THE BDO CANADIAN OPEN TICKET WINNER FOR WEEK 5 IS ...

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WEEK 5 MEMBER APPRECIATION CONTEST WINNER ...

 JOE MURPHY!!

Joe will be taking a guest to Draw 5 of the BDO Canadian Open, scheduled for Thursday, December 15, at 7:30pm.

As you know by now, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is starting the year off with a Member Appreciation Giveaway, to run in conjunction with our weekly Donation Draw. Each Monday morning, one lucky member will be awarded a pair of draw tickets to the upcoming BDO Canadian Open / Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this December at the K-Rock Center.

And who wouldn't want to go see this event? Without a doubt, those in attendance are going to be treated to some of the BEST CURLING PLAYED IN CANADA THIS YEAR!!!

5 day packages are still available through the K-Rock Center website.

And, they have just introduced a new, weekend package for $99!!

As for the RKCC Member Appreciation Giveaway ...

read all about the contest here

5 DRAWS DOWN ... 6 MORE TO GO!

Limited number of free copies available - EXTRA END curling magazine

Looking for a good read?  While supplies last, you can pick up a free copy of the Extra End from the Proshop (there will be club copies reserved and available for members to read anytime).

Extra End is published by the Canadian Curling Association, and serves as a both a wrap up for the 2010/11 season, and a preview of 2011/12, including television schedules for all major events.

With page after page of articles, pictures and stats, it should keep you busy for a while!

Have a great weekend!!! 

NAMETAGS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BAR

Those members who ordered nametags, may purchase them at the bar next time you are into the club ... they are $8.50, plus tax.

We will be sending in another order soon, so sign up when able.

GOOD CURLING!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

NEW IN THE PROSHOP ... BOOMERANG BROOM FROM ASHAM!!

You may be asking, "What the ?" ...

New from Asham curling, the Boomerang brush is here!

Here's Arnold Asham's explanation:

"The revolutionary pad allows the sweeper to get closer to the rock and moves the dirt to the sides. The front of the boomerang pad is the same as the back so the broom can actually fit together with the other sweeper."

I have been waiting to see one of these brooms for two seasons, ever since they were first advertised, and I must say ... they are interesting. Whether or not they will allow the average, club curler to get closer to the rock remains to be seen; I think it will.  However, I really like two things about it: dimpled pad face (for trapping debris better) and the wings (to help direct debris away from the rock path).

And, it never hurts that the handle is one of Asham's lightest, carbon fibre offerings ... nice broom!

Prediction ... we will sell a bunch ... if Asham can keep the supply coming.

Drop by the proshop and give one a lift ... if the office is closed, check out the Rolling Proshop in the lounge.  I have left a new Boomerang brush there for inspection.

To browse what our good friends at Asham Ontario have to offer, please visit their site here.

Thanks to Asham, and all the curling companies, for keeping the equipment technology interesting!!

Want to know more about the Royal Kingston Curling Club's proshop?

Check this previous blog for info and links ...

GOOD CURLING!!

The Manger's Blog was created to help communicate with the members.  In that regard, members are welcome to provide feedback on what is going on at the club , topics for discussion in my blog or, as is the case with Denis Faubert, submissions for print.

Please give Denis a read and, if there is interest, maybe we can convince him to become a regular Guest Blogger!!

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juggling and the Sport of Curling

 

Yogi Berra once quipped that sport is “90% mental and the other half is physical”.

Not to put too fine a point on it and with all due respect to Yogi, curlers need to think about 4 aspects of the game when on the ice, that is:

¨              The Technical

¨              The Tactical

¨              The Physical

¨              The Mental

Trying to implement too many things all at once invariably leads to regression,  frustration  and generally unsatisfactory results.

With this in mind, I’d like to offer one suggestion in each of these categories that may help you along the path to your   “Ideal Performance State”. 

1.  The Technical:  As your sliding foot is the main balance point in your delivery, keep it in the midline of your body and under your centre of gravity

 

2.  The Tactical:  Play to your team’s abilities whenever possible.

3.  The Physical:  Remember to drink water periodically during a game.  How much?  About 1/3 cup per end  particularly  if you’re front end.

4.   The Mental:  When you’re in the hack, try to minimize distractions (internal and/or external) by narrowing your focus to a single external point   ie.  hitting  the  broom. 

  Remember, unless you can juggle 3 or 4 things at once without “dropping the ball”, try putting new techniques or  suggestions into practice one at a time.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but getting up every time we do”

 Confucius

   From the “Warm Side of the Glass”   -   Denis Faubert

THE BDO CANADIAN OPEN TICKET WINNER FOR WEEK 4 IS ...

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WEEK 4 MEMBER APPRECIATION CONTEST WINNER ...

 MARION NEATBY!!

Marian will be taking a guest to Draw 4 of the BDO Canadian Open, scheduled for Thursday, December 15, at 4pm.

As you know by now, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is starting the year off with a Member Appreciation Giveaway, to run in conjunction with our weekly Donation Draw. Each Monday morning, one lucky member will be awarded a pair of draw tickets to the upcoming BDO Canadian Open / Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this December at the K-Rock Center.

And who wouldn't want to go see this event? Without a doubt, those in attendance are going to be treated to some of the BEST CURLING PLAYED IN CANADA THIS YEAR!!!

5 day packages are still available through the K-Rock Center website. 

And, they have just introduced a new, weekend package for $99!!

As for the RKCC Member Appreciation Giveaway ...

read all about the contest here

4 DRAWS DOWN ... 7 MORE TO GO!

RKCC represented at the Dominion Club Championships

The Dominion Club Championships begin on Saturday, October 22, and the Royal Kingston Curling Club will be represented in both the Women's and Men's competitions.

photo by Brian Collingwood

Our 2010/11 Evening Ladies' Flight winners, Gail Irving - April Welsh - Janet Fowlow - Carole Rivington (Skip), will be starting their run for a provincial birth with their first game at 4pm on Saturday.  

photo by Brian Collingwood

Representing the Men's section, our 2010/11 Evening Men's Flight Champions, John MacMillan - Mario Fabbro - Joe Waller - Phil Tomsett (Skip), will play their first game on Saturday at 9am.

All games are being held at the Trenton Curling Club.  If you are thinking about taking a road trip this weekend, Trenton is just a short drive west on the 401 ... I am sure both teams would appreciate the support from a few friendly faces in the crowd!

For the women's draw times, click here .

For the men's draw times, click here .

GOOD CURLING!!!

SHAWN SUENAGA CELEBRATES HIS 50TH AT THE ROYAL KINGSTON CURLING CLUB!!

(click on photo for larger version)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAWN ... 50 YEARS YOUNG AND WITH ALL YOUR ROCKS IN THE HOUSE!

CHEERS FROM ALL THE PROUDS!!!

The above photo was submitted by Shawn's family ... nice work!

Shawn, from all of your friends at RKCC ...

HAPPY 5OTH!!!

If you have would like to have an announcement included on this blog, please forward me the info at admin@royalkingston.com . 

THE BDO CANADIAN OPEN TICKET WINNER FOR WEEK 3 IS ...

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WEEK 3 MEMBER APPRECIATION CONTEST WINNER ...

 BOB ARMSTRONG!!

Bob will be taking a guest to Draw 3 of the BDO Canadian Open, scheduled for Thursday, December 15, at 12:30pm.

As previously reported, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is starting the year off with a Member Appreciation Giveaway, to run in conjunction with our weekly Donation Draw. Each Monday morning, one lucky member will be awarded a pair of draw tickets to the upcoming BDO Canadian Open / Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this December at the K-Rock Center.

And who wouldn't want to go see this event? Without a doubt, those in attendance are going to be treated to some of the BEST CURLING PLAYED IN CANADA THIS YEAR!

5 day packages are still available through the K-Rock Center website.

As for the RKCC Member Appreciation Giveaway ...

read all about the contest here

3 DRAWS DOWN ... 8 MORE TO GO!

Do you know the DIMENSIONS OF A CURLING SHEET?

Have you ever wondered what the actual dimensions of a curling sheet are?

Do you know how far it is from the hack to the back line?

How about from button to button?

Once you take a look at the diagram above - click on it for an enlarged version - the distances will make a cold draw to the button even more impressive.

LEARN TO CURL at the Royal Kingston Curling Club

Do you wish you understood the game better? 

Do you want a 2 hour lesson from a certified curling instructor?

Do you want to see an actual golden snitch? 

When: Sundays from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Who is welcome: Everyone!

Cost: $12 per person

Needed: A pair of clean indoor shoes

Curling is a wonderful and exciting winter sport. Many of you may have seen it on TV and are now looking to get on the ice and try it for yourself ... GOOD NEWS, we are making it happen! Whether you have never curled before or you are coming back after some years away from the sport, the members and staff of RKCC are very excited about the opportunity to help you catch the curling bug - but not a golden snitch, which, of course, only exists in Hogwart's curling.

Every Sunday evening (except where noted on the club calendar) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the club offers lessons and game play for non-members. The cost is $12 per person. You don't need to have ever been on curling ice before, in fact, these sessions are geared especially for the first time curler!

A team of experienced RKCC'ers will be on hand to instruct on technique, etiquette and rules ... you just need to bring a clean pair of indoor shoes, your enthusiasm and let us do the rest!!

All membership dues should now be paid

All membership dues were to be paid by October 1. 

There is a $25 late payment fee that will be assessed to anyone still not having made arrangements with the office.

If you have not yet remitted payment, please contact me as soon as possible.

On the heels of a RARE 6-ENDER in Stick League ... RKCC has a BONAFIDE 8-ENDER TO REPORT!!!!!

Congratulations to (left to right): Katy Provan, Martha Forkes, Barb Tureski and skip - Lin Jenkins!

Thrown in Tuesday's, Day Ladies Club, this is the second 8-ender for Lin.

What a start to the season!

Safe Food Handling Certification Seminar at RKCC - all members encouraged to attend

The KFL&A Public Health Office recommends that at least one kitchen worker, at every function that uses our kitchen for food preparation, holds a valid Food Service Certificate.

To help us meet this requirement, the KFL&A Health Unit is offering a training seminar at RKCC on Saturday, November 12 - main lounge - time tbd - lunch provided by RKCC.

The certificate is recognized throughout Ontario and is valid for five years. Anyone receiving certification at our first seminar in 2006, will need to be re-certified this year.

The fee for this course, if taken as an individual, would normally be $50.  The RKCC Board of Directors, recognizing the benefit for this training, has decided the club will subsidize a training session.  A small fee of $10 per participant will be charged to cover any additional costs of the seminar, including the food service.

The Health Unit requires a minimum of 20 participants to run the course.

The sign up sheet can be found in the main lobby.

We must have your $10 in advance (when you sign up) - please pay at the bar.

A large pool of qualified personnel will be required to guarantee we can provide certified workers at club events ...

Obtain the certificate - Help RKCC meet this requirement.

100TH POST - I hope you have been paying attention, there will be a test!

Just kidding about the test ...

But, hopefully, those members who have been reading my blog feel that the material covered has been helpful and informative. 

Moving forward, I would love to incorporate more member input.  The main goal of the blog is to inform members of what's happening in the club, and how it affects them; Are there issues in the club you have questions about? 

If so, please forward them to me in the office.  Easiest method would be email: admin@royalkingston.com

Also, the blog is a great way to broadcast special events: member birthdays, anniversaries, birth announcements, etc.  If there is an event that you would like to share with other members, please provide me with details (add photos, embarrassing or otherwise, for effect).

I will try to post announcements on Mondays, so please forward them no later than Saturday of the week prior.

Thanks for taking the time to check out the Manager's Blog ... Good Curling!!

THE BDO CANADIAN OPEN TICKET WINNER FOR WEEK 2 IS ...

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WEEK 2 MEMBER APPRECIATION CONTEST WINNER ... GRACE KENNEDY!!

Grace will be taking a guest to Draw 2 of the BDO Canadian Open, scheduled for Thursday, December 15, at 9am .

As previously reported, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is starting the year off with a Member Appreciation Giveaway, to run in conjunction with our weekly Donation Draw. Each Monday morning, one lucky member will be awarded a pair of draw tickets to the upcoming BDO Canadian Open / Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this December at the K-Rock Center.

And who wouldn't want to go see this event? Without a doubt, those in attendance are going to be treated to some of the BEST CURLING PLAYED IN CANADA THIS YEAR!

5 day packages are still available through the K-Rock Center website.

As for the RKCC Member Appreciation Giveaway ...

read all about the contest here

2 DRAWS DOWN ... 9 MORE TO GO!

Turkeys across Ontario protest ...

... but, I don't think it is going to help.

The curling club will be closed Sunday and Monday, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Please have a safe long weekend ... see you back on the ice next week, to work off the "Ham"!

When is a SIX ENDER every bit as impressive as an EIGHT ENDER?

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!!!

Why the Royal Kingston Curling Club is the place to buy curling supplies in Ontario ...

Simply put ...

The sport comes first!

We want curlers to use the best equipment their budget will allow.  And with our prices and selection, you may be surprised how far your budget can go!

To help make it easier for members and non-members to shop, we have added the rolling proshop for this season.  Pictured above, Joan Doucet, browses items on the rolling proshop, while her team sits for an after-draw drink.  Accessing proshop items was never as easy ... now you can shop in the evening, outside of office hours.

Brooms, delivery sticks, crutches, replacement pads, timers, grippers ... almost everything is sampled on the rolling proshop.

Let me know what you think!!

WHAT'S NEW?

Just arrived ... the Stabilizer curling crutch!

Made in Canada, the Stabilizer comes with, and without, a broom head. The broom head allows for easy cleaning of the rock and hack.

Great new shoe from Olson Curling ... the Ole!

Pictured in women's Berry Pink, this shoe is a perfect fit for the curler looking to upgrade their equipment.  It has a two-piece, 5/32" perimeter slider - so it is quick, comfortable and stable ... try one on (available in a variety of colours for both women's and men's sizes).

Need the lightest, strongest broom possible? The new Olson Isogrid, may be the tool for you! Just pick one up to see why.

And, for the stick curler, we have a great selection of delivery aids.

Telescopic or one-piece, delivery aids are a growing trend in the sport. Designed to lenghten the career of curlers with mobility issues, these aids are also helping to bring a whole new demographic onto the ice for the first time! 

Lightweight and easy to use, there is even a model that comes with a broom head - never get caught with your equipment at the other end.

While we try to stock a wide range of items, there may be something you need that we don't have.  Feel free to browse the websites of our suppliers, listed below - if they have it, chances are we can get it for you at the very best price!!

Stop by the Royal Kingston Curling Club proshop and give us a chance to upgrade your game ... for less!

Congratulations to our first BDO Canadian Open - Grand Slam of Curling ticket winner ... MARTHA FORKES

As previously reported, the Royal Kingston Curling Club is starting the year off with a Member Appreciation Giveaway, to run in conjunction with our weekly Donation Draw. Each Monday morning, one lucky member will be awarded a pair of draw tickets to the upcoming BDO Canadian Open / Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this December at the K-Rock Center.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST MEMBER APPRECIATION CONTEST WINNER ... MARTHA FORKES!!

Martha will be taking a guest to Draw 1 of the BDO Canadian Open, scheduled for Wednesday, December 14, at 7pm. 

Who will she be taking? Rumor is that her husband Les is in the running for the extra seat, but, with almost 10 weeks until the first rock is delivered, he may have to keep earning bonus points at home to insure his place ... these tickets are going to be a hot item and Martha's friends at the club have already starting campaigning.

And who wouldn't want to go see this event? Without a doubt, those in attendance are going to be treated to some of the BEST CURLING PLAYED IN CANADA THIS YEAR! 

5 day packages are still available through the K-Rock Center website.

As for the RKCC Member Appreciation Giveaway ...

WEEK 1 DOWN ... 10 MORE TO GO!!

Slight change to office hours

With the start of the 2011/12 curling season, I will be implementing a minor change to my office hours. 

The posted office hours will be:

Monday noon - 5:30pm

Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm

Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm

Thursday 9am - 5:30pm

Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Weekends as available

The noticeable difference is Monday morning; opening the office at noon, instead of 9am.  I wanted to take a moment to explain the change and what I plan to do with this, for lack of a better term, "closed office time".

Monday mornings are one of the busiest times of the week, especially once bonspiel season rolls around: Bank deposits and reconciliations need to be completed, correspondence needs to be answered and staff schedules need to be confirmed for the upcoming week. Delaying the office hours until noon on Mondays will allow me the opportunity to complete these tasks in a timely fashion.

To insure that members have a staff contact during this 2 hour period, I will schedule a bartender to begin at 9am. Therefore, member service should not be interrupted.

It is important to note that I will be in the building to handle any emergencies, or urgent member issues. 

As the year progresses, I plan to implement several other initiatives designed to improve and enhance member service: a portable, rolling proshop display that can be placed in the lounge for member viewing - extended holiday proshop hours - tabletop bar menus - the installation of new draught dispensing equipment, allowing for additional brands to be offered. With these enhancements, along with others in the works, I hope to make your experience more enjoyable and rewarding.

Please feel free to forward any suggestions you may have regarding enhancing the club, or member service.  It is best to submit them in writing - email the office or drop a note in the mailbox outside my office rollup.

Good Curling!!

We're giving away tickets to the Grand Slam of Curling - BDO Canadian Open ... and they could be yours!!!

How would you like to win a pair of tickets to watch a draw at the BDO Canadian Open this December?

Well, here's your chance ... and it couldn't be easier!!

Starting Monday, October 3, and continuing each Monday until December 12, we will be awarding one lucky member with a pair of tickets to attend a draw at the BDO Canadian Open.

That's 11 chances to win tickets to watch some of the best curling played in Canada this year!!! 

How are we determining the winner? Simple ... the member who's name is drawn in the weekly Donation Draw promotion, whether they have signed in or not, will be awarded the tickets. No purchase necessary - only members 18 and older are eligible to win. 

Not sure what the Donation Draw is?  Feel free to drop by the office for an explanation.

And, if you are still looking for full ticket packages to this event, there is more good news!

While packages are still available for sale on the KRock Center website, RKCC will be running a promotion in the very near future to award one lucky member with 2 - 5 day event packages: 2 tickets to every draw, plus tiebreakers, playoffs and the finals - valued at $400!!! 

Stay tuned for details on this promotion.

Good Luck on Monday!!