Brits looking beyond 2010 for high performance squad

If you are committed to individual selection for the national team, how do you keep your top athletes motivated when you  choose the team 2 years before a major competition? If you are in charge of British curling you offer those who didn't make the cut a clear and public path to future selection.

Experienced curlers are invited to apply for invitations to up to 5 British ranking events where individual assessments of accuracy and weight control will be made using cameras and laser timers. Perth, Braehead, Ross and Aberdeen will host the assessments between this October and March of next year.

The application deadline is September 30th, and the top 14 curlers will form a high performance developmental squad, and qualify for financial support, that will be looking to 2014 and beyond. There's no mention of whether exceptions might be made for curlers of proven ability unable to participate in at least 3 of the 5 assessments.

Read more at Bob Cowan's Curling Today blog and the RCCC website.

USA top ten to train at Lake Placid Olympic Training Centre

Team USA's ten member high performance athlete pool will be training at the National Olympic Training Centre in Lake Placid NY the first weekend in September. The group includes the five who won Bronze at the 2008 Worlds, plus Patrick McDonald, Roy Heathcoat, Tammy Delano, Danell Libby and Ellie O'Neill.

The USA trials will again be held in Utica the weekend of November 11-14.

Manitobans compete against 3 all-time greats

photo courtesy TheCurler.com

Chris Sobkowicz led his Manitoba champions against Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Stoughton and Vic Peters in an awareness and fundraising matchup on arena style ice at the Monsanto Sliding In Summer Bonspiel in Warren, MB.

"Our goal is to play as many games as possible against able-bodied teams, provide awareness to the curling public, and of course, become better curlers," says Sobkowicz.

Read reports from TheCurler.com and the Winnipeg Sun.

Who should be eligible to curl from a wheelchair?

This deceptively simple question proved controversial, at least in Canada, during the 2007/8 season. Jim Armstrong, a 6-time Brier competitor whose curling career ended through injury, was declared eligible for wheelchair curling by a Canadian sports classifier perhaps more familiar with wheelchair basketball.

Opposition to that decision appeared to surprise the CCA, and ended in a rebuke by the World Curling Federation, who felt their eligibility rules requiring wheelchair use for daily mobility, clearly disqualified the ambulant Armstrong. Although presently ineligible for international competition, Armstrong was chosen by CurlBC coach Melissa Soligo to skip the BC team that went on to win the 2008 Canadian National Championships.

This summer the CCA has adopted several major WCF rules of competition changes, and has solicited advice on a definition of athlete eligibility that strikes a balance between inclusion and maintaining the integrity of the sport.

National champions in wheelchair curling (unlike regular curling) do not become Team Canada so WCF eligibility rules need not apply (although different eligibility rules would be an additional impediment to equal treatment in the future.)

Different wheelchair sports adopt different procedures, but a general principle is to provide opportunity for participation that would be impossible without a wheelchair. Is wheelchair curling merely curling from a wheelchair, or should it be limited to those reliant on a wheelchair, and if so, to what degree? And where does the increasingly popular stick curling format come in?

Where is the optimal eligibility setting on the continuum between "anyone sitting in a wheelchair" and "person requiring a wheelchair for daily mobility"? The former eliminates the temptation to stretch the rules, while possibly discouraging those who after all are the target audience - wheelchair users. The latter excludes those denied the opportunity to participate in organised curling by virtue of their physical circumstances, but who are not technically "wheelchair-based."

I would exclude those ambulant enough to participate in stick curling, but include those using braces and crutches, or who have an unsteady gait necessitating a wheelchair on-ice, but who chose not to use a wheelchair in their daily lives.

These distinctions only matter when deciding criteria for the Canadian National Championships. Play at local and club level can and should answer to the desires of those willing to be involved. For a national championship there has to be clear eligibility rules to ensure fairness.

Here then is my suggestion for eligibility to play in the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships:

To be eligible to play in competitions leading to participation in the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships, a player must be restricted in their mobility such that they are unable to deliver a curling stone without the use of a wheelchair.

Interpretation: Although wheelchair curling is intended to be played by people who use wheelchairs for their daily mobility, it should not exclude those unable to participate in stick curling because they are unable to safely deliver a rock while standing.

What do you think? You can contribute to a discussion on this topic by adding a comment to this entry at the Wheelchair Curling Blog.

Mark your calendar for 4pm March 20th, 2010

The  Vancouver Sun reports that's when the wheelchair curling gold medal game in the newly built facility at Hillcrest Park, will begin.

CurlBC abandons selection camps for playdowns

In another sign of the maturing of the sport, CurlBC has just announced their April 24th decision to abandon selection camps in favour of a playdown to choose who will represent the province at the 2009 Canadian National Championships in Halifax NS.

From an enthusiastic start in 2003, and despite success at the National Championships with a selected team, participation in wheelchair curling in BC has stagnated over the past 5 years, culminating in a humiliating withdrawal from the 2008 BC Winter Games because of lack of athletes. It is to be seen whether finally rewarding team formation will be the catalyst for renewed enthusiasm.

The change is designated a "one year pilot project" but it is unclear what criteria will be used to determine its success. BC already has the best record of any provincial team at the Canadian Nationals, having won the past two years, and coming second to Team Canada when the (selection based) national team competed the previous three years. If growth in participation is the criterion, then it may take more than a single year to undo the disincentives to team formation of the past five.

The CurlBC wheelchair curling committee, whose members are listed on the CurlBC website, invite suggestions for rules of competition.

Collingwood CC gets big grant to "break down barriers"

The Enterprise-Bulletin reports that Collingwood Curling Club in northern Ontario has received a $141,000 grant from the Trillium Foundation. The facility has been extensively remodelled to make it accessible, and will now become the central location of the Sports and Leisure Network for the southern Georgian Bay region. [more details]

Canada adopts WCF rules, less a minute

The Canadian Curling Association will adopt the revised rules for competition adopted by the World Curling Federation in their biennial rules committee meeting this June (see previous post).

Games will be 8 ends, and the delivery zone widened. Clubs with active wheelchair curling programs or hosting national competitions will be expected to have guidelines running 18 inches either side of the centre line. These will be in addition, as reader Bruce Cameron noted, to the lines many clubs already have that run down the sheet from the edge of the 4 foot.

Canadian games will, however, be at least a minute a side shorter as each team will be allowed 67 minutes rather than the WCF's mandated 68; a decision that will amuse long time followers of the relationship between the CCA and the WCF.

New rules show wheelchair curling is growing up

 The World Curling Federation has changed the rules of competition for WCF sponsored events, moving wheelchair curling closer to the regular game. Gone is the patronising 6-end limit, and gone too will be the incessant on -ice conferences before every shot that destroyed its appeal as a spectator sport.

Games will now be 8 ends (from 6) with each team allowed 68 minutes plus one 60 second time-out. The delivery zone is also expanded by 6 inches either side of the centre line.

The new delivery zone, from a rock at delivery "touching the centre line" to being "wholly within 18 inches either side of the centre line" adds approximately 6 inches of width to each side of the centre line. Its effect is to reduce the penalty, in angle reduction, of releasing near the hogline rather than the hack. Shots delivered between the hack and the near house must still be touching centre line at delivery.

This change also moves wheelchair curling closer to the angles available to regular curlers, who although expected to release their stones "in reasonable proximity to the centre line," had a wider range of angles available at delivery.

The CCA will adopt the WCF rule on delivery zone for the coming season but as yet have not committed to lengthening games to 8 ends. Though the CCA has different player eligibility criteria, they have otherwise typically followed the WCF's lead in rule making so as not to disadvantage Team Canada when they compete internationally.

CLICK HERE for a text file extract from the WCF's Rules Of Curling, detailing rules specific to wheelchair curling.

Manitobans competing in Bismarck, ND

KXMB TV has a video report from the Summer Bonspiel at the Capital Curling Club in Bismarck, North Dakota. A team from Winnipeg skipped by Chris Sobkowicz is competing and are interviewed in the report. [watch]

Team Manitoba challenges Burtnyk, Stoughton and Peters

The  Winnipeg Free Press reports that Manitoba's Big Three of Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Stoughton and Vic Peters will take part in a "demonstration challenge game" against Chris Sobowicz's Provincial Champions and 2008 Canadian bronze medallists.

The game will be played at 7pm on August 21st during the Monsanto Sliding In Summer Spiel in Warren, MB.

"Keep it simple," says Coach Ernie Comerford

No Kidding -- the Game is really very simple!



by Coach Ernie Comerford



I believe that many Coaches and Players (even High Performance ones) make wheelchair curling FAR too complicated. Heavens, when you really think about it, we are still only trying to do THREE simple things in wheelchair curling (and able-bodied curling for that matter).

1. Throw it straight.


2. Throw it with a certain turn.


3. Throw it with a certain amount of weight.

Now is that so hard? I think that FAR too often we complicate matters unduly. Of course, I know that for all TOP teams Strategy, Goals, Mental Training and so on are vital skills to develop. However let’s not forget the BASICS. Just imagine if one of your wheelchair players was able to just do the first three things – ALMOST ALL of the time! Man what a player! What a game? What a spectator sport! But above all - What a Coach! Odd….is this the KISS principle at work??



Funny….. “Are we sounding like able-bodied curlers??…..naaaahhh we can’t play like them - so why even try to? Besides they sweep and boy does that make a difference in the game. We just can’t make the shots that they call and make”………………...



But we DO think “able-bodied” in spite of the fact that our game is often decided by MISSED shots than strategy. So why are we so often hooked on the able-bodied game? I suggest that we stick more with the basics and then we will definitely be on the right track.



At the recent 2008 World Championships, it became evident that many countries must be concentrating on the basics of shot making. I believe they are on the right track.  Check out http://wwcc.curlit.com/ for the statistics of the championships. Korea had 5 out of 9 games at 60% or better. Scotland had 4, Canada had 3 and all other teams had 2 or less. Funny how the Champion Norwegian Coach talks basics in shooting and strategy yet they were low in shooting.



I believe that when we are training our own competitive players (and others too), we must concentrate on the BASICS. In this regard, I have attached a few practice drills which are aimed at improving the three basics. I hope these prove of value to you and your athletes.



Feel free to adapt them to your needs. Their purpose is simply to help assist anyone who is new to the coaching of wheelchair curlers. Other coaches are invited to add their items to share with others across the country.



Good Curling to All Ernie Comerford, Coach London Ontario, June 2008 erniecomerford@rogers.com 519 – 203 – 0087



PS The suggested “Eyes Closed” drills are not a joke. Contact me for more info. I would be glad to share any ideas with anyone across the country I may even pay for the phone call.



CLICK HERE for links to Ernie's drills.

Canada's 2008 season opens with Olson Osoyoos 2 on 2

The first wheelchair curling event of Canada's 2008/2009 season is once again the Olson 2 on 2 Spiel over the weekend of September 6-7th, hosted by the Osoyoos CC. This is the second year that Olson Curling Supply has sponsored this exciting event.

Entries cost $50 per team and include two lunches and Saturday dinner. Wheelchair users interested in trying our sport are invited to a practice session at 7 pm Friday evening, September 5th.

In the 2 on 2 format, each member of the 2 person team throws 3 rocks and skips 3 rocks each end. Members of Team Canada will be participating.

For more information contact Darryl Neighbour or register online at CurlBC

Scots get on-ice training time

Bob Cowan reports that the Great Britain wheelchair curling squad (all Scots) were at Inverness Ice Centre the weekend before last for a training session, both on and off the ice. [Link to photo]

Vancouver Island's Jensen continues publicity push

Corinne Jensen, the Island's indefatigable wheelchair curling rep, continues her campaign to raise the sport's profile in an interview with the Goldstream Gazette.

“We need to grow (wheelchair curling) because there are tons of people out there who could do it, they just need to know about it,” she says. [read more]

Joseph wins NY Achievers' Award

Senator Joseph A. Griffo named New Hartford’s James (Jimmy) Joseph recipient of the New York Senate Achievers’ Award, which recognizes individuals who overcome challenges and honors their accomplishments on behalf of their community.

Read the full story here.

Wheelchair curlers compete in Italy

“There may be no ice available in Scotland at this time of the year,” said SLWCC Secretary David Morgan, “but we found, via the Internet, this tournament was taking place, and got ourselves an invitation." Read more here.

Here's a report in the Hamiltom Advertiser.

Canada learns hard lessons from 2008 Worlds

5/14/2008

Team Canada athletes and coaches met in Edmonton last month to review the experience of the 2008 Worlds and to plan for the upcoming season. While the team's 6 consecutive victories during round robin play was enough to take them into the 1-2 playoff game, their failure to medal was a wake-up call. Program Director Gerry Peckham admitted that they had failed to anticipate the rapid improvements in technique exhibited by the medal teams, especially the Koreans.

"The Koreans have established new benchmarks in accuracy, especially for up-weight shots, which were important on the exceptionally swingy ice in Switzerland," he said. "We will be working with specialists in biometrics to improve delivery mechanics. Also the rule change that will move the placement of the stone at delivery from the centerline to within 18 inches of the centre line (Rule to be published by the WCF in June) will change the way the game is played and we must prepare for that."

The coaches will work with the five athletes who attended the Worlds, plus Jim Armstrong, who's present role will be mentor to the skip(s). Other members of last year's National Talent Pool will attend training sessions on an ad hoc basis, with everyone promised at least one more look before the 2010 squad is finalised later next season.

Peckham also intends to arrange game practice against regular curlers who can provide the level of opposition expected at the next Worlds, and also promises to tighten practice procedures so they better reflect the skills necessary on the ice during international competition. "For practice to be meaningful, there must be a consequence for poor performance and poor decisions," he said.

Team Canada's next training session will be in Edmonton in July.

Pittsburgh hosts a give-it-a-go day

Wheelchair curling has arrived in Pittsburgh, Pa. with an afternoon of curling at the Robert Morris University Islnd Sports Complex. From the looks of the photos on the Pittsburgh CC website, they attracted some teens to try out our sport.

Ottawa's Bruce Cameron profiled

The Ottawa Sun (April 14, 2008) had a photo and profile of Bruce Cameron. Bruce curled before his diagnosis with MS and now uses an electric wheelchair. He curls out of the Capitol Curling Club and has won medals at Provincial wheelchair curling events. CLICK HERE to see the article.