GRAND CLUB INSIDE 2 Curling Debut at Bay State 2 Senior Women’s Friendship Tour 3 President’s Letter 4 GNCC U18 Championship The Official Newsletter of the GNCC April 2018 | Vol. 29, No. 1 News 5 GNCC Junior Camp 5 Phil Robertson Obituary Nominating Committee Looking for Directors 6 GNCC Mixed Championship by Charlie Brown 7 Peachtree Olympic Celebration 9 Gordon International Our last newsletter discussed the Chairman of the Board 10 SmartBroom Engineering rationale and motivation for our New Charlie Brown (Schenectady and Albany) 11 GNCC Wheelchair Clinics Management Plan (NMP). In short, we will be implementing the NMP to increase Vice Chairman 11 Paralympic Team USA our diversity and skill sets of the board to Benj Guzman (Broomstones) 12 The Spirit of Curling meet the needs of the GNCC. We will also Managing Director-Treasurer be instituting term limits and decreasing Peter Lyons (Nashua) individual time commitments to insure Managing Directors, Class A we have enough new faces and new ideas Bob Hogan (Peachtree), Emily Anderson joining the board as we look forward to our (Philadelphia), and Jay Flanders next 150 years. (Woodstock and Plymouth Rocks) I am happy to announce the nominating Managing Directors, Class B committee, chaired by Dan Machold Maryann Vermeulen (Plainfield), (Schenectady), has proposed the following Liz Bowman (Jacksonville Granite), and slate to be voted on at our Annual Meeting Paul Valle (Mount Washington Valley) in Nashua, New Hampshire the weekend of May 18-20. Managing Directors, Class C Ken Tonis (Marlboro and Broomstones), If you have any questions or concerns Mary Colacchio (Cape Cod), and regarding the NMP, please contact me at: Carl Thomas (Kayuta Lake) [email protected]

Save the Date: Annual Meeting

The GNCC Annual Meeting is traditionally held on the weekend after Mother’s Day. This year’s Annual Meeting will be held on the weekend of May 18-20, 2018. Please mark your calendar and save the date for this very important Annual Meeting. The GNCC Golf Tournament will be hosted at Nashua Country Club on Friday, May 18, and it will be followed by the Bell Quoits Competition (the oldest annually contested athletic event in North America). The Annual Meeting will take place on Saturday, May 19 and, if necessary, carry over to Sunday morning. This meeting is particularly important as we will vote on the new bylaws to implement the New Management Plan. Club Representatives carry the vote for your club. If you cannot attend, please be sure to give your proxy to your president or to another club member. Your vote is important. We look forward to seeing you in Nashua. Curling Makes its Debut at Bay State Games submitted by Mark Fischetti

Massachusetts is a the Berkshires on its arena ice at the Boys & growing hotbed of Girls Club of the Berkshires in Pittsfield. Each curling, so much of the clubs had already held playdowns to so that the annual determine their entrants. The teams played Bay State Winter a round robin, and the entire event was held Games added the in one day. A lot of curling! GNCC President sport to its array Gwen Krailo-Lyons threw the ceremonial first of competitions stone. for the first time, And the results? On the men’s side: South in February. The Shore Curling Club won gold, Marlborough amateur winter Curling Club silver, and the Curling Club of games were held in the Berkshires bronze. On the women’s side: Berkshire County, Marlborough Curling Club won gold, Curling the western-most Club of the Berkshires silver, and the South part of the state, Shore Curling Club bronze. Blackstone Valley and included ice Curling Club rounded out the competition, skating, skiing, and some of their matches came down to hockey—and now dramatic final shots. curling—at a variety of age levels. Officials from Bay State were delighted with the event and are already contemplating Four men’s and four a much larger competition next year, with women’s teams, many more teams. Curl Berkshires will from different post more information as it develops on its arena curling clubs, competed in what was website: www.curlberkshires.org. billed as a demonstration sport this year. The games were hosted by the Curling Club of

2018 Senior Women’s Friendship Tour submitted by Lisa McCann

In November 2018, four women from GNCC clubs will travel to ’s Maritime Provinces as members of the USWCA’s 2018 Senior Women’s Friendship Tour. Every six years, the USWCA randomly selects 16 applicants to be members of four teams who travel to a Canadian province for two weeks of curling and camaraderie. The four representatives from the GNCC are: Lee Alexander, Philadelphia; Lucy Harr, Belfast; Laura Heuer, Potomac; and Maryann Vermeulen, Plainfield. The tour will visit clubs in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, with a number of sightseeing stops along with opportunities to taste local dishes such as hodgepodge and dulse. If past tours are any indication, the games will be energetic, broom stacking will be rousing, and the memories and friendships formed will last a lifetime. Congratulations to all the women chosen—we’re confident that they will be exemplary representatives of USA curling skills and the spirit of curling. Message from the President Grand National Curling Club by Gwen Krailo-Lyons Officers and Directors

This is my last message largely on company time. I’d also like to President Gwen Krailo-Lyons to the membership as thank George Shirk for the time he spent 1st Vice President Charlie Brown GNCC President. (Funny, editing the book. 2nd Vice President Benj Guzman but I wrote that line once To be honest, writing these messages is Secretary Jennifer Bragg before—nine years ago.) among my least favorite duties as GNCC Treasurer Peter Lyons Ted Paul, Petersham President. My favorite task is welcoming Immediate Past President Curling Club, recruited me for the GNCC new clubs into the GNCC family and helping board in 1999 to serve under then GNCC Sally MacKenzie them through the GNCC Mentor Program. At-Large Directors Peter Ellis, President Peggy Hatch. He said that my Nine new clubs joined the GNCC in the past George Shirk, Maryann Vermeulen, only duty would be to attend two meetings two years, eight of them on arena ice plus per year. That changed dramatically one Peachtree on dedicated ice. After 16 years, GNCC News month after the election, when Peggy Pittsburgh is transitioning to dedicated ice, is published by the assigned the three directors specific duties. and it is the second recipient of a Legacy Grand National Curling Club of I was assigned to work with the GNCC Trust loan. Charlotte was the first recipient of America, Inc. The newsletter is Championship Chairs to standardize the a Legacy Trust Loan. I look forward to having distributed free to members of the rules, registration forms, and create general more time to work with the new clubs and Grand National Curling Club. The guidelines for the competitions. In the the Mentor Team. annual subscription rate for non- intervening years, I have served the GNCC in every capacity on the board except as It has been a privilege to work with this members is $10.00 (US). Advertising Secretary. Executive Board. Through sudden and not so rates are available upon request. sudden resignations, the Board has worked The past two years have presented many together to keep the GNCC operating All correspondence should be sent to: challenges and opportunities to the Board smoothly. It is a great team of volunteers GNCC Curling News and for me personally. There have also been working on your behalf for the best interests great rewards. The Board did not have much PO BOX 396 of the GNCC. Dan Boerger once told me, Madison, NH 03849 time to put together a celebration of our “We cannot work for less than we already 150th anniversary. We worked together and work for.” The Executive Board, the At-large quickly made decisions about an anniversary Directors, and those serving on various Communications Director Pete Ellis, pin, a tartan that is now registered with committees and as trustees should be [email protected] the Scottish Tartan Society, and other thanked for their time and efforts in making memorabilia. I must send a huge thanks to the GNCC the great organization that it is Editor George Shirk, Joel Leneker for his artistic creativity and the today. The Executive Board has created [email protected] enormous amount of time he dedicated to a New Management Plan (see the cover the anniversary celebration. article) to help guide the GNCC through the Art Director Jacki Temple, Researching our 150-year history was a next 150 years. [email protected] challenge given the poor condition of our It has been my honor to serve the GNCC oldest documents and the gaps in our as your President, twice. May the GNCC Contributors Emily Anderson, records. It was an honor to work on this continue to grow the sport we all love at the Charlie Brown, John C. Childs, 15-month project and the final result was grass roots level. worth the effort. Our incredible history is Pete Ellis, Mark Fischetti, Bob Hogan, captured in a 298-page hard bound book. Good curling everyone. Gwen Krailo-Lyons, Joel Leneker, I regret that I did not have more time for Lisa McCann research, but I must thank my boss for allowing me to write the GNCC history GNCC U18 Junior Championship submitted by Emily Anderson

The GNCC U18 Ben Grady, Yunsik Lee, and Shaheen Bassiri) Championship from Broomstones/Philadelphia claimed the was held third berth to Nationals. December 28-30, On the girls’ side, the final standings came 2017, at the down to the last stone of the final draw, with Potomac Curling Team Dudt (Susan Dudt, Rebecca Rodgers, Club in Laurel, Anna Cenzalli, and Sydney Mullaney) from MD. Five teams Philadelphia/Broomstones/Cape Cod earned the right winning the Championship. Katherine to represent the Gourianova, Diana Black, Abi Schulken, and GNCC at the 2018 Stephanie Yu from Potomac/Broomstones U18 Nationals came in second to claim the second girls’ in Bemidji, berth to Nationals. (February 21-25, The Potomac Curling Club was an excellent 2018). host with a welcoming environment. The number of faithful volunteers (timers and On the boys’ side, officials, ice crew, web streaming, and chefs) Team Clawson who came out to support the juniors helped (Eli Clawson, keep everything running smoothly and was Danny Casper, very much appreciated. Marius Kleinus, and Christopher The Spirit of Curling award was presented Pingitore) from to one boys’ team and one girls’ team Potomac/Ardsley/ competing at the event. The teams who Cape Cod went win this award represent the true spirit of undefeated curling on and off the ice. It is voted on by in the double every team competing in the event. The round robin award is presented in honor of Eydie Savett, and won the a longtime official at junior championship Championship. events. Every team demonstrated the spirit At the end of of curling, and this year’s winners were Team the double Gourianova and Team Gartner. round robin, This is the second year of the GNCC U18 three teams Championship, and we had a total of seven were tied. Team Gartner (Caleb Gartner, teams competing. Next season’s GNCC William Gerlach, Nicholas Cenzalli, and U18 Championship will be held at The Daniel Laufer) from Cape Cod/ Bucks County Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, earned the second berth to Nationals as a in December 2018. We are hoping to see result of having the best draw shot challenge even more teams compete for the GNCC U18 throughout the tournament. After a final tie- Championship titles. breaker game, Team Hebert (Ethan Hebert, GNCC Junior Camp submitted by Emily Anderson

This year’s junior camp will be hosted by Participants may register as an individual or Bucks County Curling Club, and it will be as a team, and the cost is $235 per camper led by Dean Gemmell: 2012 US Men’s or coach. Brush Like National Champion and author of Registration is available for curlers aged 10- a Badass, Fit to Curl and co-author of . 21. Beginner, developing, and elite players Camp members will work with top welcome. As much as possible, campers will instructors, get individual as well as team be grouped by age and skill level. training (coaches are welcome), have Bucks County Curling Club is located in delivery analyzed and improved, develop Warminster, PA, and a discounted hotel rate strategic thinking, and improve sweeping will be available. techniques. For more information and registration forms, Camp begins on Friday, August 3 at 6 PM please email Emily Anderson at ecanderson. and finishes on Sunday, August 5 at 6 PM. [email protected]

Phil Robertson by John C. Childs

It was Sunday, February 11, 2018, and while TCC, Mixed Chair, Phil Robertson’s Stockton team did not make member of the Ladies the finals, he organized the parade and 1996 Scot Tour, and Drambuie traditions, as well as leading all past president of the in the singing of Auld Lang Syne at the end. USWCA. He then sang with his beloved Saengerfest In addition, Phil loved men’s choral group that evening, went home family, singing, sailing, to Milton and suffered a fatal massive heart and running the attack. Yes, Phil suddenly left us doing the family business. He things he loved: organizing, singing, and was a Milton Academy curling. He was 80 years old. and Harvard College Phil’s curling life was long (50+ years) and grad, very active as a successful (countless mixed championships Rotarian in Taunton, throughout the GNCC with wife Anne and MA, and a generous their close, talented friends Ben and Coco supporter of church Wellington, highlighted by winning the and other non-profits. In addition to Anne, 1983 GNCC Mixed Championship and the he leaves a son, Phil, Jr., (Rob), a daughter honor to represent the GNCC at the Mixed Meg, and dear Nan who predeceased him, Nationals in Minnesota). Phil was the curling as well as four grandchildren. Board Chair at TCC (1985-1991), Mixed Phil was Mr. Everything to his family and Chair 1998-2003), Stockton winner (1987), friends. Always the organizer, devoted to member of the 1992 Scot Tour, and longtime detail, and first to step up and volunteer to Doyen of the TCC side of a close relationship put a team together, lead us in prayer and with the Royal Montreal Curling Club. He song, and lend a helping hand. We will miss was also a TCC legacy for the Ross our skip. Tarlton and Gordon International. And, be it noted that wife Anne is equally committed to curling as his partner, Ladies Chair at 2018 GNCC Mixed Contested as USA Men Win Gold! by Joel Leneker

The Grand National timers. Rob Williams, lead ice maker, did Curling Club an excellent job. The competition ice was (GNCC) Mixed keen (26 seconds hog to tee) throughout Championships the event. The hard work of the Rochester were held over Curling Club members and volunteers for the weekend of the GNCC Mixed Championship was greatly February 22-24, appreciated by the athletes. 2018, at the The GNCC wishes to extend a huge thank Rochester Curling you to the Rochester Curling Club for Club in Rochester, making the site available and providing a New York. Seven great competitive venue. Dorothy Roach and teams competed her team of volunteers provided top-quality for the chance hospitality that included healthful snacks. to represent the The event was the first GNCC competition GNCC in the USCA to use the new Mixed Nationals at five-rock free guard rule—this event leads to the Dakota Curling the Mixed World Curling Championships in Club in Lakeville, the fall of 2018. Minnesota from March 23 to 31, As part of the event support package, the 2018. curling club received custom-designed event promotion materials including Under the supervision of Dorothy Roach, site banners, email blasts, and a selection of chair, teams from the Broomstones, Bucks “GO CURLING” buttons for all timers and County, Charlotte, Nutmeg, Philadelphia, event volunteers. Each event day featured Plainfield, and the Rochester curling clubs something special for the athletes [Matt competed in a seven-team round robin Hamilton mustache Thursday, white pants format for the top spot. and Klondike bar Friday, and Gold Medal This year, the GNCC was given one slot to Saturday]. Live scoring was provided by USCA Mixed Nationals. The GNCC winners Curling Zone. A special Olympic Gold Medal were Team Maroldo: Caitlin Maroldo, skip; viewing party was held at 1:30 AM to watch Jeff Pulli, vice; Rebecca Andrew, second; and ’s Team USA play ’s Jason Scott, lead. The entire team curls out Team Sweden for the Olympic Gold Medal. of the Rochester Curling Club. About 25 people attended the party to cheer The Anderson rink representing the on Schuster’s historic win. Philadelphia Curling Club were runners-up, Following the round robin, a championship Emily Anderson, skip; Cody Clouser, vice; trophy, pins, patches, flowers, and special Libby Brundage, second; and Dan Cooper, regional beer were awarded to the lead. The team has been invited to compete champions and the runner-up teams. Next in the USCA Mixed Nationals to fill a spot year’s GNCC Mixed Championship will be vacated by the Persinger mixed rink from contested over the weekend of February Alaska. ’s men’s team won 21-24, 2019, at the Potomac Curling Club in the USCA Men’s nationals and will represent Laurel, Maryland. We hope to see everyone the USA in the Men’s Worlds in Las Vegas, in Laurel. NV. The head officials for the event were Mike Hahn (Rochester) and Fred Mackintosh (Schenectady). They were assisted by Lisa Carosella (Philadelphia), who supervised the Peachtree: Recap of the Olympic Celebration Tour 2018-2019 Events by Bob Hogan

Childs Challenge Bucks County Mar. 14–17 Francis Dykes Albany/Schenectady Feb. 28–Mar. 1 Kayser TBD mid-Feb Gordon Emmett Petersham TBD Gordon International Montreal Mar. 14–16 Peachtree Curling Association recently since Atlanta is not a winter sports town and Ross Talrton celebrated its first anniversary of curling, the media knows nothing about curling. Ardsley/Nutmeg Nov. 8–10 and being in the south (Atlanta, Georgia) Two NBC network affiliates and three local Men’s Club Championship we know we have a lot of work to do to grow newspapers covered the event. Rochester Dec. 5–9 the sport of curling with a population that We chose to visit middle school gym classes Women’s Club Championship has literally never walked on an ice rink. at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, which Rochester Dec. 5–9 Our goal is to generate traffic to the club is about 20 minutes from our curling rink. and show people how much fun curling We saw 300 middle school children from Junior Men’s Championship is. The World Curling Federation’s (WCF) 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Jamie’s interaction TCC Dec. 27–30 Olympic Celebration Tour (OCT) successfully with the kids was terrific and engaging. Junior Women’s Championship accomplished that objective over the He showed the kids a brief curling video, TCC Dec. 27–30 weekend of February 16-18. We could not answered some questions, showed them Senior Men’s Championship be happier with the turnout generated by his Olympic Gold Medal, handed out pins, Cape Cod Jan. 17–20 the OCT and the efforts of Darrell Ell and and used the floor curling kits to simulate . They are now celebrities in the real curling, which I believe worked well. The Senior Mixed Championship Atlanta area. school was so pleased with Jamie’s efforts Bucks County Jan/Feb We’ve discovered that we have two curling that they produced this video https://vimeo. GNCC Mixed Championship market segments in Atlanta: (1) Every com/256131140 and sent it to the school’s Potomac Feb. 21–24 Canadian and northern curler in the area 1,200 families that afternoon. Many of the Arena Curling Championship who has visited our club has joined. We children that met Jamie on Friday at the Woodstock/Plymouth Jun. 22–24 know we can improve our ice, but it is good school came to the junior’s curling clinic enough to make veteran curlers happy on Sunday, and the school’s gym teachers Junior Curling Camp in its current condition. (2) The Atlanta are contemplating buying their own floor Bucks County CC Aug. 3–5 metropolitan area has about six million curling kits, and coming to the club for a Senior Women’s Championship people and the vast majority has never private session. Nutmeg Oct. 19–21 walked on an ice rink before, so we need On Friday evening, the NBC Augusta affiliate ways to generate traffic to our club. Once came to the rink for a few hours to meet these potential curlers come, we need to Jamie and learn how to curl. Many club expose them to curling safely and efficiently. members came out to serve as extras and The WCF OCT helped us address both participate in background activities. markets through the publicity it generated. Resident Canadians came out to meet Jamie On Saturday morning, the Atlanta NBC Korab, and curious southerners came out to affiliate spent two hours producing two meet an Olympic Gold Medalist. Atlanta is a live broadcasts and a video about learning past summer Olympic host, so Olympic buzz to curl. Later in the morning, 130 adults is well-received here. attended Curling 101 classes—a 90-minute beginner class. That is the largest number The OCT garnered media attention that we have not been able to generate on our own continued on page 8 Peachtree: Recap of the Olympic Celebration Tour continued from page 7

of potential curlers There is no doubt that the OCT timing in we have ever hosted conjunction with the Winter Olympics in a single day. With helped generate media and participant Darrell and Jamie’s interest. People have a huge number of help, the process activities from which to choose in Atlanta, went smoothly. so having Jamie in town was a unique Darrell gave everyone opportunity and people clearly responded WCF pins and Jamie positively. We had 60 children register for made sure everyone our free clinic on our website, but in the past who wanted a photo when we have held free events many people or autograph received do not show up since they have not paid to one. In addition, they commit. This past Sunday, every child who gave us some good signed up showed up, and there were over tips on improving our 15 additional kids that came who had not ice and our teaching signed up. All the children made sure their program. parents took them to the event, which was On Sunday afternoon, pretty impressive. The clinic was so popular we hosted 70 children that parents are asking us to host future between the ages of curling sessions for their other children. 11-18, in addition to Since October 2017, our club has organized a pack of sub-10 year a USCA Level I Instructor Clinic, two old kids who had been watching curling on bonspiels, a Toys For Tots Campaign, TV and whose parents begged us to give taught over 600 beginners, and we had the them some ice time, which we did. The noise USCA 2018 Volunteer of the Year. The OCT in the room has never been louder, and we generated publicity we have been unable will definitely look for ways to host future to attract until this point, and it showed our events like this again. community that we are being recognized by Over the three-day WCF OCT, we met a total the curling community as a serious curling of 500 junior and adult curlers personally, organization. and thousands were exposed via the local TV On behalf of the entire Peachtree Curling stations. Additionally, our members saw the Association, we thank the Foundation for potential growth that exists in the Atlanta Global Sports Development, the WCF, market, which has energized their efforts. Darrell Ell, and Jamie Korab for their We had more than 30 club volunteers (of extraordinarily successful effort. our 70 members) assist us over the three- day event. One Man’s Gordon by Pete Ellis

I just returned from the Gordon International the 160 men in and, after a long absence, I was again the room roared treated to the rich experience that is the their approval, “Gordon.” Steeped in tradition, I feel that cheering that this is one of the GNCC’s premier events. everybody It should be a bucket list item for all male won! In the curlers. 134-year history The Gordon has been contested since 1884, of the Gordon and has only been cancelled for outbreaks International of smallpox and two World Wars. This year, there had never it consisted of 20 American teams playing been a tie. 20 Canadian teams—co-hosted by the Utica (Canada has Curling Club and the Rochester Curling a substantial Club—and alternates between U.S. and winning Canadian sites. The U.S.-hosted format percentage allows for two “Friendly” games followed advantage in this long-running event.) I am by two “Gordon Medal” matches. Total truly grateful that I was there to see and points from the medal games determine participate in it. For me, in that celebratory the outcome. The organizing committee moment, I saw the real camaraderie and makes a point of not revealing a running sportsmanship that makes the roaring game total of points each side has earned during so special. It was a humbling experience. the competition, saving the final tally for The Gordon International is co-sponsored by the banquet, a jacket-and-tie affair, held on the GNCC and the Royal Caledonian Curling Saturday evening. Club - Canadian Branch. The selection As compelling and exciting as competing process for U.S. teams has been modified and watching the event was, the most to insure that all GNCC clubs get a chance enlightening and heartening part of the to send a team to the Gordon. I highly weekend for me came off the ice, after recommend that when the invite comes to all the rocks had come to rest. When the your club that you don’t let it pass. Tell your final results of the 40-game competition club president that you want a chance to play was announced, the tally stood at 288 in one of the GNCC’s most prestigious and stones for the Americans and 288 stones exciting bonspiels. for the Canadians—a tie after 40 games, representing 320 ends of competition. It would be easy to say that nobody won, but Engineering Marvel of the Winter Olympics: A Broom adapted from the New York Times

KITCHENER, “We definitely learned a few tricks,” said Ontario — Andrew , a member of the Canadian Flemming and men’s team. Geoff Fowler But for decades, there have been competing tinkered for theories about sweeping. One such debate: months in their Is it more important to sweep faster, with a spare time. They higher stroke rate, or harder, with greater used soldering force applied to the ice? And what about irons. They body positioning? Do sweepers generate printed three- more power by holding the broom upright dimensional or at an angle? models in their basements. They brainstormed over beers in this small city These were the types of questions eating at about 60 miles west of Toronto, where they Will Hamilton. kept their project quiet. Hamilton was coaching a junior women’s “We did a fair bit of work in bars,” Flemming team six years ago and wanted to help his said. sweepers improve their technique. But he knew there was no clear way to assess how Flemming and Fowler, both 29, along with well they were actually doing. It was all their friend and business partner, Will guesswork. Hamilton, 37, were pouring their creative energies into a high-tech training device the Hamilton dreamed of producing data likes of which the sporting world had never that could be used to solve some of those seen. age-old curling debates. So he zeroed in on Flemming and Fowler, two friends with They were building a better broom. engineering degrees. Hamilton knew they Not just any broom, but one that they liked to build stuff for fun. At the time, they thought could be essential to the sport of were trying to invent a climate-controlled, curling, which relies on the best broom water-cooled suit jacket. handling out there as teams strategically When Hamilton met with Flemming over cajole a polished granite rock across a sheet beers one night, he pitched a new project: of ice. Was there a way to take a pedometer (to They wound up calling it the SmartBroom, measure stroke rate) and a miniature and in a sport that can come across as bathroom scale (to measure force) and fuse vaguely primordial, their piece of 21st- them to a curling broom? century gadgetry could play a role in “So Andrew looks at me like I’m an idiot and determining who wins gold at the 2018 says, ‘No, you’d use, like, four sensors and Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South an accelerometer,’ ” Hamilton recalled. “But I Korea. could tell that he thought it was interesting.” , a member of the United Flemming and Fowler were coming to realize States men’s team, overhauled his sweeping that their climate-controlled suit jacket was technique after training with a SmartBroom. not about to set the world on fire. (Fowler Curlers from countries as far afield as China, still has a couple of half-finished prototypes Denmark and Switzerland have leaned on in his closet.) Perhaps they would be better it in their preparation for the Olympics. In served by focusing on the high-tech broom. all, Will Hamilton, who is not related to Matt Hamilton, said he had sold SmartBrooms to “This has been slightly more successful,” eight of the 13 national curling federations Flemming said. sending teams to Pyeongchang. On a recent afternoon, Flemming joined Ahead of the Fowler and Hamilton on the curling ice Olympics in here at Westmount Golf and Country Club Pyeongchang, for a demonstration. They wore matching the gospel of windbreakers with “SmartBroom: Sweep the SmartBroom Better” on the backs. spread across Each SmartBroom has four sensors in the the globe, and broom head that relay data to a small display many of the unit. Hamilton took one for a spin down the teams competing ice, and the data was instantaneous — line in South Korea graphs along with a slew of numbers that this month are showed his force in pounds and his stroke acolytes. rate in hertz. Hamilton also pointed to a Matt Hamilton, the American curler, said figure that he described as his “sweeping he discovered that he was able to generate performance index,” or SPI, a metric that greater force by holding the broom more combines power and speed in one easy-to- upright. Kennedy, the Canadian curler, digest figure. said he learned that pressure was more Patrick Janssen, a world-class curler from important than stroke rate. So now he Canada, has consistently registered an SPI in sacrifices speed for the sake of power. the 2,800 range. Fowler provided context. “For years,” he said, “we thought it was the “As a Thursday night club curler, I’d be happy other way around.” to get 2,000,” he said. Curlers have also used the SmartBroom to The numbers by themselves might not mean assess their physical conditioning. They can much, Flemming said, but subtle changes in compare their statistics from the beginning technique can lead to big differences in the of a workout to those at the end, or even quality of each stroke. And now curlers have after several weeks of training. that information at their disposal. They can Will Hamilton declined to say how many experiment to see which stroke works best SmartBrooms he and his partners have sold, for them. but they are not retiring anytime soon — or “It’s sometimes tough to convince an athlete even quitting their day jobs. Flemming and that what they’re doing is maybe not the Fowler are engineers, and Hamilton works best, because they feel like they’re working in information technology for a hardware really, really hard,” Flemming said. “And it’s company. The SmartBroom, Hamilton said, probably true that they’re working really, is a “side hustle,” albeit a useful one. The really hard. But they might also be wasting a broom retails for $3,000. (Canadians get a lot of energy.” discount.) The first SmartBroom was used by Canada They all hope that more innovations are before the in Sochi, forthcoming. For example: hardware light Russia. But at the request of , enough to embed in brooms used in the country’s national curling federation, competition so that real-time statistics can Hamilton and his partners agreed not to be broadcast on television. sell SmartBrooms to other consumers until “This,” Flemming said, “is not the end of after the Olympics. Fowler called it a “polite what we plan to do.” agreement” rooted in relationships with Curling Canada officials. In Sochi, the Canadian men and women swept gold. The Spirit of Curling by Emily Anderson

where Nutmeg Curling Club put great focus two curlers on sheet B came over to our on the multi-dimensional perspective of sheet. We talked about their arrival to the being a “good curler.” Good curling, surely, is sport, and their preparation for the upcoming making shots, being on the line, and furious Paralympic games. In return, they invited us sweeping, but it also encompasses the need to play a few ends. for finesse and decorum. Onlookers in the warm room watched I have great appreciation for when instances over my three newbie friends, the Yale of true sportsmanship and the instilled spirit cinematographer, my father, a Paralympian of curling shine through. This winter I invited headed to the , his training three non-curler friends to try out the sport partner, and myself as we played four on a lazy Sunday afternoon at the club. The ends. Shots were made and missed, yet the warm room was busy post-bonspiel, yet the experience truly embodied good curling. I One of my favorite elements of the sport of ice nearly empty. Two curlers and PR agent stood back in appreciation for the moment: curling is the true sportsmanship ingrained from Yale University played (and filmed) on a time where people of all curling skill levels in the culture and history. The spirit of sheet B, collaborating on a feature about the (from Olympian to a one-hour on the ice curling calls for a type of composure often wheelchair curling program for a Yale film. newbie) could come together and play. I was discouraged in the world of competitive My friends and I reviewed the basics of truly grateful for the sport as I recalled my athletics: kindhearted commentary, a curling: the side, proper handle, sweeping humble etiquette roots. Thank you to the hardy handshake, and true good wishes calls, and of course the importance of gentlemen on sheet B who invited us over for competitors. I trace much of my love composure. As we finished our lesson, the to play. Thank you for reminding me of why I for etiquette to my roots in junior curling, love this sport so much.