IT’S OUR H USE SIXTH EDITION • FEBRUARY 2020 CONTENTS 1 Curling Alberta Introduces the Inspiration Expo INSPIRATION EXPO 2 Hit Draw Tap Championship for Kids In concert with its 2020 AGM and Awards could include innovative programs, 2 Curling Day in Canada Celebration at the Crestwood Curling volunteer and community engagement 3 Team Walker’s Road to the Club in Edmonton on June 6th, Curling strategies, fundraising methods, special 2020 Scotties Tournament Alberta is excited to announce that it events, or new uses of technology or food of Hearts will host an inaugural Inspiration Expo. and beverage concepts, just to name Don't forget that the day will start off a few. 4 Alberta Curling Legend Fred with several high-caliber “Business of Storey Passes Away Curling” workshops, aimed to support Visual props and demonstrations are 4 Congratulations Team Marks and develop local club managers and both welcomed and encouraged. and Team Jaques volunteers. In the afternoon, Curling Creativity and potential for impact and implementation will be incorporated into Alberta’s Board of Directors will host its 6 Curling Art Central at the Annual General Meeting, which will be the voting criteria. 2020 Sentinel Storage Alberta followed by the Inspiration Expo later in Scotties Tournament of Hearts WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? the afternoon. The day of activities will 48 HRS Youth Art Challenge wrap up by celebrating our provincial and Any representative, or a team of 7 national champions, as well as our award representatives, of a member club can 7 Championship Season - winners at a spectacular banquet in enter the Inspiration Expo at no cost. You Upcoming Events the evening. can be a staff member, a volunteer, or a curler. 8 Curling Alberta Annual Awards WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION EXPO? WHY SHOULD I SIGN UP? 9 Upcoming Coaching, Ice Tech and Umpire Courses In short, it’s a fun and engaging way Not only will fantastic prizes be awarded for clubs to share their successes to the winner and runner-up, but you’ll 11 Mayerthorpe Curling Club Gets and innovative ideas with each other. also have an opportunity to be inspired Back on its Feet Participating clubs will have just two by others and to play a role in sharing 11 Brush Heads Compliance: and celebrating all the inspirational ideas minutes to “pitch” their great idea to the Protecting the Integrity of the audience (think Dragon’s Den). Following happening in clubs across the province. Sport and the Spirit of Fair Play each presentation, the audience who will have an opportunity to ask any questions, HOW DO I SIGN UP MY CLUB OR 12 A Player’s Look Inside the then vote for the best, most inspirational LEARN MORE? Canadian Curling Club Championships idea! All the details will be published soon! When that happens, you’ll just have to 12 Thank You to our Sponsors WHAT COULD MY “INSPIRATION” shoot us a quick email to let us know BE ABOUT AND HOW SHOULD I who will be participating and on behalf of PRESENT IT? which club. For now, start thinking about There’s no limit when it comes to possible how you might be able to inspire others topics for the presentations. Examples with your ideas. THE PROVINCIAL HIT DRAW TAP FINAL RESULTS OKOTOKS, JAN. 26 AGES 9-10 1. JAXON EMBREE Dawson Creek Curling Club 2. CARTER SCOTT Dawson Creek Curling Club 3. KESLER BACHEK CURLING ALBERTA HOSTS HIT DRAW Okotoks Curling Club TAP CHAMPIONSHIP FOR KIDS The Hit Draw Tap Provincial that the best women curlers in Alberta AGES 11-13 Championships presented by Tim curled on all week. Getting to throw rocks Hortons took place in Okotoks after the on arena ice was a real hit with the 1. ALLIE ISKIW semi-final of the 2020 Sentinel Storage young curlers. Ellerslie Curling Club Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts. “It just felt awesome — I really wanted 2. DAX HRYCUN The Hit Draw Tap program is a youth to play on arena ice,” said 10-year-old Sherwood Park Curling Club skills competition where kids age 6 to Kesler Bachek of the Okotoks Curling 3. SARAH YARMUCH 13 compete as individuals. The kids Club. “It curled a ton. Not too fast, it was Ellerslie Curling Club are grouped into three different age super fun.” categories, 6-8, 9-10 and 11-13 and they perform three different shots – a “Hit,” a Bachek competed in the provincial Hit “Draw,” and a “Tap.” Draw Tap finals in the 9 to 10 year-old AGES 6-8 category. 1. JORDAN ORZECH Over 450 Participants from across all of Alberta competed at their local clubs “I loved being out there in front of Calgary Winter Club with the top five scorers in each age everybody and curling on the different 2. MADISON STEINKE category qualified to compete in the first- ice,” Bachek said. “I was a little nervous.” Huntington Hills Curling Club ever qualifying Hit Draw Tap Provincial Championship. Fifteen young curlers and 3. LYNDON SHERWICK Submitted by Lee Smith, Director of their families enjoyed the semifinal game Operations & Community Curling Centre Medicine Hat Curling Club before they got to step onto the same ice Development YOUR STORIES CURLING DAY IN CANADA Curling Canada asked for individual curlers, whether they play the game FEBRUARY 22, 2020 regularly, once a year, or even once in their lifetime, to submit their unique CANADA-WIDE GAME More information and the scores can be curling stories! Each submission received found here: On February 22, 2020, there was a before February 22, 2020, earned one https://curlingdayincanada.ca Canada-wide curling game. The idea was ballot for the chance to win an all- for Curling Canada to try to collect the CHANCE TO WIN A $10,000 expenses-paid closing weekend trip for final score of as many games as possible. RENOVATION GRANT. four people to the 2021 Tim Hortons Clubs across the country were asked to Each club that submitted at least one Brier! All the individual stories can be submit scores from every game played at game score recieved a complimentary found on Curling Day in Canada’s website their rink that day. ballot into a draw for a $10,000 club at https://curlingdayincanada.ca/ renovation grant. category/blog/individual-stories/ 2 Curling Alberta | FEBRUARY 2020 TEAM WALKER’S ROAD TO THE 2020 SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS Last week, Canada’s top women’s curling Following the Alberta Scotties, Team The roster for this year’s 2020 Scotties teams faced off at the 2020 Scotties Walker announced that Kelsey Rocque Tournament of Hearts was an impressive Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw, would be joining them in Moose Jaw one, but not many first year teams have Saskatchewan. For newly crowned as their alternate. As Laura, Taylor and come together as quickly or have the Alberta champions, Laura Walker, Kate Kelsey were teammates for three years, chemistry that Team Walker shares. They Cameron, Taylor McDonald, and Nadine they know each other fairly well and are are 100% supportive of each other and Scotland, the road to the Scotties was an quite familiar with each others’ game. stand united on women being able to exciting one. “Not only do we have a good relationship do it all – career, family and carving out with her,” says Walker, “we know her well their place in professional curling. “We’re After a dominating week at the Alberta enough to know that she’s just going to having lots of fun together so we keep that provincial championships, skip Laura take on that role and do it with 110%. light side to the game has been a big asset Walker knew going into that final game She’s that type of person that will do for us,” said Walker. That fun has included versus Team Rocque was going to be a whatever she needs to do and whatever’s the team keeping a season-long tally of tough one. Playing a team three times in best for the team, so we’re really looking a “pigs” game, which has been quite the one week is a daunting task, especially forward to that.” Rocque joined the team lucky charm. against one as strong as Kelsey in Edmonton for a practice session the Rocque’s, but they kept their mantra the weekend before the team traveled to “For me, when I decide to do something, same. Keep focused, stay committed to Moose Jaw. I’m doing it 100%,” said Walker. “I knew the process, and do all the little things that once I was in the game, I wasn’t going that brought so much success all season. It’s been quite a journey from a young girl to ever half-ass it, or do it partway. I was Having decisively won every game to that starting out in the Little Rock’s program going to give everything. It’s easy to do point, Laura Walker talked a bit about at the Scarboro Golf and Curling club for that with my teammates and seeing all the their mindset going into that final game something to do on Sundays. In a time work they are putting in too.” on Sunday. when many curling clubs frowned on junior curlers participating in their competitive Team Walker finished their 2020 Scotties “We just wanted to remind ourselves men’s and women’s leagues, Scarboro’s Tournament of Hearts run with a 3 - 4 that just because it was the final, it small curling membership gave a record, missing the championship round. doesn’t mean that it should be different,” resounding yes to letting Walker’s up-and- Congratulations to Laura, Kate, Taylor, Walker said.