Olympics and Curling in Austin
First of all, my thanks to all members who turned out last Sunday to help with our Open House session. We had at latest count 410 people attend, with an estimated 100 who turned away because of the long lineups. It demonstrates an incredible interest in curling in this city when people fill up the waiting area, and are lined up out the hallway and into the parking lot. Obviously, the Olympic coverage was our catalyst, whether due to great TV coverage, excellent competition or the Norway pants, we have seen a major spike in curling. We could not have made our open house a success without the volunteer efforts.
To put this in perspective, in 2006 when our club was formed, we had an estimated 80 & 60 persons attend the 2 open house sessions. This year, we have almost 3 times that number in one session!! Our instructional league planned for April & May is full, with 32 paid entries, and over 100 persons on the waiting list. This is a great time for curling in Austin!!
We are holding a second open house session next Sunday, March 7. Many of the attendees expressed an interest to come back again, so I expect another large turnout. If you have time available, please come out to assist with this event. We have 10 hacks set up, with rotating groups of new curlers coming onto the ice to try out delivery and sweeping. It would be great if we could have 2 club members at each hack. Also, with large crowds, there is the need for greeters and people to answer curling questions.
The instructional league will definitely go ahead. This will be held after our season ends, with sessions scheduled for Sundays, April 11 & 25, and May & 9, at our regular curling times of 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM. Since every rink in this league will be new curlers, we want to assign a “coach” to each rink, which will be a league member who will help the new people learn the sport. Teaching is a great way to hone your own curling skills, and it will be a good opportunity to get new curlers to join our club.
Also, if we can find ice time for a second instructional league, there will also be the need for coaches. More details are to follow, but if you are interested, Darlene will have a sign up sheet. And do not fear that your knowledge is not sufficient to be a coach. Everyone in the club has enough curling knowledge to pass on to new people. And I will hold a “coaches clinic” before the league to review methods to teach new curlers.
We still have some league curling this season. Our league resumes after next week’s open house with league games on March 14 & 21, and then our wind up event on March 28. Watch your email for more details on the wind up event – it promises to be weirder than ever.
In addition, the Texas Open Bonspiel will be held in Houston on April 16, 17 & 18. This is an opportunity for curling, getting to know curlers from other cities and for a fun weekend. Entries are now open for rinks. If you would like to play, but do not have a rink, Darlene has a sign up sheet, and the club will organize rinks to enter. The Houston Curling Club puts in a lot of effort for this bonspiel, and they have done a great job in the past. Let’s show our support from the Lone Star Curling Club.
As a final note, the annual club elections are coming up. Positions up for election include President, Vice President, and 8 board members. Darlene will have a sign up sheet for anyone interested in these positions. If you have the time, please consider letting your name stand. Elections will be held during our annual meeting at a date to be set by the board, so watch you email.
As always, please feel free to give me your comments, questions, suggestions or criticisms. After I see all the efforts at an event such as the past open house, I feel honored to be a member of this club.
To put this in perspective, in 2006 when our club was formed, we had an estimated 80 & 60 persons attend the 2 open house sessions. This year, we have almost 3 times that number in one session!! Our instructional league planned for April & May is full, with 32 paid entries, and over 100 persons on the waiting list. This is a great time for curling in Austin!!
We are holding a second open house session next Sunday, March 7. Many of the attendees expressed an interest to come back again, so I expect another large turnout. If you have time available, please come out to assist with this event. We have 10 hacks set up, with rotating groups of new curlers coming onto the ice to try out delivery and sweeping. It would be great if we could have 2 club members at each hack. Also, with large crowds, there is the need for greeters and people to answer curling questions.
The instructional league will definitely go ahead. This will be held after our season ends, with sessions scheduled for Sundays, April 11 & 25, and May & 9, at our regular curling times of 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM. Since every rink in this league will be new curlers, we want to assign a “coach” to each rink, which will be a league member who will help the new people learn the sport. Teaching is a great way to hone your own curling skills, and it will be a good opportunity to get new curlers to join our club.
Also, if we can find ice time for a second instructional league, there will also be the need for coaches. More details are to follow, but if you are interested, Darlene will have a sign up sheet. And do not fear that your knowledge is not sufficient to be a coach. Everyone in the club has enough curling knowledge to pass on to new people. And I will hold a “coaches clinic” before the league to review methods to teach new curlers.
We still have some league curling this season. Our league resumes after next week’s open house with league games on March 14 & 21, and then our wind up event on March 28. Watch your email for more details on the wind up event – it promises to be weirder than ever.
In addition, the Texas Open Bonspiel will be held in Houston on April 16, 17 & 18. This is an opportunity for curling, getting to know curlers from other cities and for a fun weekend. Entries are now open for rinks. If you would like to play, but do not have a rink, Darlene has a sign up sheet, and the club will organize rinks to enter. The Houston Curling Club puts in a lot of effort for this bonspiel, and they have done a great job in the past. Let’s show our support from the Lone Star Curling Club.
As a final note, the annual club elections are coming up. Positions up for election include President, Vice President, and 8 board members. Darlene will have a sign up sheet for anyone interested in these positions. If you have the time, please consider letting your name stand. Elections will be held during our annual meeting at a date to be set by the board, so watch you email.
As always, please feel free to give me your comments, questions, suggestions or criticisms. After I see all the efforts at an event such as the past open house, I feel honored to be a member of this club.
posted by CMG at
1:34 PM
