Week 8 - All Game...little instruction

After 8 incredible weeks of drills and instruction, we played our first full evening of games. Everyone appeared to be very excited. Our instructors stepped back to see what we could do. Of course, they didn't stray far as we needed lots of help with the strategy and shot selection.

It was difficult for me to pay attention to the other sheets and how the other games were going but from what I did see, people seem pretty eager to put on their 'game faces' to show off their skills. It is great to see us, as a group, be so excited about and focused on good technique - a good release - proper wait - sweeping hard; yet still have huge smiles whether a good outcome was achieved or not.


With us now starting to play games we can hopefully start learning the strategy side, not say we aren't going to still work on the physical skills. But I think the real fun will be when a team begins to plan their shots and execute them with some consistancy.


Even though we are not yet really keeping tabs, my competitive side is starting to take over....I am 2-0 for the little games we've played (just for the record).


Quote of the Night

"I just did a double takeout....it wasn't what the skip called and wasn't what I was aiming at, but it was so cool"


I would love to get some feedback from others especially from our instructors of our progress. Looking forward to the XMAS dinner in a couple of weeks!



What do you think?

Weeks 5,6,7 - Completed 2 full ends

Sorry, I have been away for the past couple of weeks with work but was back in full form last night.

We did a quick review of the past 2 weeks (which I missed), 'delivery line' and 'throwing at the broom'. What I thought as a pretty simple movement of sliding a rock down the ice, has now become quit technical and complicated. Repetition and some muscle memory will definitely compensate for that. Instructor Lisa, had a pretty difficult task of balancing the group, now ranging from people who are still in their infancy of learning the skills and the keener's who are now going out 3 or 4 times week to practice begging to starting playing full ends. Lisa made us do a some practice throws, throwing in turns and out turns (fancy names for turn left or turn right) and offer great critiques and guidance....then let us divide into 2 teams, chatted about basic game strategy and some etiquette (www.startcurling.ca/etiquetteRules.html), finally gave us the thumbs up!

Rob and I immediately started talking about strategy and taunting a couple of members of the other team...the game was on (only playing 2 ends)! It was great seeing the learned/limited skills put into game situation....everyone concentrated on proper technique or at least attempted to. Although not always succeeding, everyone was positive and encouraging. Remember if you point your shoulder, hips and toe at the target, you will end up at the target!

We started strategizing (pretending like we knew what we were doing), rocks were thrown, people swept, we yelled "hurry hard", just like the TV commercials (http://www.startcurling.ca/)

Our team did not have last rock in the first end (a disadvantage) and we gave up 1 point on a couple of almost made shots. Lisa was great at helping us formulate strategy...it is very much like chess, thinking about the current and future positioning of stones. What a mess we would have made without her help.

We were down 1 going into the second end. After gaining some confidence, there were some really great shots....WE LOOKED LIKE CURLERS! Rob's 'guards', David's 'double takeout' and I had 'draw to the button' then had to make a 'take out' and have my stone stay in the 8foot to get 2 points and win the game. I'm still fired up!

After, we all meet in the lounge recapping each shot like we were WWII vets talking of past glory. Classic!

Quote of the Night
"forget draw weight, I'm taking out as many rocks out as I can, I love they way it sounds"

Thought of the Night
If you lose, you can blame the skip for making bad calls...sorry but it's true

Paul

week 4 - draw vs takeout weight

Hello everyone. sorry I am a day late with this one. Feeling quit sick yesterday.

I think it is a good time to add a video link to a simple breakdown of what curling is and some terms of reference....please watch

www.youtube.com/watch?vrmI_306U12k

This week was fun. We had our first session concentrating on throwing rocks down the sheet. As always we did some review and practice slides watched a few demonstrations and off we went.

Lynn Kreviazuk, this weeks instructor and Lead of Ontario's Provincial Jr champions team, went over the "rock back foot back, park, rock forward foot forward" routine. I am finding it easier when I'm not too mechanical in my thought process about the delivery.

Revelation of the Day - do what feels comfortable for you, then make small tweeks so that you are working on the correct technique.

Feeling quit comfortable with my delivery, I attempted to throw a couple of rocks down the sheet with the correct force (weight in curling terms) so they stopped anywhere in the rings (house). First attempt I was short of the hog line. This is like shooting a free throw in basketball and coming up 3 feet short. Next rock, I pushed much harder out of the hack....my rock made it over the hog line....YEAAA, through the house....NOOOO.... and took flight off the hack at the other end....OHHHH @#$%!!. This would be like a free throw going over the backboard and hitting the TSN camera. Not such a good start for me. I needed to regroup, watch others make the same mistakes. I felt better. I threw about 15 more rocks ...about half made it remotely close to where I wanted. Overall, felt pretty good with a 50% record.

We were supposed to be working on figuring out how much weight it takes to throw a draw (putting a rock in the house) and the weight it takes to throw a takeout (removing rocks in the house). As is stands now, one is throwing it harder than the other. I just can't do it properly. Once I can figure out what draw weight is, I think it is going to be easier to judge the weight of other shots. The only way that is going to happen is if I throw a lot more rocks....trial and error.

Safety Note of the Day - Keep your weight on your gripper foot and ALWAYS step off the ice with your slider first.

One the other instructors out it best...."You can only improve!"

Week 3 - Delivery Techniques

I have to apologize that there is no video or pix....camera broke in my bag on the way.

Last night started the same as the other 2 weeks. We gathered in the viewing area for a few minutes of stretching and warming up. After the crack of joints and moan of unwilling muscles we were off to cool our sliders. We got right into practicing out deliveries. Seemed like I lost some the comfort level I had from the week before, but after a few basic refreshers about balance and foot position my confidence returned.

Our instructor, Erin Morrisey, former Jr National player and Western University Skip, lead us through a series of new techniques that focused on shifting our weight when in the hack. She explained that if we could get a comfortable rhythm of "rock back weight back, pause, rock forward weight forward" our deliveries would become more powerful and consistent. I thought I was 'ok' at it til I starting chanting, first aloud (like a few other people around me), then in my head. After a few more practice slides using either a stabilizer or another rock to help with balance, we were challenged to slide with a broom in our non-sliding hand. What a disaster. BRING BACK MY STABILIZER. They did. It's turning into my childhood blankie.

Erin pointed out a couple small issues with the alignment of my sliding foot and rock, but I generally had pretty good technique. It seems that I am hanging the rock a little to the right which forces me to either pitch my upper body more left or lean too much on the rock. balance balance balance and more practice of course.

My new curling buddy, Glenn and I will be meeting this Friday to practice.

Anyone out there know a technique to help straighten me out?

Week 2 - our first real deliveries

Hi Everyone,

What a great night, we got to start throwing rocks like real curlers. Noticed I used the word 'like' and not the phrase 'same as'. I am a long way from that. Lisa, our instructor for the night, was great. She described the techniques for delivering rocks, demoed, then we practiced. The one-on-one teaching is invaluable!

Our group, on sheet 1 consisted of a few younger pups like me and few seasoned people. There were 4 other groups on other sheets going through the same drills. We all joked about who would be the first to fall and have to wear a helmet for the rest of the evening. Luckily, fear of the helmet and pain kept us upright for the nearly an hour of progressive balancing and sliding drills. Watching the other groups...several minor falls were echoed with laughter and "Can I try that again?". As we went through the drills, we were using 2 stabilizers to slide out of the hack, Lisa asked to lift out throwing hand to prove we had the proper balance. After a couple people made their attempts, our group got a little over confident so we started lifting both hands or did some other variations of what we were asked to do. Finally it happened. A gentlemen, who was fairly technically sound to this point (an obvious x-curler) dazzled us with a baton-like twirl move with the stabilizer....we cheered. When he stood up to relish in the awe of us, his adoring fans, he went ass-over-tea-kettle. Both legs left the ice and stabilizers went flying. After a second of panic, 3 instructors sprinting over to check him and him trying to get back to his feet before pretending that no one saw..... we all split a gut! Wish I got it on video.

Here are a few videos of the progress.

My first night of curling

So last night was the inaugural night of curling. First thing I have to say is people were so friendly.

When I arrived, I was greeted, fitted for a pair of specialized curling shoes, ushered into the lounge and introduced to a couple of other newbies. After a few minutes of meeting and greeting, about 30 of us (ages 20's to 50's) gathered on the top floor for a short 45min overview of the basics of the ice, curling etiquette and meeting our instructors. THEN out on the ice we went....

We started slow...good thing it is surprisingly hard to stand on a slider. We were asked to slide around a little, bent down in the ready position and tried to extend into a lunge....my only thought was 'Bambi on ice'. Half of us fell.....everybody laughed. We got a chance to practice a few more times then tried sweeping. Finally we got to practice pushing out of the hack in an attempt to do a proper curling slide. We had instructors with us giving individual help and pointers. There were many falls and lots of laughs but no injuries other than a little pride and some bruised knees.

A couple of quick points: its harder than it looks and this is going to get me better shape. Ottawa Curling Club is a great building and the people are fabulous.

Such a fun night!!!!!!

Can't wait til next Tuesday

I am starting to curl...

I started working with the Canadian Curling Association in November of 2008...ironically, I do not curl. Fortunately, my position requires no background as player, I do however, have many hours of experience watching it on TV as a screaming fan. After a year under my belt with the organization and being up close and personal with some of the worlds best players, not to mention the average jo - curler...I too want to play! So, I am starting the "Getting Started" program offered the Ottawa Curling Club (check your local club for a similar program for new curlers). http://www.ottawacurlingclub.com/

My intent of this blog is to try to document my progress over the next few months. I hope to provide a place for others to share their stories, their insights and helpful info. Who knows maybe others will be motivated to give it a try.

I will update every Wednesday, starting Oct 14, 2009....but feel free to add stuff at any time.

If you are a seasoned player PLEASE give some advise on rules and etiquette...we will appreciate it.

Please sign up, follow along, add content, give advise...