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the 32nd edition of the English Curling Associaton Newsletter
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ENGLISH CURLING ASSOCIATION
September 2011 - Issue 32
Heading up to Sheffield for my first ECA AGM, I had no intention of offering my services as the web site updater or editor of the newsletter, but whatd’ya know – here I am badgering people for submissions and sending “how do I do …” emails to Steve. So this will be a shorter version than previous editions but hopefully, once I become more familiar with the format and the season gets underway, it will get bigger and better.
There’s a full season ahead so start slotting in the dates on your calendar. Competition details can be found on the ECA web site There are a number of talented juniors coming up through the ranks at Fenton’s so I am hoping to dedicate some space to their happenings to encourage juniors further afield to get involved in this great sport. If you have suggestions for future topics please let me know. The Editor
NEWSLETTER
In this Issue: President’s letter AGM Minutes Competitions schedule Marketing Convenor Brief Junior Jottings Club news International news
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It only seems like 5 minutes since the AGM in June and since I wrote my last article for the newsletter! Where does the time go to? I hope that you all have enjoyed the summer whether you went away on holiday or stayed at home and that you are all set for your new season of curling? I have not yet been away on holiday but am managing to sneak a few days at the end of the month which I am looking forward to as I haven’t had a break since March! The summer has been relatively busy for your President despite the email traffic reducing significantly but it is already on the increase! For those of you who were at the AGM in June, I mentioned that all was not well within the European Curling Federation – 2 days after our AGM, Andrew Ferguson-Smith, President of the ECF, resigned due to “personal reasons”. The decision as to who will be the new President will be made in Moscow in December, but in the meantime, Olli Rissanen of Finland is Acting President.
My first curling trip this year will be to Kent in a few weeks time where we will, once again, be celebrating the memory of Duncan Stewart and everything he did for the ECA. There are still places left so if you haven’t already signed up for what will prove to be a really enjoyable and fun competition, please get in touch with Phil Barton ([email protected]) as he will be delighted to hear from you. Please support this competition in its 2nd year – even more importantly as Mary, Duncan’s widow, will be travelling South especially for this.
I could write more and more but enough for now - the main thing I want to say is good stones, play well and enjoy your new season! I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible over the coming months.
Best wishes
Alison
Alison J L Arthur
President
English Curling Association
ALISON ARTHUR
PRESIDENT ENGLISH CURLING ASSOCIATION
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ECA Annual General Meeting
Minutes from this important meeting can be found on the ECA web site
http://www.englishcurling.org.uk/ once there click on “news”
ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS FOR 2011/2012 The following office bearers were elected: President Alison Arthur President Elect vacant Secretary John Brown Treasurer Sandra Moorcroft WCF Representatives John Brown Alison Arthur ECF Representative Alison Arthur BC Representative Andrew Reed NW Area Rep Frank Kershaw, Ian Sayers NE Area Rep James Dixon / Andrew Reed – South Rosaleen Boardman / Jean Robinson Competition’ Convenor Phil Barton Doping Convenor James Hustler Marketing Convenor Vacant (see advert page 7) 16 APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL CONVENORS Susan Young 100 Club Robin Gemmell Equipment Debbie Hutcheon Coaching James Gibb Facilities Rosaleen Boardman Newsletter and Website The Marketing convenor position remained unfilled – and would be advertised in the Newsletter.
Subscriptions for 2011-12 Having set up at the open meeting a sub-committee to look into subscription levels across the board, the Council proposed that subscriptions would stay at the existing levels of £25.00 (Full) and £10 (Associate). However by maintaining the subscriptions at this level and a forecast deficit for 2011-12 of £1000 it was proposed and agreed that the teams going forward to the Europeans would receive £750.00 per team, a reduction from the £1200 given in 2010-11. In addition the ECA would be paying the entry fees. It was noted that the total entry fees to the European and European Mixed Championships now exceeded £1500, approximately half of our subscription income.
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Thoughts from the Competitions Convenor - Phil Barton
4 Nations Competition
Seniors There are three entries for the men’s Championships. The skips are Michael Sutherland, John Sharp and Kenneth Maxwell. A triple round robin will be played at Greenacres in December. The winners will represent the ECA in Taarnby, Copenhagen in April 2012 at the World Senior Championships. There have been no entries from a women’s rink. Other entries Closing date for other ECA events is 30th September. We hope to have a deluge of interest for the Mixed Doubles, Men’s and Ladies’ playdowns and Mixed. The RCCC are taking names to be considered for the Strathcona Cup in 2013. This tour of Canada is a highlight for many curlers. It might be worth thinking of setting up an ECA tour to Canada at some point in the future. Any thoughts? The I’Anson is Preston’s annual event at the North West Castle in Stranraer in November. This year we have a full compliment of 16 rinks starting on 18th November. Welcome to our old friends and our new rinks. Duncan Stewart Trophy This will be held at Fenton’s on 15th and 16th October – names of interested players are low at the moment. We hope that our southern members in particular will take advantage of playing for a trophy with a special relevance to English Curling.
Four Nations Will be held this year at Greenacres , and hosted by the Welsh. We have only one trophy to defend - a magnificent win by our ladies in the Connie Miller v Scotland last year. The others are up for grabs! Increase membership of ECA – capture the English in Scotland. The CC had a visit form a friend at the weekend – a school pal from Lancaster Royal Grammar days. He was staying with a friend from Burnley now living in Dollar. She has started curling … so another reminder there is rich vein of English curlers living in Scotland. Should we make a plan to capture a few of these! That would give a far better idea of how many curlers from England. Preston Curling Club The programme has ten days at Lockerbie and starts on 29th September with the Herman Trophy. The next events are Gray Trophy on 20th October. New members include Bill Roff a player from Kirkcudbright. Changes include Ally Thomson taking a season out, and John McDougall, a seasoned English senior is a sub this year. Invitation European Seniors takes place in early November at Greenacres. Michael Sutherland with Tommy Campbell, John Summers and Phil Barton have accepted an invitation to take part.
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BRITISH CURLING REPORT
The committee is made up of a lot of real potential with individual views coming from all sorts of sports and backgrounds, plus the recognised curling bodies among us giving real vision. However the problem is that they are all there to do ONE job and ONE job only and that is to get medals…. Curling is being backed heavily by UKSport and the BOA which is good as this has brought £2.4 million to the table. This is an increase to what they had in the last Olympic campaign. Unfortunately this figure is to be spent on the ELITE athletes only, not on development/grassroots, so unless you get selected no individual or ice rink or club will see any money. The only real positive for a current playing athlete that thinks they have potential and is in regular big competitions i.e. Europeans etc is that the new criteria states that the NATIONAL coach will be national i.e. GB, so they should be scouting the smaller teams/nation at National championships and then at Europeans!!! Of old this person has always worn a Scottish jacket but I will fight that this coach should be wearing GB kit. Coaches have all been selected and performance people are all in position all we need now are the elite athletes…. Olympic points are not gathered now till the last 2 yrs of a 4 year cycle rather than 3 as before so pressure on certain athlete(s) too be in certain teams won’t come till next season…. But I fancy certain people got players together this last season in preparation though it did not work so back to the drawing board. The website should be updated by now (don’t hold breath) so you can all look who is on committee and from what background. Andrew Reed
Colin Pearson has been appointed the new Chair of British Curling. He has experience in local authority sports development as well as at a national level.
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The following Championships venues for 2011-12 are confirmed: European Mixed Taarnby, Copenhagen 30/9 – 7/10 European C Group Taarnby 30/9 – 7/10 World Wheelchair Qualifying Kisakallio, Finland 5/11 – 12/11 European A and B groups Moscow 2/12 – 10/12 European Junior Challenge Taarnby 2/1 – 7/1 World Wheelchair Chuncheon, S Korea 18/2 – 25/2 World Junior Ostersund, Sweden 3/3 – 11/3 World Womens Lethbridge, Alberta 17/3 – 25/3 World Mens Basel 31/3 – 8/4 World Seniors Erzurum 14/4 – 21/4 World Mixed Doubles Taarnby 23/4 – 29/4
ECA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011-‐12 Duncan Stewart 15-16 October – Fenton’s Juniors 28-30 October – Fenton’s Seniors 2/4 Dec – Greenacres Mixed Doubles 14-15 January – Fenton’s 4 Nations 20-22 January – Greenacres (WCA hosting) Nationals w/ending 5 February – Fenton’s (MEN) 4/5 or 11/12 February (WOMEN) - TBC Mixed 9-11 March – Fenton’s Note the date of the women’s national championships depends upon the number of entries for the men’s championships. Owing to the restriction of 3 sheets at Fenton’s it may not be possible to hold both competitions simultaneously. Closing date for entries – 30th September 2011 except Seniors - 31st August 2011 STOP PRESS * * * * STOP PRESS * * * * STOP PRESS * * * *STOP PRESS BONSPIEL AT ICE SHEFFIELD ON 17th SEPTEMBER The ECA are helping Ice Sheffield to run a come and try bonspiel on Saturday 17th September between 1.15pm and 6.15pm – if you want to go along and play or to help with beginners then contact Debbie Hutcheon on [email protected]. Cost will be £25 for two games plus lunch. A good chance to get your muscles back into action before the serious stuff begins.
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Junior Jottings
Marketing Convenor Urgently Required Do you have or know someone who has the skills to fulfil this volunteer position for the ECA? Suitable candidates could be Business/Marketing graduates who want to get some work experience on their CV. This is a very important role to enable the ECA to move forward with a development plan and raise the profile of the ECA. Responsibilities and Duties Include: To pursue sponsorship opportunities for:
• National Championships • National teams playing in International Competitions
To search out and implement marketing opportunities To initiate a programme of fundraising activities to provide income for the ECA To collect media articles about curling to assist in background material for sponsorship and marketing campaigns To identify ways of using the internet to raise the profile of the ECA Please contact John Brown ECA Secretary [email protected]
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This summer, both the English Boys’ and Girls’ Teams had the pleasure of attending the Sweetlake Summer Camp in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. This trip, gratefully sponsored by the English Curling Association, offered both teams an opportunity to receive instruction from world-class coaches and curlers, and to be offered help in building their individual and team skills. The first day was mainly a chance for the participants, the two English teams, the Dutch Boys team and the Polish girls team, to get to know each other and get back into the swing of curling. The ice-breaker activities had everyone laughing, and the English Boys won the team building activity that had been arranged that night, but we were all eager to put on our shoes and get sliding! The coaches were very helpful, taking a team and guiding them through each exercise, giving one-on-one time where it was required. Videos were taken and analysed, allowing each player to clearly see what they were doing well, and where a little touch-up might be needed on their delivery. Videos taken again at the end of the week were compared to the earlier ones showing the players how they had improved. Along with ice training everyday, there were classroom sessions focusing on everything from team dynamics to strategy and tactics. Over the next three days there was a competition organized after dinner so that each team had the chance to play the others in a classic round robin. By the end of the fun competition, the Dutch boys were announced the victors, with the English boys coming second, and the English girls securing third place. Almost every day had a special activity planned, along with the normal training. On the third day of the camp, everyone was driven to the nearby lake to have some team bonding time while finishing numerous tasks such as singing their country’s national anthem, all aboard little blue boats, propelled by each teams desire to win. Sporting new headgear made from the reeds along the riverbanks, everyone was treated to an ice cream and had a chance to look around the little petting zoo next to the lake. The next day it was the dreaded fitness session at the gym, and a spinning class that left everyone grinning at the instructors’ antics, and just a little bit sore. On the last full day of camp, everyone packed up and moved to a different hostel, this one having room for a lovely BBQ and a water park in its vicinity. After a fun night out, surfing down water slides and the girls sighing over some of the instructor’s abs, everyone fell into bed, exhausted but happy.
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On the last day of camp, Eeva, a world class umpire, had kindly organized a mixed doubles competition, one last chance for the different teams to mingle and throw some rocks. Afterwards, a slideshow presentation was given with pictures and videos depicting some of the highlights of the week, accompanied with encouraging words from our coaches that our teams have great potential. As we left for the train station, there were hugs all round as everyone said goodbye, promising to meet up at the next bonspiel. The Sweetlake Camp was absolutely amazing, offering knowledgeable and friendly coaches, and the chance to bond and improve our skills as a team. Almost all the participants were heard saying, “I can’t wait until next year!”
PS – ‘Sweetlake’ is the English translation of Zoetermeer
Photos courtesy of Curling Zoetermeer
…Whilst the boys are showing their patriotism out on the lake
The girls are taking things seriously…
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Welsh Curling News
After 40 years of playing curling at the Deeside Leisure Centre, the Welsh Curlers have produced a proposal document for a dedicated curling rink facility. This will be presented to the Sports Council for Wales. Investment required is in the region of £700,000 and a rise in membership to 400!
As such, a committee is established, with the blessing of our Presidents, with myself as Vice Chair and Chris Wells as Chair. Much talking and investigation has already taken place into finding a suitable venue, designing a facility and making great curling ice. We are very optimistic, as are our Scottish friends and supporters.
International News
There are numerous International Championships taking place in the next few months. All are detailed on the World Curling Federation web site: http://www.worldcurling.org/upcoming-championships. Glancing through here really gives you a wider perspective of the popularity of the sport throughout the world.
Curling will be officially launched in Romania this month!
Norway will be opening 4 more dedicated curling rinks this year.
The WCF is helping to develop the sport in New Zealand – must be strange curling in June though! An idea for a future fundraising event could be New Zealand’s take on a “skirts on Ice” bonspiel – period costume or even 60’s mini’s maybe??
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Club News
NEWS FROM FENTON’S RINK – AUTUMN 2011 Curling starts on October 3rd and we are all set for our eighth season. BOOK EARLY! If you are thinking of a curling event for your friends, family, colleagues or customers – please call us as soon as possible on 01892 826004 or e-mail [email protected] to secure the date and time you want. The popular times go fast and several Christmas parties have already booked their ice times. Remember – we provide coaches to get you started on the ice – so you have a great time right from the off! BEGINNERS - “Come and Try” your hand at curling! There’s an “Open Day” on Sunday October 9th. You can just come along and have a look – or you can have a one hour session on the ice with an instructor for only £5! It starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm. A second “Come and Try” session is booked for Sunday November 6th. REGULAR CURLERS start their season of leagues on Tuesday 4th October. The fixture list has already been completed and games and results will be posted regularly on the “League Fixtures and Results” page. A Monday evening session will be held for novice curlers. It starts from 6pm onwards on October 3rd and is open to anyone who wants to take up curling as a winter activity. There will be practice ice and coaching to get you started. For the first time we will arrange a Novice League during Monday evenings. Come along any time between 6pm and 9pm and see for yourself! All regular curlers are members of Fenton’s Rink. The Rink subscription for this season has been set at £15. This provides a significant discount on ice fees and is worthwhile if you come to the rink several times in a season. A Rink entry form is at the end of this message. You can discuss regular curling with our Games Secretary Gary Tapp at [email protected]. JUNIORS/SCHOOLS CURLING The regular Schools 5-week course will run in the Spring term leading to the Schools Championships in March 2011. Junior training will again be held each Tuesday at 6pm for players aged 18 and under. A Junior Curling Academy for younger players (aged around 10 to 15) will be run monthly on Sunday afternoons. Call the rink on 01892 826004 for further details or e-mail us at [email protected]. There will also be coaching for our representative junior teams on Sundays. Please contact Fenton’s Rink for forms
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DIARY OF EVENTS 2011-12
October 3rd Rink Opens Saturday League – 22 Oct, 12th Nov, Dec 10th, Jan 28th, Feb18th, Mar 31st Every Monday from 6pm Beginners and Novice league Every Tuesday at 6pm Juniors Practice Every Tuesday at 8pm League Matches October 9th Come and Try – from 10am to 4pm October 15/16th The Duncan Stewart Bonspiel November 6th Come and Try – from 10am to 4pm December 4th Come and Try – from 10am to 4pm 2012 January 8th Come and Try –from 10am to 4pm January 14th to 15th ECA Mixed Doubles Playdowns January 21st “The Great Gordino” Bonspiel February 2nd to 5th ECA Men’s and Ladies’ Playdowns February 12th Come and Try – from 10am to 4pm March 9th to 11th ECA Mixed Playdowns March 17th to 18th The Fleming Trophy Bonspiel March 26th to 30th The English Schools Championships April 11th Rink Closes (provisional date)
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Want to buy a Pair of Curling shoes?
Then why not shop at the ECA’s partners at; www.curlingSupplies.com. Contact us at the ECA first if you are a member and enjoy 5% discount on your purchase.
ICE MAN GETS TECHNICAL The rink’s popular ice man, Simon Knight, has just returned from a residential course at Greenacres at which he was awarded the WCF Advanced Ice Technician’s Certificate. The course also included a section on environmental control mechanisms and energy efficiency in an ice hall. The course was well supported with a number of attendees from throughout Europe as well as some prominent Scottish figures from the world of Curling, including Richard Harding, boss of Greenacres and WCF development officer, Ian Baxter, manager of Murrayfield Curling Rink and Tom Brewster, who skipped the Scottish team at this year’s World Championships and is also manager of the Aberdeen Rink. Commenting on his experience at Greenacres, Simon said “I think I held my own with the technicalities on the course, but it got more tricky in the bar....!”
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The ECA is YOUR
Association
100 Club
The English Curling Association runs a ‘100 Club’ to raise funds for the Association. Shares in the club are open to any ECA member and cost £1 per month. An individual can hold up to 15 shares at any one time. Payment is by Standing Order and you can get details from the secretary via the Contact page on the ECA website.
Each month there are three prizes - for £40, £30 and £20. In December the prize money is doubled and in the month of the AGM it is quadrupled. So there is a total of £1440 of prize money each year.
If you want more information then visit the ECA website or Susan Young (0208 540 4161)
Where To Curl North-East England
Curling in this area is played
at the Kelso Ice Rink, just
over the Scottish border.
The main English based club
in the area is the Glendale
club. For further details
please email James Dixon at
om
London & The South
The only dedicated curling
rink in England can be found
near Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
Further details can be found
on the curling rink website,
Fenton’s Rink.
North-West England & Wales
The main English club in this
area is the Preston club who
play up in Scotland at the
Lockerbie Ice Rink on
alternate Thursdays. Please
contact the club secretary,
Phil Barton on
Curling can also be played in
Wales at the Deeside
Leisure Centre, Queensferry,
just over the Welsh border
to the west of Chester -
Welsh Curling Association.
English Curling President: Alison Arthur
President elect: Vacant
Competitions Convener: Philip Barton
Secretary: John Brown
Treasurer: Sandra Moorcroft
Useful Links • www.englishcurling.org.uk English Curling Association website • www.worldcurling.org World Curling Association
ECA NEWSLETTER Contact:
Rosaleen Boardman:
Have you visited the ECA website lately? It will bring you up to date with the latest competitions, results and workings of the ECA and beyond. Additionally it will keep you up to date on major events in the curling world. So if you have not visited, please pop along and see what’s new!
