April 2013 Volume 2 Issue 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

We are now a full 2 months into the 2013-2014 season. All BOARD OF DIRECTORS indications are pointing to another successful year. Our numbers Bruce Orrell President this year are about the same as last year. We still have opportunities Karen Morrison Vice-President/ for our house leagues on Wednesday and Thursday. Special Events Sid Smith Treasurer When I became President, I felt that this club should offer a “Learn Kent Milford Past President to Curl” program. This program was originally developed in Ottawa Janet Lewis Membership by Earle Morris and has proven very successful. I am very happy to Gerry Schnurr Membership see that our first attempt to put on a Learn to Curl program is Peter Ellis Membership moving ahead very successfully under the guidance of Lindsay Lindsay Davies Committee Randy Slade Ice Davies. We have held two free Learn to Curl clinics with well over 30 Andy Tonkin Curling Committee participants each time and we are taking registrations for an 8-week John Wallace Building program to begin in January. We have already filled more than 2/3 Susan Promane Treasurer of the spots in the program. Not only are these new people to our Laurie Brakeboer Communications/ club, I am very pleased to say that there is significant representation Marketing

from a younger age group. The participants that graduate from this CLUB POSITIONS program will have the skills to join in any of our leagues next fall. JoAnn Inouye Club Manager These people are the future of the York Curling Club. Jack Inouye Ice Maker Bob Jackson Web Master Looking to the future, I would like to remind everyone that there will Marie Wallace Secretary be some Board positions that will need to be filled at the conclusion Grace Pitt Banking of this year. We need people that can carry on the momentum that this Board has established. I would like to talk to you if there is a desire on your part to sit on our Board of Directors. [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE I look forward to some great curling in the coming weeks and President’s Message Page 1 months. The Olympic trials in early December set the stage for the DID YOU KNOW? Olympics in Russia. Of course there will also be the Provincial Manager’s Message Page 2

championships to determine the teams for the Brier and Ice Maker’s Message Page 2/3 Tournament of Hearts as well as the World Championships after HELP Page 4 that. We might not be on the or world stages, but there is Sore Knees Page 4/5 also some great curling right here in our club! Upcoming Events Page 5 As we wind down towards the half-way point of the curling season, Information locations Page 5 I’d like to extend to everyone best wishes for the holiday season. Communication Update Page 5 See you in the New Year. Board update Page 6 Bruce Orrell Little Rocks and Junior Updates Page 6/7 President Seniors Update Page 8

CLUB MANAGER MESSAGE

With the curling season well underway, we are busy as usual here at York. Our Thursday morning school programme has already welcomed several of our local schools and I would once again like to thank the volunteers who come out to help each week! If you are available Thursday mornings and would like to help with some simple instruction please let me know. We host students between 9:00 and 11:00 am each week and the more volunteers we have the better!!

“Our tub runneth over”...the Lost and Found bin (found just to your right as you enter the basement) is overflowing! If you have lost anything in the last little while please check it out. I will be “emptying” the tub over Christmas...proceeds will go to either the Sally Ann or the landfill.

Unfortunately, the Ladies Bonspiel had to be cancelled due to lack of interest. We thought it would be fun to use the time on November 30th to have an “In-House” event. We hosted an “Open

Doubles” event. Teams of two men or two women or one of each competed. We had two six end games, with a great lunch in the middle. It was a lot of fun and inspired a lot of conversation about strategy and how to play the new format. Hopefully we will be able to host a similar event in the near future. Thanks to all who came out to play."

With Christmas just around the corner, if you are interested in ordering any curling equipment please do so as soon as possible. This will avoid any disappointment and allow lots of time for delivery. Just contact me at [email protected] .

Jo

ICEMAKER’S MESSAGE Many have been asking about the Pink Cowboy Hats behind the hacks. These are in memory of "Shorty" Jenkins, a renown ice maker, who introduced a lot of innovation and analysis into the making of curling ice, that allows us all to make ice that is more consistent today. There is an article about "Shorty" in the "Ontario Curling News, which has been in circulation at the club for a few weeks. Thank you to Jet Ice for providing the commemorative logos in memory of "Shorty".

Canada Curling Stone will be refinishing the running surfaces and striking bands of our rocks and have confirmed that they will be bringing replacement rocks for sheets 1 to 4 on December 20th. I have been advised that these rocks will have similar running characteristics as our rocks once they are re-finished, so we should see speeds similar to sheets 5 and 6 on sheets 1 to 4 starting on December 20. We can expect our refurbished rocks to be returned towards the end of January. ……..con’t

I have been tweaking the Ice Surface Temperature, Ice Shed Air Temperature and Humidity and Pebble Volume to find the right combination to provide the best balance between speed, maintaining pebble and managing compressor run time. I have found that raising the Ice Surface Temperature, increases the speed and curl, but in order to maintain the pebble with the warmer Ice Surface Temperature, the Ice Shed Temperature needs to be kept a bit lower than in the past. Please be aware of this and dress a bit warmer going forward if you have been finding it a bit cooler in the ice shed.

Another item I have been analyzing is blemishes that appear on the ice. These blemishes can cause rocks to "pick". I have observed that these blemishes, most of which can only be seen when the lights reflect off of them at the correct angle, are caused by:

1. Knees, elbows and/or hands going down on the ice and staying there while the thrower watches their rock going down the ice. Solution: After you release your rock, get back on your feet to watch your rock go down the ice, if you want a low angle view, get into a squatting position.

2. Knees going down on ice in the process of getting back on your feet after throwing the rock. Solution: Knee pads are available that will insulate the ice from the heat of your knee and prevent the pebble from being melted when the knee makes contact with the ice.

3. Footprints on the ice caused by moisture building up in the gripper and deposited as a frosty spot on the ice as you push off. we have been adjusting air and ice temperature as well as humidity to try to eliminate footprints. Different combinations have been able to reduce the number of footprints, however, impact ice speed and curl. Analysis continues, however, we have found with some people that had been leaving a lot of foot prints, that use of the Olson Gripper has shown a significant reduction in footprints.

We continue to work on keeping the ice surface clean. The ROOMBA vacuums the carpets in the ice shed and picks up a container of dirt every day. The dirt consists mostly clothing lint and hair. In addition, we run the power vacuum on the carpets in the ice shed once or twice a week. We scrape the ice twice a day and when the scrapings from the ice melts it leaves a residue of lint and gripper rubber accumulating that can be seen in the grass at the back door where we dump the snow. You can help to keep the ice surface clean and reduce the number of picks by:

1. Clean the inside of your grippers. Lint gets attracted to your slider and gets deposited into the gripper. It builds up and sticks to your slider and ends up being deposited and melting into the ice beside the hacks. Soap, water and a light brushing will remove any lint build up inside the gripper. Allow the gripper to dry over a radiator over night. This should be done every 10-12 games.

2. If your gripper has a hole in it,worn or is starting to break down, replace it.

3. Minimize the use of clothing that will shed. i.e., Fleece pants or tops. If you do wear fleece clothing, please ensure new cloths are washed once or twice before being worn to curl. Ensure any down filled jackets or vests are not shedding any feathers. If you have animals at home, make sure animal hair is not stuck to your curling cloths.

Feel free to provide feedback on the ice and Good Curling! Jack

HELP!!!

We need a few good people – PLEASE!!

The communications and marketing portfolio within our club requires some assistance. This committee (currently of one) completes these newsletters and is also developing both communication guidelines for our club going forward as well as marketing/ sponsorship guidelines. The committee also looks for opportunities. At this time the sponsorship and communication policies have been roughly drafted but now must go through review and be presented for board review at the January board meeting.

We are fortunate to have a club that is growing and to this end we need help with this committee. We are participating in Winterfest this year and need people to help out with planning.

If you have the time to give a few hours to this committee I would be very grateful. The time required is minimal but your contribution will be timeless. Please email [email protected]

Thank you

Dr. Rob`s House Call for Sore Knees

If the thought of crouching down in the hack sets your knees on fire it might be time to take some proactive steps to ease your knee pain. First and foremost, don’t forget to stretch before and after you curl. Stretches should be slow methodical movements that are held for 30 seconds. Start by pulling your heel of one foot back towards your buttocks until you feel the stretch in your thigh muscles. Then, slowly lean forward with your knees straight to stretch your low back and hamstring muscles in the back of your leg. ………con’t The most common complaint for those with bad knees is squatting down in the hack prior to initiating delivery. This position exerts a lot of pressure on the joints. Instead of getting all the way down in the hack, start with your hips up, as though you have already completed your backwards motion. Next bring your sliding foot in behind the stone and complete your slide. Many people find this modification helpful.

Something else that commonly bothers individuals with bad knees is turn out. Many people turn out their leading foot when sliding in order to cover more surface area of the ice and achieve better balance. However, if an individual turns out their foot too much and the knee is not located over top of the toes during the slide, they may find severe pain ensues because of the unnatural twisting to the joint. To correct, simply practice turning out the foot less until a spot where balance and body comfort are both achieved.

Some curlers find the knee pain in their trailing leg, not their leading leg. Your knee is likely going to make contact with the ice when you slide, but you can control how hard it hits the ice. Think about stretching that back leg out as far as you can and pushing down as hard as you can through your hips. This extension will actually keep the knee from smacking down onto the ice. If your knees are simply getting too beat up from sliding, you may wish to consider purchasing a knee patch.

Sore knees often involve inflammation around the joints. Two products to consider as a more natural approach to reducing the inflammation and joint pain are Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids and TraumeelTM ointment. You can find these products at many natural health food stores.

Don’t let knee pain hold you back. Make a few small changes and you’ll be staying in the game a lot longer.

In good health, Dr. Rob Murray Murray Family Chiopractic

UPCOMING EVENTS December 18th Seniors Christmas Party December 20th Friday night-all draws one night party December 22nd-Jan. 1st Club Closed January 11th Men’s member guest January 25th Follow up clinic – 9am-12pm

WHERE CAN YOU FIND INFORMATION? Club Website: All club information, schedules, contact information, volunteer opportunities, sponsors, standings, photos, new curler information, and newsletters past and present etc. can be found on the club website at www.yorkcurlingclub.ca Information Table: At the bottom of the front door stairs is the table where you can find information like the club calendar, CURLING 101 handout, month at a glance calendar, club rules and etiquette handout, nametag order forms.

Bulletin Boards:

Information on bonspiels and sign up, league play and standings can be found on bulletin boards in the downstairs hallway and change rooms.

Board Update

The Curling Committee has updated the rules for all leagues and these have been posted on the website. They can be found on the main menu within the schedules section. As mentioned at the AGM this past June the Ice Allocation Policy has also been posted on the website and can be found within the schedules section. Tremendous interest has been received for a new League at our club; The Learn To Curl League. Lindsay Davies is heading this initiative and an 8 week program will be starting January 12. 2014.

The board is submitting a request to Trillium in March 2014 requesting funding assistance for 2 capital projects to be undertaken in 2014/2015. The specific projects are completion of the outside cladding and a lounge update.

If you are interested in volunteering for any of our upcoming events please contact [email protected] The House of York being held March 1 and the closing Spiel April 8-12 are gladly welcoming volunteer members to participate in the planning and running of these events.

LITTLE ROCKS AND JUNIOR CURLING Our youngest curlers at York Curling Club, are having a ton of fun out on the ice! The 2013-2014 Curling season for Little Rocks and Junior curlers started with practicing their balance and deliveries with the highlight being our Halloween themed curling day that was full of fun and unique curling challenges. The favourite being the “slide to the caldron of candy”! We have now moved right into round robin play with our curlers impressing those of us behind the glass with their great shots, positive and supportive attitudes on the ice and practicing great curling etiquette! Look out for our top 2 Junior teams showing up at the Night of Champions.

Our program is all volunteer/parent run and the success we’ve seen so far shows the commitment we have from every parent involved. A quick thank-you to our on-ice volunteers who come out Sunday after Sunday to teach and guide on the ice as well as our off-ice parents who help out with goodies on our themed days, pop/hot chocolate sales, and participation draws. To Evelyn Chisamore, a mom of one Little Rocker and two Junior curlers, a realtor with Royal Lepage who donates prizes to the "travelling prize box" that's a real hit with our curlers.

A couple special events planned are the Christmas/Holiday themed curling day coming up on December 8th and in February a mini “Olympic Bonspiel” for the Little Rocks. Many of our curlers are getting out into bonspiels, playing in the TCA leagues, with a few teams showing great success in the competitive circuit. With over 80 young curlers loving the sport, the future of curling is strong.

Submitted by: Kathy Verrelli, Little Rock & Junior Convenor Little Rocks (7-12 year olds) at our Halloween Themed curling day! Other News from our up and coming curlers! Starting in December and early January Michael, Mathew and Andrew Morra and Mathew Dutcher (team from York will compete in their Bantam Zones(January) for a spot in the regionals and if thru regionals have a spot in provincials in the beginning of February. The top three provincial teams will then compete in the Ontario Winter games at the end of February.

Jeff Wanless will compete with his team (Mississauga) in early December The Big Curling Event coming up after is the Bantam TCA's during the Christmas Holidays and all the above junior curlers will be there with their team's for the competition.

Team Wanless from Mississauga Golf and Country Club (Jeff Wanless Junior Curler at York) made it thru Junior Zones and will compete in Junior Regionals next week at East York. Jeff's coach is Richard Hart and team consists of Jeff, Joey Hart Vice and 2nd is Hale Murphy (Hale's grandparents are Fred and Marilyn Jesty at YorkCC), and Lead is David Hart. Cory Randall's daughter is also curling on a team from RH for Goldline.... And the highschool teams have started, lots of juniors curling there....)

Two YCC junior curlers are enjoying a taste of competitive curling this year. Evan and Ethan Chisamore- Johnston are playing vice and second positions on Team Fayaz. The team is playing out of the Thornhill Golf and CC and is coached by Mark Inglis. Perfecting delivery and sweeping techniques, and having fun is this year's focus. The highlight to date is winning some $$ at the Annandale Junior cash spiel! Looking forward to lots more curling and fun!

SENIOR’S LEAGUE NEWS The Seniors Curling League continues to flourish at YCC. Of our five draws, four are at or slightly over the 60 curler cap and the Tuesday morning draw is at about 84% of capacity. A group of dedicated draw masters select teams on a daily basis and a sociable, fun-filled curling experience is shared by all. Most draws use at least five sheets on a regular basis.

By early December, three of our inter-club bonspiels will have been held. The other five home or away events are scheduled for January or February. Our "Fun Day/Christmas Luncheon" is set for December 18th, with eight ends of "different" curling activities set for the day.

The enjoyment of the game and the social experience remain the focus. These are made possible through the efforts of a large and dedicated group of volunteers.

Ted Smith & Marie Wallace, Senior Curling Convenors

LOST AND HOPEFULLY FOUND “Our tub runneth over”...the Lost and Found bin (found just to your right as you enter the basement) is overflowing! If you have lost anything in the last little while please check it out. I will be “emptying” the tub over Christmas...proceeds will go to either the Sally Ann or the landfill.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO OUR FELLOW CURLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

ALL THE BEST IN 2014