News from P.E.I.

Eric Payne delivers a stone braced by buddy Jamie Thompson
[photo - Amber Nicholson/Journal Pioneer]

Amber Nicholson of the Journal-Pioneer reports that less than a year since Crapaud Community CC invited its first wheelchair users onto the ice, it is hosting an Atlantic Canada High Performance Wheelchair Camp January 14-16.

Eric Payne of Warren Grove, who curls Tuesday evenings at the club, believes the camp will be a significant steppingstone for wheelchair curling on P.E.I.

"It's going to bring attention to (the sport) here on P.E.I. It's going to help the sport itself grow in the Maritimes and it's going to help extend the network of wheelchair curling across Canada," he said.

Read the full report.

The three-day High Performance Wheelchair Camp is geared toward athletes who have or plan to compete at the Wheelchair Curling Nationals. Camp activities include technical review on and off-ice, drills, strategy, mental preparation, team dynamics, video analysis and three games. Special guest instructors include national team coach, Wendy Morgan, and national team mental trainer, Dr. Laura Farres.

Curlers planning to participate in the camp are asked to confirm their attendance by Saturday, Jan. 1, via e-mail to hradford@nscurl.com. For more information contact Gayle Johnston at 368-1071.

PEI sponsoring another wheelchair curling clinic

The PEI Curling Association is sponsoring a free demonstration and workshop  at the Crapaud Community Curling Club on Sunday January 31. A similar event was held in December, but the inclement weather kept many people from attending.  It is hoped that representatives from all PEI curling clubs can attend these sessions.

The wheelchair curling demonstration will be held from 10.00am-1.00pm. Those interested in participating should contact Gayle Johnston at 902-368-1071.

“We are delighted to be able to put on this workshop and clinic,” said Gayle Johnston, Technical Coordinator for the PEI Curling Association. “We encourage anybody who uses a wheelchair, to come out and see what it is all about. Curling is the most social of sports, and disability should be no barrier to participating and having fun.”

PEI had hoped to field a provincial team at this year's Nationals, but have decided till 2011.