6
MAY 2010
Celebrating 50 years – 1958-2008
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College Curling Your contact: Rich Larko, larko2123@comcast.net, 847-729-0934 • www.collegecurling.org
UW-Oshkosh wins National Tournament by Rich Larko, College Curling Coordinator In spite of dwindling funds the College Curling program continues successfully and actually continues to grow all over curling land. Fifty six teams, more than 224 men and women curlers, competed in three separate competitions for college students this season. The best news is that most of the teams were new. More proof that college curling is fulfilling its goal of introducing new people and having those new to curling stick with the sport. On several recent occasions we reported on perhaps the most successful college program of all, Northwestern University Curling Club in Evanston, Ill. With help, instruction, coaching and ice time at North Shore Curling Club this model student program, in just four years, has grown to more than 40 curlers, with more than 30 turning out for practice and serious competition each Sunday afternoon.The Northwestern students are also welcome to curl in regular club events with the regular members who have recognized that college students are fast learners, young, strong sweepers and good looking. The real payoff is that these students, with proper training and coaching, have fallen in love with the sport and learned that improvement comes from hitting the bonspiel circuit. All season long at least two, sometimes three, Northwestern teams curl in various midwest bonspiels, and are being invited back because youth is a boost to aging spiels. In the short history of the club they have won more than their share of medals. Now Northwestern wants to compete in USCA events and plans to join the state association and the USCA....a perfect curling world and a good lesson for clubs all over the country. At the recent National College Tournament, against more experienced teams from around the country Northwestern fielded three teams with one, two and three years experience – they walked away with two golds and a bronze. We repeat this story simply to impress on all curlers
and clubs that, when they embrace student curling as an important club effort, college curling can truly be an important part of the future of curling. At Northwestern almost all the graduates are settling in northern areas with nearby curling clubs and joining clubs and paying dues. We have reported already on the events at Bowling Green and Kettle Moraine. The National College Tournament was held March 12-14 at the Chicago and North Shore clubs. Thirty-two teams from across the U.S. competed. If all teams had met the deadline we could have had 40 teams. A feature of this 19-yearold event is that teams are divided into separate divisions based on years of experience. That way all teams play at their own level of experience. The playing field is as level as possible. Gold, silver and bronze awards were handed out in each eight-team division. Here are the results: Division 1: Gold–University of Wisconsin Oshkosh: Will Journeaux, Kimy Rhyme, Steven Kawleski, Megan Henning Silver–Lake Superior College: Rob Carr, Sarah McLeod, Katy Haakensen, Kevin Blackwood Bronze–University of Wisconsin Madison: Casey Cucchiarelli, Nic Schleicher, Bobby Splinter, Robbi Baumann Division II: Gold–Northwestern University:Robert Sandoval, Jody Moser, Marc Palmeri, Albert Lipson Silver–Villanova University:Erik Sheets, Jared Coughlin, Ryan Kirchner, Kyle Conroy Bronze–Bowling Green State University 1: Ryan Meyer, Matt Cooper, Charles Rooney, Rachel Bruecker, Kyle Henry Division III: Gold–Northwestern University: Erik Sczygelski, Eric Mondor, Stephanie Chan, Max Wasserman Silver–NovaSee:Miggy Gutierrez, David Hooper, Teresa Hooper, Brian Maxwell Bronze–Northeast Colleges: Kevin Leahy, Alana Steinhardt, Christopher Alexander, Evan Goodman Division IV:
Gold–Carroll College 1: Tyler Tylinski, Aaron Kerr, Robin Kopec, Sarah Diederichs Silver–University of Denver: Scott Bleiweis, Charlie O’Donnell, Marty Witt Bronze–Carroll College 3: Marcus Yabuta, Nicole Pollack, Brian Voss, Brianna Mittelstadt Many thanks to 32 teams from a total of 36 schools (including combinations). Our congratulations to the award winners. And, oh, so many thanks to all the schools, clubs and individual curlers that worked so hard all season long to make this program succeed. Special appreciation to Dave Beemus, who ran the National Tournament at Chicago CC, and to Liz Reid, who ran the kitchen. Special thanks also to Ken Cooke, who ran the North Shore part of the National Tournament, and helpers Jim Martin, Bob Schmidt, Bud Barrerre, as well as Craig Carlson (daughter Alex skipped the bronzewinning team at World Juniors), and Jim and Debbie Murray at North Shore for all their help all season long. Finally, kudos to our National registrar, Robert Richardson, and Pam Oleinik for managing the College Curling website, www.collegecurling.org. We sincerely appreciate the hours and days of help from so many of you. College curling represents one of the most important recruitment and development programs in all of curling. In closing, we thank the USCA and the Chicago Community Trust for their financial support.
9 songs, including: The Skip Is Always Right Burnt Rock Blues Psycho Curler
Division 1 winners–University of Wisconsin Oshkosh: Megan Henning, Steven Kawleski, Kimy Rhyme and Will Journeaux (skip).
Division 2 winners–Northwestern University: Albert Lipson, Marc Palmeri, Jody Moser and Robert Sandoval (skip).
Division 3 winners–Northwestern University: Max Wasserman, Eric Mondor and Erik Sczygelski (skip).
Division IV winners–Carroll College 1: Sarah Diederichs, Robin Kopec, Aaron Kerr and Tyler Tylinski (skip).
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