When it happens in the Royal Kingston Curling Club Stick League!!
photo by J.R.(Jim) Rayner
Congratulations to Jan Ray and Carol Knowles ... a rare, SIX ENDER!!
For those not familiar with the RKCC Stick League, played during the day on Wednesdays and Thursdays, it is important to note that this exciting game is played with slightly modified curling rules, developed by Stick Curling Canada (viewed here in their entirety).
In short, teams consist of only 2 players, one at each end, and each player must deliver all rocks with the stick. There is no sweeping between the hoglines, and only 6 rocks are delivered, instead of 8 - thus the rarity of Carol and Jan's feat!
Although Jan actually delivered each of the 6 rocks that scored, she was very gracious in acknowledging Carol's skipping contribution - it took 2 to make it happen.
Once again - Congratulations!
HOW HAS THE DELIVERY STICK CHANGED OUR SPORT?
The delivery stick has made the sport accessible to many more athletes. Regargless of mobility issues, curling is now a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone. And, with practice, the art of stick curling can be honed to a very competitive level. Thanks to our 100% accessible facility, RKCC has been fortunate enough to welcome a number of high-profile, wheelchair curling events. In 2009, we hosted the OCA Provincial Wheelchair Championships, and in 2010, the Parasport Winter Games used RKCC as the curling venue. The resulting interest from local wheelchair athletes, facilitated the creation of day-long instructional clinics (pictured above).
When I founded the Stick League at RKCC in 2006, my main goal was to introduce existing curlers to a device that should allow them to lengthen their curling careers: Keep people curling - keep the curling membership healthy.
Let's face it ... at some point, our bodies start to rebel against the wear and tear that getting down and out of the hack inflicts. And, when it does, too many curlers choose to hang it up. With an alternative (the delivery stick) and some practice (a stick-only league), members can happily continue curling for years and years.
5 seasons later, thanks to the effort of a number of very enthusiastic convenors (including Jan Ray, who herself is the 2011-12 Co-Chair, along with Diane Labrie), the Royal Kingston Curling Club Stick League is thriving! In fact, this year the league added a 4-person team option.
More importantly, the number of members using the stick in our club, outside of the Stick League itself, has skyrockted. Women's - Men's ... Day - Evening ... Club - Flight ... many, many curlers are utilizing the device to participate ... I would guess, more than 100 hundred have tried it during a game. Some members use it full-time, while others use it part-time, curling one or two games a week from the hack, and a third, or more, with the stick.
And, it's not just members who have benefited from the wide spread acceptance of stick curling. This method of delivery, given its relative ease to learn (but, not master), has been adopted by many charity bonspiels as a tool to attracting teams. By providing the participating players with the option of using a delivery aid, the organiztion will likely appeal to a larger demographic - more people, regardless of experience, will be making more shots, more quickly. As I have witnessed over the years, non-curlers are more likely to sign up if they don't have to master the skill of sliding to participate.
From wheelchair athletes - to members with mobility and balance challenges - to brand new curlers looking for an easy way to start curling ... the delivery stick helps get everyone out on to the ice!
GOOD CURLING!!!
In short, teams consist of only 2 players, one at each end, and each player must deliver all rocks with the stick. There is no sweeping between the hoglines, and only 6 rocks are delivered, instead of 8 - thus the rarity of Carol and Jan's feat!
Although Jan actually delivered each of the 6 rocks that scored, she was very gracious in acknowledging Carol's skipping contribution - it took 2 to make it happen.
Once again - Congratulations!
HOW HAS THE DELIVERY STICK CHANGED OUR SPORT?
The delivery stick has made the sport accessible to many more athletes. Regargless of mobility issues, curling is now a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone. And, with practice, the art of stick curling can be honed to a very competitive level. Thanks to our 100% accessible facility, RKCC has been fortunate enough to welcome a number of high-profile, wheelchair curling events. In 2009, we hosted the OCA Provincial Wheelchair Championships, and in 2010, the Parasport Winter Games used RKCC as the curling venue. The resulting interest from local wheelchair athletes, facilitated the creation of day-long instructional clinics (pictured above).
When I founded the Stick League at RKCC in 2006, my main goal was to introduce existing curlers to a device that should allow them to lengthen their curling careers: Keep people curling - keep the curling membership healthy.
Let's face it ... at some point, our bodies start to rebel against the wear and tear that getting down and out of the hack inflicts. And, when it does, too many curlers choose to hang it up. With an alternative (the delivery stick) and some practice (a stick-only league), members can happily continue curling for years and years.
5 seasons later, thanks to the effort of a number of very enthusiastic convenors (including Jan Ray, who herself is the 2011-12 Co-Chair, along with Diane Labrie), the Royal Kingston Curling Club Stick League is thriving! In fact, this year the league added a 4-person team option.
More importantly, the number of members using the stick in our club, outside of the Stick League itself, has skyrockted. Women's - Men's ... Day - Evening ... Club - Flight ... many, many curlers are utilizing the device to participate ... I would guess, more than 100 hundred have tried it during a game. Some members use it full-time, while others use it part-time, curling one or two games a week from the hack, and a third, or more, with the stick.
And, it's not just members who have benefited from the wide spread acceptance of stick curling. This method of delivery, given its relative ease to learn (but, not master), has been adopted by many charity bonspiels as a tool to attracting teams. By providing the participating players with the option of using a delivery aid, the organiztion will likely appeal to a larger demographic - more people, regardless of experience, will be making more shots, more quickly. As I have witnessed over the years, non-curlers are more likely to sign up if they don't have to master the skill of sliding to participate.
From wheelchair athletes - to members with mobility and balance challenges - to brand new curlers looking for an easy way to start curling ... the delivery stick helps get everyone out on to the ice!
GOOD CURLING!!!
Thanks for the info on stick curling! I see that your club has a Learn to Curl program on Sunday nights - do you teach stick curling there? I am afraid that, at my age, I won't easily learn to throw rocks like I see on television.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the post ... hope you find enough interesting information to convince you to give curling a try. As for Learn to Curl giving instruction for stick curling ... they are always ready to give lessons. Please check the website calendar for the next Sunday session (I believe it is October 16). Bring your friends!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete