The blog is back, baby.
The leaves are turning
brown, a brisk chill fills the air and I had to turn the defrost on in my car
last week. That can only mean one thing: its curling season.
For some, the season
started in August, with a number of competitive summer spiels in Ontario
starting in early September. Officially
this is week 7 (!!!) of the competitive curling season. WTF?
I fail to understand
why people want to start curling in August and early September. I love curling.
But it seems to me our winters are long enough, without having to spend
weekends in September in a curling club. What I don’t understand is why
competitive curling essentially ends in January (unless you are going to the
Brier), but starts in the summer.
As a matter of fact, I
have not even seen my men’s team since January. I don’t even
remember what they look like. I will have to carry a team picture around to
recognize them. I remember there was a
short guy...a redheaded guy...and..ah screw it ....they will find me. Guys: I am the
tall bald guy at the bar wearing a Balsdon shirt.
Our season starts this Friday at
home, at Glenmore, in the Indian Summer Bonspiel. Or, I guess, the Native
Summer bonspiel...to be politically correct. This is a local spiel, but has attracted
a few big teams with the lure of good ice and a decent draw, plus what is a fun
atmosphere at Glenmore. Ferly and Phil Lemay are there, as are a few other
solid squads – should be a fun weekend. Until I find my legs and get some
feel...I will look like Bambi on ice.
So what is new in the
world of Quebec Curling?
On the men’s side, no
changes to the top few teams. Menard will stay the same, as they prepare for the
Olympic pre-trials in November.
Phil Lemay has his
team of increasingly experienced young guys ready for another season of cash
spiels.
Martin Ferland has the
same team, although they are allegedly playing a very light schedule this year,
after playing a zillion spiels last year. These guys played in everything. I
think they played women’s spiels in drag. They played in junior spiels. They
played in turkey spiels. In the end, they might have burned themselves out.
My team has stayed the
same. Steeve Gagnon has stayed the same.
Really, only Bob
Desjardins changed teams, experimenting with Fred Lawton and Pierre-Luc Morrissette,
Martin Lavoie as Bob tries to convert new followers into the cult of Desjardinism.
Also Francois gagné seems to have picked
up a few guys and has a solid team.
Women’s curling? I
have no idea. Check your programs! Everyone changed teams. I don’t think there
will be one returning team at provincials. Don’t ask me for a prediction;
except to say that I hope whoever emerges can put on a good show at the
Scotties, held in Montreal this year.
Where have all the
curlers gone?
This is the time of
year where curling clubs roll out the red carpets and welcome potential new
members to the game that we love. But it seems that every year fewer and fewer
curlers come back, with not enough new blood to fill the ranks.
Why, at a time where
the sport achieves record TV audiences as well as Olympic recognition, do clubs
have so much trouble getting people in the doors?
A few reasons are
always floated:
- People no longer have time for a sport like curling that takes time away from their families
- It’s too expensive.
- It does not provide the physical workout of say....30 minutes in the gym.
- It is difficult to integrate new members – and they suffer from a steep learning curve.
I don’t buy it.
Curling has a lot going for it:
- Low risk of injury
- Sport that challenges your mind, as well as your body
- Sociable! A sport that includes a social life.
- You can get reasonably good in a reasonable amount of time.
I think we lack
salesmanship. Curling clubs are still mainly volunteer organizations that do
not excel in marketing and sales.
So here is my challenge
to you curlers: bring a friend out. Help out your club. Think of that one person you know that would
like curling, and would like to hang around a curling club. Bring them out. Buy
them a drink.
Second challenge: if
you are an experienced curler, and have some time...take a team of newbies into
a local spiel or branch event. Show them the most fun part of curling: road
trips!
***
Lastly, Canadian curling men have put out a sexy calendar to raise funds for curling. You can order it at www.menofcurling.com, for $30.
Of course I was asked to pose in
the men of curling calendar, unfortunately when I offered to pose with
nothing but my "brownie", I think they misunderstood what I meant.
