nationals

A team from the Guelph Country Club is off to St. John, New Brunswick, for the Canadian Masters (age 60+) Curling Championships, and they have yet to lose a game in bonspiel or competition play: that means 18 straight wins this season.

Skip Mike Dorey, third (“mate” in Saint John) Brian Henderson, second Gary Houghton and lead Paul Knight knew they had something good when they got together early in the year and the wins started flowing.

“We have curled against one another for years at the Club,” says Knight. “I played with Mike and Brian last year in the Masters but we didn't do well. So, since Brian and Mike curled with Gary in Senior Regionals, and I was already on the team, we asked Gary if he would play 2nd (he's a great hitter) and then Mike would skip as he normally does with Brian as vice, and me as lead. The combo really clicked.”

Although they’re not familiar with the teams they’ll be curling against, they’re not worried. They know what they’re capable of, and that’s what matters.  All four have ice-reading ability and a high level of fitness.  As Dorey said in a local Guelph Tribune article, “We think we’re quite capable of playing guys 50 and over with this team.  We don’t feel that we have an old-folks attitude or ability.  In fact, all of us throw the rock pretty good.  I could say “given our age”, but I would say we throw the rock pretty good period.”

The Masters may not get the attention that other Canadian curling championships (such as the Brier) do, but that could be changing.

“The CCA sanctions the event in Saint John,” Knight explains, “but we are probably one year away from full financial support; the OCA rep believes we are very close. And with 13 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams this year at the Canadians, from every province and territory, that has to get the CCA attention.”

What will get more attention, most likely, is the record this team has coming into the competition.  When word gets out – 18 straight wins and undefeated in OCA playdowns – the target may be squarely on the backs of this Ontario foursome.

Abby and the Curling Chicks: Curling fiction on the way

All the attention that women’s curling garnered at the Olympics lit a flame (ha ha) under me to get working on some projects that have been lying around untended for a while.

A number of years ago I published a novel for teens called Abby and the Curling Chicks, a story aimed at a group of curling girls in a small town in Ontario. Using my experiences running a junior program at the Vankleek Hill Curling Club, I told the tale of Abby Chisholm who agrees, reluctantly, to join a junior program at the local club in exchange for attending a summer writing program. (Hmm, a girl who curls and writes – sounds somewhat autobiographical…) Of course, Abby and her friends turn very quickly from being ho-hum to being gung-ho, with thrills and spills along the way. The book sold very well through Goldline Curling Supplies, as well as through the Canadian Curling Association online store. A niche story for a niche market.

Readers have asked me when there’s going to be a sequel, and my response has always been “I’m working on it.” But now I can say yes, really, I am. With the recent post-Olympics rise in attention to curling – in particular women’s curling – I think it’s time I really got down to work. I’ve got six chapters written on the next installment of Abby’s story, tentatively titled Abby and the Curling Chicks: Trouble in the House.

Not only that, but my story about a Little Rocker named PT McReady, who “shoots the lights out” is underway as well.

And don’t get me started talking about the mystery I’m writing, set in a small town curling club where everyone knows everyone, and secrets abound…but be warned: I don’t do blood very well, so it will be a “cozy” mystery rather than a hard-boiled, gritty police drama.

The possibilities are endless for curling fiction, and I’m on the job. Stay tuned to Grassroots Curling for updates. If you’re interested in reading Abby and the Curling Chicks, you can order it through Pugwash Publishers.