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MARCH 2010
Everyone worked hard toward shared goals
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VOLUME 65, No. 4
Celebrating 50 years – 1958-2008
MARCH 2010
Official publication of the United States Curling Association Editor — Terry Kolesar Associate Editor—Rick Patzke Contributing Editor—David Garber Design: Terry Kolesar Next editorial deadline: April 23, 2010 The United States Curling News (ISSN 1064-3001; USPS 392-020) is published five times per year in October, November, February, March and May by the United States Curling Association. The USCA and Curling News office is located at 5525 Clem’s Way, Stevens Point, WI 54482. Telephone 715-344-1199. Subscription price for non-USCA members: $16 per year (North America), $26 per year (overseas), payable in US currency. Single copy price: $2.50. Advertising rates on request. Established 1945. Periodicals postage paid at Waupaca, Wisconsin, and additional offices as requested. Postmaster sends address changes to US Curling News, 5525 Clem’s Way, Stevens Point, WI 54482. United States Curling Association Officers President Leland Rich Vice Presidents Kent Beadle James Pleasants Chris Sjue Treasurer Jack Bernauer Secretary Dave Carlson Directors Albert M. Anderson** [2012] Paul Badgero [2012] Kent Beadle [2012] John Benton (AAC) [2010] Jack Bernauer* [2010] Geoffrey Broadhurst [2010] Maureen Brunt (AAC) [2010] Dave Carlson [2010] Janet Farr (USWCA) [2012] Kathleen Harlow [2010] Chrissy Haase (AAC) [2010] Peggy Hatch** [2011] Cyndee Johnson [2011] Nicole Joraanstad (AAC) [2010] Kellie Krake [2012] Jerome Larson [2012]
Jan Legacie [2010] Richard Maskel (AAC) [2010] Gordon Maclean [2013] Tom O’Connor (AAC) [2010] Bob Pelletier [2012] James Pleasants [2010] Leland Rich [2011] Sean Silver [2012] Chris Sjue [2010] Tim Solie [2010] Mark Swandby [2011] Beau Welling* [2010] Georgia West [2010] Sam Williams [2011] * Board-elected ** Voice, no vote
USA Curling National Office 5525 Clem’s Way Stevens Point, WI 54482 Office: 715-344-1199 • Fax: 715-344-2279 E-mail: info@usacurl.org • Web site: www.usacurl.org CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: Rick Patzke, rick.patzke@usacurl.org DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES: Bev Schroeder, beverly.schroeder@usacurl.org DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: Terry Kolesar, terry.kolesar@usacurl.org CONTROLLER: Sandy Robinson, sandy.robinson@usacurl.org EVENT SERVICES COORDINATOR: Dawn Leurquin, dawn.leurquin@usacurl.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Jean Lindner, jean.lindner@usacurl.org
ure, U.S. curlers would have rather seen better Olympic curling results, none more so than the athletes themselves, their coaches and others directly involved in helping the teams. But I believe that the U.S. curling athletes and support staff worked very, very hard and tried their best to succeed. Let’s look at the bright side: Our curling athletes represented themselves, the USCA and the USA honorably during a stressful period. Curling internationally was once again a big winner at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The TV popularity, attractive curling athletes, the noisy, jammed arena, even the Norwegian men’s Argyle slacks, boosted public awareness of curling, and in a positive way, around the world. Our athletes, coaches, volunteers and staff are able, dedicated people who I am confident will, given time for reflection and planning, succeed in increasing USA’s chances to meet international competition goals. This is a big job because the standard of skill in curling is not only rising steadily, but more nations are becoming seriously competitive. When the USA won its first world championship in 1965, there were only six nations vying for the men’s title: USA, Canada, Scotland, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland. Today, 45
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Continued From Page 1 Off-site staff: Sports Psychology Consultant Dr. John Coumbe-Lilley Coaching Development Director Scott Higgins National Wheelchair Development Coach Steve Brown National Wheelchair Curling Outreach Development Director Marc DePerno Head Ice Technician Dave Staveteig Head Games Official Bill Forsythe
AMERICAN CURLING FOUNDATION & MUSEUM The Museum is located at the Chicago Curling Club, 555 Dundee Road, Northbrook, IL 60062 CURATOR: James M. Miller Jr. 2011 Glendale Ave. Northbrook, IL 60062 847-272-7224
UNITED STATES WOMEN’S CURLING ASSOCIATION OFFICERS PRESIDENT Jennifer Stannard FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Seitz SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Maureen Guay SECRETARY Jill Owens TREASURER Jean Vorachek USCA LIASION Janet Farr PROMOTIONS & Loraine Waybourn PUBLIC RELATIONS
found more details about the contest. “It was hard to believe that I had won. I then called my husband, Bryan, since it was his email about the raffle that reminded me to enter the contest. He got the info from a Tweet. We are so ecstatic about going to Vancouver for the Olympic experience and to watch some great curling from the world's best teams.” Makishima-Wolf's journey to Vancouver began four years ago after waking at 5 a.m. and turning on the USA network and discovering curling during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. She had heard of the sport but never knew too much about it. Enthralled after watching the action unfold on TV, she enrolled in a summer instructional league with a co-worker in Fremont, Calif., and became a member of the
Tales From Sheet Nine
David Garber, djgarber@charter.net
nations compete in men’s, women’s, university, juniors, mixed doubles and wheelchair. Once again, clubs around the USA are reaping the benefits of curling’s presence in the Olympic Games with big crowds at open houses, with some attendees becoming new club members. My own club just increased its signed-up membership by 15% of total membership. At least one club charged a fee to get that first curling lesson, which helped control the numbers and actually paid all expenses for the open house. It will be interesting to follow the inevitable debate about Olympic team selection procedures going forward. Here are some questions likely to be debated: Will the USCA continue with self-formed teams San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club. Her journey hit a roadblock in the summer of 2007 when she had breast cancer surgery. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, she kept curling during the radiation treatments. “My husband, family, curling, and bowling helped me keep my spirits up,” she said. The journey now continues in just 11 days for Makishima-Wolf as she’ll get to see her new favorite sport in person on the world’s greatest stage. “Still seems unbelievable! As the saying goes, ‘someone pinch me to see if I am dreaming,’” she said. Kay Sugahara, a longtime promoter and supporter of the sport worldwide, was the catalyst that made this fundraiser successful, guaranteeing at least $20,000 would be raised. He has committed to donating the difference between what was collected and the
playing down to one winner? Will the Olympic team be selected by a head coach ala Herb Brooks and the 1980 USA hockey team? How will the role of U.S. curling coaches evolve? Will a USCA-selected and funded team be created, but be required to play down against the selfformed teams? (I like this option, a hybrid that allows for trying radically new approaches while retaining the concept of winning on the ice.) If a self-formed team wins the Olympic Trials, how much new outside control should be enforced? Can curlers avoid trying to fix what ain’t broke, but polish what needs polishing? Lastly, a suggestion for consideration: The USCA should stop peer-seeding national round robin play in competition leading to worlds. Seeding makes it easier for the top-seeded teams in the first half of a round robin, but in my opinion, seeding ill-serves the winning team because they get no such advantage at international level and may thus somewhat less prepared to be in top form mentally for the entire round robin. Also, it goes against long-time USCA policy, supported by the athletes, to make the nationals/Trials competition as much like the worlds/Olympics as possible (e.g., round robin plus WCF playoff format, “244” ice, arena venues). $20,000 goal. USA Curling partnered with Mercury Communications to get the contest online with the help of server support from longtime USA Curling sponsor bitRail, which is based out of Chicago.
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