It is November!!!

After almost 2 months of curing season, we have 4 weeks of league play to go for the fall. And the board has been making plans for the league wrap-up and the winter league.

On December 19, we will hold the playoff games for the fall league. The first place rink will play the second place rink for the championship, third plays fourth, fifth plays sixth, etc. Unfortunately, the two last place rinks will not play that day.

After curling, we will hold a club social event at Dave & Busters restaurant. This will be open to all members, as well as any guests members would like to bring. Pat & Uly will need a head count of who plans on attending, so watch your email for signups.

The winter league will start on January 16 & run through to mid-April. For this league, we will open up the roster for new people or rinks who wish to curl regularly. We will expand the draw if we have more than the 12 current rinks. Changes can also be made to existing rinks for this league.

Our plans are to have each rink play 11 league games, as we had in the fall. Rates will remain at $220 for the league, which we need to have paid in advance. Again, watch your email for more information and sign ups. Deadline for sign up will be Jan. 9.

Something new we will introduce is sections to the league schedule. Based on the fall league standings, we will break the schedule into Yellow & Red sections. Each rink within a section will play each other. The top two rinks in section Yellow will then move into section Red, and the bottom two rinks in Section Red will go to Section Yellow. The schedule will then repeat the play between rinks in the section.

On January 9, we will hold an education session for all members and any other interested persons. We will expand the format of this session to include the following:

• One sheet for a Learn to curl session, designed for new or inexperienced curlers
• Two sheets for intermediate education. This is designed for curlers with some experience who want to improve on the basics of delivery
• One sheet that will be open for people who want to practice
• One sheet for “Wayne’s Game Live”. I will host this sheet, and it will be an open forum for experienced curlers who want to address specific questions or issues in their game

The charge will be $20 per person. An email will be coming with more information and sign up.

We have been asked if there is any interest from our club in participating in the Pacific International Cup (PIC) bonspiel. This is held every year in early April in Vancouver, British Columbia. Texas sends one men’s and one women’s rink. Participants are responsible for all of their own expenses to attend this bonspiel. We share this invitation with Dallas Houston and Oklahoma city. There will be a playoff to decide the representatives. Please contact me if there is interest in participating in this or if you would like more information.

Although it is a few months away, reserve the weekend of April 29, 30 & May 1 for the annual Texas Open bonspiel. This will be held in Dallas this year. Last year, our club sent 5 rinks to this bonspiel. It is always a fun time to curl and to meet curlers from other cities. Entries will probably be accepted starting in late January.

As always, feel free to let me know any questions, comments, criticisms or suggestions. Good curling!!