December 'Wheelchair Watch' column in SWEEP d-Mag

SWEEP d-Mag  December 2009

The 'Wheelchair Watch' column for December is now in the website archive.

Topics covered included an overview of November's competitions, and two major issues of concern to wheelchair curlers: widening the eligibility pool and extending the ban on electric wheelchairs.

Armstrong - "Too soon for Paralympic trials"

Jim Armstrong participated in the opening ceremonies at the Olympic Trials in Edmonton Sunday, one of four holding brooms for ceremonial first rocks. Sun Media's CON GRIWKOWSKY Con Griwkowsky took the opportunity to profile him.

Even though Armstrong found the idea of holding an Olympic wheelchair qualifier at the same time as a Canadian curling trials compelling, he figured it might be an idea best saved for sometime in the future.

"You know what? Wheelchair curling is still a little young," said the personable Armstrong, a former dentist.

"We've certainly got the infrastructure, but we don't quite have enough bodies yet. It's coming, but we're only eight or nine years in Canada. Give it a few years and, yeah, it might make sense."

Read the complete article

Fortunately we have four years to argue the case and justify a Paralympic Trials.

Get a (better) grip, says coach Ernie Comerford

Coach Ernie Comerford says: I have been experimenting with additions to some delivery sticks with handles from garden tools to see if this might help the thrower throw more easily and be more consistently accurate. Feel free to improve on these ideas.

Garden tool handles were purchased from a standard “box store” (Home Depot).  Metal tool was removed and inside drilled out to ¾ inch size.  Dowling then added and epoxy glue used to hold then into the delivery stick.

Photo 1: Shows indentation in this type of handle which “forces” the player to hold the stick in the same spot each time.  Soft rubber handle.

Photo 2: Top view. Handle is attached and aligned.  Note thumb indentation spot.

Photo 3 - Side View. Note groves on side for better grip, hook at end for hand.

Photo 4 - Shows player gripping stick.  Note thumb in indentation.

COMMENTS – This has been adapted quite well on Goldline sticks.  Some concerns on Extender Sticks as it may/can be hard to realign the handle and the throwing end once loosened or extended further.  However I believe we will find the Extender Sticks will be just as good if not better due to weight.  One player in particular believes it has made it easier for him to be much more accurate and consistent.  

Photo 5 -  Top view. Thumb indentation on top. Soft rubber for easy grip.  Grooves on top only.

Photo 6 - Note pronounced hook at end.  Handle shape has been well received.

Photo 7 - Player gripping stick. Thumb in indentation

GENERAL COMMENTS

The aim was to find a handle that would make it easier to be consistent.  Concept came from the golf teaching aid (Golf Grip handles) which try to get a golfer to hold the club in proper position.  Initial trials have been satisfactory.  Cost of the handles runs about $6 to $9 each.

Smaller female hands seem to be no problem.

Thoughts have been given to angling the handle even more to make it a totally “natural” hand angle.

One player uses the handle in a reverse position and finds it fine for them.  He left part of the metal handle of the gardening tool in and glued it into the delivery stick.  He finds it lowers the angle of the stick to the ice surface.

OTHER IDEAS

Using pvc  electrical conduit pipe with a 45 degree angle.  Cost less than a dollar. Fits an all sticks.

NOTE – how player can move hand forward or backwards to their “spot”.  The angle of the force then changes.  We have not done any lengthy experimentation yet.  Concept seems fine though.

OTHER IDEAS

a) USE OF COPPER OR PLASTIC TUBING.  It may be possible to design a handle with various angles to suit the player.  A 45 degree elbow could be used on a garden handle to also alter the players hand angle.  Combos could be tried.

b) HAND MOULDS - Perhaps these could be used to make a unique handle for individual players.  Thus perhaps allowing for maximum force and control.

I hope these are helpful to some wheelchair curlers.  We are still an evolving sport technically and I am pleased to share some ideas to hopefully better the sport.

Ernie Comerford - London Ontario Nov. 2009

Communication key to USA success, says coach Brown

Jim Pierce - Team USA vice-Skip
(photo - Sitrin)

Team USA coach Steve Brown told Universal Sports reporter Josh George that involving all the team members in the game will help skip Augusto 'Goose' Perez and improve the team.

“When you can get four people, four sets of eyes (assessing the situation), you’ll be a lot stronger than one,” Brown said during a phone interview.

"Goose knows the strategy comparable to the top teams, but he is still going to make mistakes sometimes,” said Brown. “But if you have that extra set of eyes, instead of making a call that is almost guaranteed to backfire, you have someone making you take that second look.”

Vice-skip Jim Pierce commented after the US Open, "We did gain some ground in communication, which is a huge thing....Everybody has to stay in the game, you can’t just shoot your two shots and be done.”

Read what you will between the lines here, but having met the team and seen them play, I know Goose is a forceful personality who relishes the big occasion and the opportunity to make the spectacular shot. If he is able to draw on the insights of the quieter members of his team, the game calling may become less adventurous, but USA's medal prospects may improve.

End the WCF ban on power wheelchairs now!

The World Curling Federation, at its semi-annual meeting taking place in Aberdeen this month during the European Championships (regular curling) has two items on the agenda directly affecting wheelchair curlers.

Agenda item 22 -  Should electric wheelchairs be allowed at World Wheelchair Curling Championships?  WCF Recommendation:  Electric wheelchairs should not be allowed at World Wheelchair Curling Championships or their qualifying events.

You can read my reasons for wanting the ban lifted in the Wheelchair Watch column in the December issue of SWEEP d-Mag.

Curlers using power chairs have more than enough obstacles to overcome without being victimised by discriminatory rules based on impressions rather than evidence. The ban will continue unless you contact your WCF representative and ask them to end the ban now.

A second proposal under consideration is to extend the eligibility for wheelchair curling beyond the present definition of "requiring a wheelchair for daily mobility" to including people with substantial (described and evaluated) disabilities who are unable to curl without the use of a wheelchair.

This proposal is part of a substantial discussion document prepared by the WCF vice-President Kate Caithness concerning classification and eligibility, as well as addressing the fact that there is no present mechanism to appeal a classification decision (in either direction).

There is no present WCF support beyond promises of further study for Michaael McCreadie's suggestion to include more severely disabled wheelchair users in a separate classification, mandating inclusion on competitive teams.

Final decisions on rule changes will be made at the WCF annual meeting in April, but delegates are meeting this month in Aberdeen to discuss what changes might be made.

Make your voice heard.

Jim Armstrong to be a special guest at Olympic Trials

Jim Armstrong will be one of the special guests at the Opening Ceremonies at the Tim Horton's Roar Of The Rings in Edmonton.

He can discuss with Randy Ferbey the mechanics of external team selection. Ferbey has insisted that he won't allow the CCA to influence his pick of a 5th player should he win the Olympic trials.

CCA chief Greg Stremlaw is quoted as saying that the CCA owes a duty to the Canadian Olympic Committee to not allow just anyone (a 5th) to play. "Obviously the individual can't be just anybody, right?"

Apart from the insulting inference that a skip on a competitive team would select "just anybody," Stemlaw is wrong if he cares about the overall heath of the sport he is paid to oversee.

The health of a sport relies on the enthusiasm of its participants, not the ambitions of administrators and funders. The ability to choose who you play with is the essential fertilizer of Canadian grassroots curling. Canada does well internationally because from those grassroots grow a great many teams, raising each other's play by competing as a unit to be the best.

If you define a sport in terms of podium success, you end up with a tiny group of sponsored athletes drawn from an ever-diminishing pool that will see no incentive to grow larger. That's how it is in most countries, and that's how it may, but does not need to become in Canada.

While Armstrong has bought into the apologists' argument that there has not been enough players to justify a 'win to play' system in wheelchair curling, and is fulsome in his praise for the team members who have been chosen to play alongside him, he tells me he is open to exploring other proposals after the Paralympics.

USA beat Great Britain in Cathy Kerr final

Teams had an early start Sunday morning as the semi-finals of the the Annual Cathy Kerr Memorial Spiel began at 8.30am at Ottawa's RA Club.

Great Britain beat Chris Sobkowicz's Manitobans 6-3 and USA beat last year's Ontario champions Team Gregory 8-6.

In the afternoon final it was USA over Great Britain 9-4, with Gregory claiming bronze with a 9-5 win over Sobkowicz. Great Britain had Michael McCreadie calling the game from 3rd with Aileen Nielsen throwing last rocks. Team USA rotated their fifth player, who then skipped the USA 2 side.

In the recreation division Robert Michel was the winner and Aaron Wong-Sing was the runner-up. Both teams are from Ottawa.

 

The results mean that Bruce Cameron, Ken Gregory and Chris Rees all qualify for the Ontario ParaSports Winter Games to be held in Kingston in January 2010. Richard Fraser will be the alternate.

 

During the semis and finals, the other competitive teams curled for pride and experience so everyone had six games over the weekend.

SUI overwhelm NOR in final of Czech Open - Canada take bronze

Switzerland beat a full strength Canada 8-4 in the semi-final of the Czech Open in Prague today. They opened with a single point, scored facing four Canadian stones, then gave up 3 in the second. The game turned in the 3rd when Switzerland scored 5, and Canada were unable to recover, giving up a steal of 1 in the 4th to be down 7-3 at the break. Canada did have a chance for 3 in the 6th, but only scored 1 and the teams shook hands with Canada run out of rocks in the 7th. (The 5 ender was the costliest end of Armstrong's stewardship of the team.)

Canada         0 3 0 0 1 0 x x - 4
Switzerland*   1 0 5 1 0 1 x x - 8

In the other semi, Norway scored 4 in the final end for a come from behind victory over Sweden 8-6.

Norway    1 0 0 1 2 0 4 x - 8
Sweden*   0 0 5 0 0 1 0 x - 6

Switzerland, with the highly experienced Manfred Bollinger at skip, fielded a team with just one change from the squad that struggled at the 2009 Worlds. In the final they overwhelmed Norway 7-1, allowing the single point in the final end.

Norway            0 0 0 0 0 0 1 x - 1
Switzerland*      1 0 1 3 1 1 0 x - 7

Canada redeemed themselves with a 4-1 win over Sweden to take 3rd place.

Canada        0 0 0 1 2 1 0 X  4

Sweden        0 0 0 0 0 0 1 X  1

(Q) There were a lot of blank ends. Was that intentional, to keep things clean? Wendy Morgan - "It was the game plan based on ice conditions."
*Q) And how would you describe the ice conditions?
Wendy Morgan - "Previous games heavy and inconsistent - the final game sheet 4 was the best sheet we played on during the event - the 3 blank ends were the result of outstanding execution by both teams in a defensive style of play."

Morgan professed to being happy with the trip. "It was a terrific competition - we are very pleased with our results and moving forward to the new year."

That's understandable coach-speak, but the trip demonstrated that Canada can not expect to have things all their own way. They lost to Finland in a game that did not matter, and to Switzerland in a game that did. No cause for panic, and Jim Armstrong's play will doubtless improve as he continues his recovery from injury and is able to put in the ice-time to reach the standard Canada will need in Vancouver. But Sweden, Switzerland and Great Britain have all won international events this year. Norway's play is improving ("We don't want to peak too early," says coach Christensen.) USA have a big event skip, while Korea threaten to break the rocks with their hitting game.

It's going to be interesting in Vancouver.

GB, USA, Manitoba and Gregory in Cathy Kerr semis

The four most experienced teams won through to Sunday's semi-finals at the 5th Annual Cathy Kerr Memorial Spiel in Ottawa.

Great Britain beat Ken Gregory's Bradford team that represented Ontario at the 2009 Nationals 10-2 in today's 8.30am draw. USA had a tougher match, coming out ahead of Chris Sobkowicz's Manitobans 5-4.

GB were back on the ice at 11am, this time posting a 10-3 win over USA II. Their third draw of the day was a 16-0 rout of the inexperienced London ON side.

Manitoba had a 6-4 win over host Cameron, and a 6-5 win over Quebec, while USA beat Ottawa's Fraser 6-0 and finished with a 6-5 win over Cameron.

Gregory beat previous Ontario champion Chris Rees' Toronta team 7-5 and finished the day with a 5-5 tie against USA II.

Tomorrow's semi-finals are Gregory v. USA 1 and Great Britain v. Manitoba.

Scores from today's games are below.

Draw 3 - Saturday November 28th  8.30am

Quebec 10  -  Fraser 1

Great Britain 10 - Gregory 2

USA 1  5  -  Manitoba 4

Rees 17  - London - 2

Draw 4 - Saturday November 28th  11am

USA 1  6  -  Fraser 0

Manitoba 6  -  Cameron  4

Great Britain 10  - USA 2  3

Gregory 7  -  Rees  5

Draw 5 - Saturday November 28th 2.30pm

Gregory 5  -  USA 2  5 (tie)

Great Britain 16  - London  0

Manitoba 6  - Quebec  5

USA1  6   - Cameron 5

Unranked Finland upset Canada, Canada & Norway top pools

Canada were upset by Finland, a team that have never appeared in a World Championship, in the morning draw of the second day of the Czech Open in Prague.

They gave up single steals in the first two ends, and a steal of 3 in the 5th before making the 8-5 scoreline a little more respectable with a steal of 3 of their own in the seventh and final end. Bruno Yizek played at second in place of ina. This was a team decision to give Bruno some playing time and experience at different positions.

"Finland played very well - Canada struggled with weight control," texts Team Leader Wendy Morgan. "The team is upbeat - took some lessons learned from this morning's game."

Sweden came back from a 4-0 deficit to beat Czech 1 6-5 in a match that only managed to play 6 ends in the allotted time. Germany saw Norway take singles in each of the first four ends in a 5-2 defeat in seven ends. The low scoring reminded some of their Draw 9 match-up at the 2009 Worlds contest, where the teams blanked the first four ends.

Switzerland posted a 7-5 win over Czech 2 in the remaining morning draw.

Finland   1  1  0  3  3  0  0  -  8
Canada*   0  0  1  0  0  1  3  -  5

Czech 1   2  1  1  0  0  1  -  -  5   
Sweden*   0  0  0  3  3  0  -  -  6

Germany   0  0  0  0  1  0  1  -  2
Norway*   1  1  1  1  0  1  0  -  5

Czech 2*      0  1  0  0  3  1  -  5
Switzerland   4  0  2  1  0  0  -  7

In the afternoon draw, Canada went into the break level with Czech 1, but had steals in the next three ends to win 7-3.

"We had a slow start to the game this afternoon but rallied in the second half," texts Wendy Morgan. "Sonja sat and Bruno played lead."

Norway pounded Czech 2 by 13-1 and Sweden took 5 in the third against Finland and won 9-4.

Germany gave up a steal of 3 in the first and 1 in the second, but eked out a win over Switzerland by scoring 3 in the final end of a game that only managed 6 ends in the allotted two hours.

Norway        2  2  1  1  0  3  2  2  -  13
Czech 2*   0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  -  1

Switzerland   3  1  0  0  1  0  -  -   - 5
Germany*      0  0  2  1  0  3  -  -   - 6

Canada*     1  0  0  1  1  1  3  0   - 7
Czech 1     0  1  1  0  0  0  0  1   - 3

Sweden      0  0  5  0  2  0  2  -   - 9
Finland*    1  1  0  1  0  1  0  -   - 4

Table after round robin

Pool A

1 Norway
2 Switzerland
3 Germany
4 Czech 2

Pool B

1 Canada
2 Sweden
3 Finland
4 Czech 1

Norway plays Sweden and Switzerland plays Canada in tomorrow's semi-finals.

Meanwhile Great Britain and USA play in Ottawa

Bruce Cameron and the Capital Wheelchair Curling Club have assembled the largest competitive field outside of a national championships for the 5th Annual Cathy Kerr Memorial Spiel at the RA Curling Club in Ottawa this weekend.

Ten teams, including Great Britain and two teams from the USA are competing against teams from Manitoba, Quebec and five Ontario teams. This is also a qualifying event to become one of the three teams that wlll attend the Ontario Winter ParaSports Games to be held in Kingston in January 2010.

There are two pools

Group A                                        Group B

Gregory (Bradford)                        Cameron (Ottawa)
Rees  (Toronto)                            Fraser (Ottawa)
Claus (London ON)                        USA 1 (Perez)
Great Britain  (McCreadie)              Manitoba (Sobkowicz)
USA 2                                          Quebec   

Draw 1 Results

Manitoba 6-4  Fraser (Ottawa)

Great Britain 9-5  Rees (Toronto)

USA 2  17-4   Claus (London)

Cameron (Ottawa)  11-4  Quebec

Draw 2 Results

USA 2  8-7  Rees (Toronto)

USA 1  11-2  Quebec

Gregory (Bradford) 16-0  Claus (London)

Cameron (Ottawa) 9-4  Fraser (Ottawa)

There is also a recreational division with four teams from the Capital Wheelchair urling Club and one team from Quebec.

It's deja vu all over again for Canada/Sweden at Czech Open

The opening draw of the 2009 Czech Open in Prague matched the 2009 Worlds finalists and Canada again scored 9 to win. Canada went out to an early 6-0 lead, taking 2 with the hammer and stealing 3 and 1 before Sweden got on the board with 2 before the half-time break.

Whatever caoch Tomas Nordin told his team seemed to work as Sweden made the scoreboard more respectable with single steals in the 5th and 6th, but a 3 for Canada in the 7th brought the match to an early 9-4 conclusion.

"Fast start, were slower the two ends after the break - ice was patchy and we changed our game to deal with the conditions," texted Team Leader Wendy Morgan. Before play, coaches approached the organizers and requested that the matches originally scheduled for 6 ends and 80 minutes, be extended to 8 ends with a bell at two hours, closer to the Paralympics format.

In other games, Norway, whose coach told me prior to the tournament start that his team were on an upward trajectory but that he didn't want them to peak before Vancouver, had a steal of 4 against Switzerland but were only able to score in two of the seven ends played, losing 9-6.

Germany overpowered Czech 2, opening with a 4 then stealing multiple points each of the next four ends, running out 13-2 winners. Finland, who have yet to appear on the World stage, tied 6-6 with Czech 1.

CANADA           2  3  1  0  0  0  3  x  9
SWEDEN           0  0  0  2  1  1  0  x  4

NORWAY           0  0  0  2  4  0  0  x  6
SWITZERLAND      1  2  3  0  0  2  1  x  9

GERMANY          4  2  2  2  3  0  x  x  13

CZECH  2         0  0  0  0  0  2  x  x   2

FINLAND          3  1  1  0  1  0  0  x   6
CZECH 1          0  0  0  4  0  1  1  x   6

Bruno Yizek, Canada's 5th, did not play. He will replace Sonja Gaudet at lead in tomorrow morning's draw against Finland.

Pool A

Norway - R. Lorensen , G. Skogstad , J. Stordahl , L. Tystad , A. M. Samdal 

Switzerland - M. Villars , C. Hüttenmoser , A. Kehrli, M. Bolliger
Germany - C. Steger , C. Totzauer, J. Gäbel, M. Sieger, J. Jäger
Czech 2 - O. Vikturnová , Š. Beneš , O. Kříž , J. Coufal , J. Břinčilová , L. Procházka


Pool B

Canada - J. Armstrong , D. Neighbour , I. Forrest , S. Gaudet , B. Yizek
Sweden - A. Wilhelm, P. Burman, G. Ikonen, J. Jungnell, P. Kallin
Finland - R. Särösalo, M. Karjalainen, V. Hellman, T. Aarnikka, S. Räsänen 

Czech 1 - R. Musílek, M. Charvátová , P. Gottlieb , R. Pokorný , M. Tluk



Draw 2  November 28  9.15am local time
CAN – FIN    SWE – CZE A    NOR – GER    SUI – CZE B

Draw 3  November 28  2.30pm local time
NOR – CZE B    SUI – GER    CAN – CZE A    SWE – FIN

Crapaud CC in P.E.I. to host Wheelchair Curling Workshops

The PEI Curling Association is looking to expand its programs this season by attracting those who are either vision impaired, or use a wheelchair.

A demonstration and workshop for interested participants, or volunteers who would like to coach and guide, is being held at the Crapaud Community Curling Club on Sunday December 6. It is hoped that representatives from all PEI curling clubs can attend these sessions.

The wheelchair demonstration will be held from 10.00am-1.00pm. For more information contact Gayle Johnston at 902-368-1071.

CLICK HERE for a link to the event.

Crapaud Curling Club has been added to wheelchaircurling.com's list of wheelchair friendly clubs. If you know of any venues not listed, please send me an email with a link to the club's website, or a phone number and they will be added to the list.

"I'll personally be disappointed without gold" - Jim Armstrong

Canada skip Jim Armstrong is one of five Olympians and Paralympians Canada.com's North Shore News selects as "athletes you should know" in the run-up to the Games.

"We'll be disappointed if we aren't on the podium," Armstrong says. "I personally will be disappointed without gold." [read more]