Another Victory

First, I have to congratulate the Ottawa Curling Club crew of Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Laura Crocker and Lynn Kreviazuk (Rachel and Lynn two of our instructors).

Great news for our program...there is going to be a curling bonspiel for the different first year curlers in the city in April, 4 or 5 clubs. A real chance to showcase our talents and a chance for our instructors to compare their coaching abilities....bragging rights are at stake. There is only room for 16 teams to take part and there are at least 3 teams from our club wanting to take part.

It was a good showing for our team...Ashley, Daniel and Rob. Right out of the gates we (I think) seemed to be in control of the game and stuck to the game plan. Both teams did a good job of trying different and making shots to force better shots from the others. We all managed to make some great shots...we just made them a few more times.


At the start I had some balance issues, fell flat on my face when I threw my first rock. Since I started throwing with a broom and not the stabilizer I have been struggling. Went back to the stabilizer in the middle of the game and issues seemed to be resolved. It's a lot easier and less to think about. Thanks for the advice Kiley!

Nothing really funny happened in our game....anyone else?

Glen's triumphant return

Missing for 6 weeks, Glen made his return and we lumped him into skipping. For the second week in a row it was a emotional struggle, add some communication confusion and my ability to make the shots - it was a recipe for near disaster.

Being able to read the ice - I was a non believer at the onset of my so-called curling career. NOT ANY MORE...one way is faster than the other, the rock does curl differently depending the line you choose and you have to know when it runs straight. As I am told, only more experience on the ice will make it better. Unfortunately, with so much of my time taken up with work and other stuff, not sure when I can find the time. Maybe I'll try to convince my boss to let me take a couple of days off each week, shouldn't be difficult considering who I work for...not holding my breath!

We were not the poster kids of fast play last night....25 min an end. We struggled to keep play moving only because we (both teams) over thought and over analyzed each shot. Something that I think most of the teams need to work on. We should get faster with time.

Now getting to the action ...there were 2 incidents or plays last night that were extremely noteworthy. First, the Big Fall - not to make fun but to point out the danger this sport posses - Glen was sliding down the sheet to prepare for his shot when I called out his name. When he started to look around to acknowledge me, his feet and head changed positions....feet went up - head went down. I lost my balance laughing...maybe I can make a little fun as it was my first reaction ...then concern.

The second incident involved the greatest cross house double takeout by Rob. Ashley and I can take 2% of the credit for sweeping. It was the "TSN turning point." It was a beautifully poetic motion. We erupted in celebration....so loud that the other games stopped and took notice. The only think I can compare it to is a great shot by a first time golfer that they talk about for the next year and the one that gets them back on the course. Superb!

Rob did turn to me and told me the secret of making the shot..."keep your eyes closed the entire time."

Ohhhh, I forgot.....we won too! Beers on us.

Almost the greatest comeback in the history of Tues nights

It was a tough night of curling. We started with hope and confidence. By the end of the first end, they stole 3 and we were stunned!

Our initial tactic was simple....through up a guard or two and get some stones the house. What a disaster! We couldn't figure out how fast the ice was or how much it was going to curl. Not to mention Cameron and his team threw some great shots.

I went straight for the bar....I can't even remember the 2nd end, but I am sure they got another point. Then they got 2 more in the 3rd or forth. SH@#!!!! Losing 6-0 just like that.

However, in the 5 end our tactic changed - through everything into the house and try to sort it out later. It worked. I was looking at scoring 5 if I could draw around 2 guards and hold it in house. Unfortunately, I rubbed the guard and it touched Daniel's foot then came to rest inside the 12foot, we were credited 3...it started our comeback. Our spirits lifted. We blanked 6th end....leaving all the marbles on the table for the final end (we only had time to play 7 ends).

Still trying to get as many rocks in the house as possible. We filled the house and the front was filled with guards. We were counting 4 and I had two attempts to put up a guard. I, of course, missed...but only just. I ended up knocking one of their stones in, we are now looking at 3. It looks like we are going to tie. Not bad, down 6-0, we were looking at 6-6...there was no way Cameron was going to pull off anything with his last shot.

WRONG - Another great shot Cameron...my congratulations. It came to rest inside 2 of my 4 stones.

Final score 6-5....almost the greatest comeback in the history of Tues night league!

2010...a new beginning

Happy New Year everyone.

We started off things right this year, new diet, more exercise and more curling.

Maybe I'll start the diet next week, need a couple of weeks off cause I'm sore from working out....more curling - got it covered!

Now that we are playing full games, I am much more excited making the 30min trek from my house to downtown Ottawa. Fighting the snow, traffic and idiot drivers, I found myself yelling HURRY! to a car in front of me because I was running a little late. I wanted to sweep him right off the road, the jerk.

It is great now, playing games! We get to choose our position (lead, 2nd etc) by putting a little peg with our name on it in the position we want to play which is linked to a sheet and rock color. So, all the teams are random. Our team didn't fair too well, we lost. Don't want to bore you with the excuses either. It is becoming easier to see a separation in the skill levels of individuals now. Understanding of game tactics, how much a rock curls, and possibly the most important...being able to control your throwing weight.

On a slightly different note: We (CCA) had a camera crew come this past week to shoot some curling footage for an upcoming YouTube commercial for the StartCurling.ca , HurryHard! commercials (check it out startcurling.ca) you may have seen on television. There will be a contest asking people to send in their own Hurry or Hard video. As soon as it is posted, I will send out the link. (sorry Anna, I wish you could have made it)

After the crew had left, I was asked to play for a team in an actual league of experienced curlers...thrilled at first, nervous the rest of the time. Will my teammates think 'oh great he has to throw again' or 'he sucks'. In fact it was the opposite, they were understanding and accepting that I was a beginner and may not be as accurate in my shots. Thanks for the help Lisa, Darren, and Robyn!!!!!

Sweeping, I had no problems. As the lead, my job was to mainly throw guards. I made a few, threw a couple through the house and hogged one (must have picked something on the ice). I even made a couple of take outs that were supposed to be guards...maybe the skip called it wrong. However, I made enough of positive impression that I now on the spare list....a polite way of being asked to play when the team has no one else.....BUT I'M THERE!

Should I buy my own broom? Hmmmmmm

Paul

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!"