Issue 28 January Your Curler 2015 The Royal Caledonian Curling Club Member Ezine In this issue... Botriphnie Primary School Braehead Curling Forfar Indoor Sports Dumfries Young Curlers Kelso Primary School Lockerbie Ice Rink Moray Province Stranraer Ice Rink Rattray Curling Club Features Sponsorship Opportunities Available Places available for RCCC Summer Camp 2015 A Look at the 2015 Winter Universiade Election of Vice President & Directors Competitions Asham Under 14 Slam Stranraer Asham Under 17 Slam Forfar Scottish Curling Mixed Doubles Championship Dates for your Diary Scottish Junior Curling Club Challenge Murray and Whyte Take Asham Under 21 Slam Titles at Lockerbie Mouat and Aitken 2015 Scottish Curling Junior Champions www.royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org 02 Clubs & Rinks January Issue BOTRIPHNIE PRIMARY SCHOOL Botriphnie Primary School from near Keith took part in a Curling’s Cool session at Moray Leisure Centre in December. They were a truly lovely group and some good curlers among them, whom we would like to see join Moray Junior Curling Club. The adults in the photo are left to right Sandra MacIver, Campbell Ross and Martin Bell. The development group are delighted to welcome Martin to the north east and he has made a great contribution already in raising the profile of curling among the Active School Co-ordinators. Report and photo courtesy of Sandra MacIver BRAEHEAD CURLING The Braehead Curling Development Group’s (BCDG) Junior Christmas Bonspiel was held on Sunday 28th December 2014 and was a huge success. It provided junior curlers from Braehead and beyond with the opportunity to curl for free, improve their skills and be coached by Team Muirhead. The BCDG’s junior scene is thriving thanks to the hard work of the coaching staff and the junior committee and the Christmas Bonspiel was an excellent way to round off a strong year. Team Muirhead very kindly gave up their time to provide the juniors with on-ice coaching and a chance to ask questions, sign autographs and take pictures. They also, very generously, Report and photos courtesy of Jon Reid provided the BCDG with five Team Muirhead training tops to use as prizes for the juniors. Junior curling continues to develop at the Braehead Curling Rink and the BCDG’s junior program is set to go from strength to strength in the New Year. Session times and dates can be found at: http://www.curlbraehead. co.uk/junior-sessions---dates-and-times.html The BCDG would like to thank all involved for contributing to such an enjoyable event and look forward to seeing everyone in 2015! FORFAR INDOOR SPORTS The Forfar Farmers Curling Competition 2014 was held at Forfar Indoor Sports back in December. 14 teams took part in the competition which were each sponsored by an agricultural related company. After an excellent two days of curling and great festive fun had by all involved, in the end Team Bartlett Potatoes (Pete Smith) was declared the winning team (pictured). Report and photos courtesy of Mike Ferguson January Issue Clubs & Rinks 03 DUMFRIES YOUNG CURLERS Dumfries Young Curlers (DYC) started 2015 with its biggest test for the club, the Scottish Junior Curling Club Challenge. DYC have been making steady progress in Division one. After a few years of promotion and demotion, the club have found their way in the event consolidating their position in the top division for the last 3 years. DYC had their best run at the event last season finishing 2nd behind Forfar Young Curlers Club. This season the club were sent a mix of experience with Ross Whyte and Fraser Kingan skipping the two teams and Kirsty Sloan playing vice-skip for Ross and Sophie Jackson playing Vice for Fraser. Making up the rest of Ross team were Fraser Morton and Mollie Marley-Milligan and in Fraser’s team Hamish Gallacher and Ellie Hamilton. DYC had the youngest average age across the teams. The format was 5 games against the other teams in Div 1. Both teams’ Report and photo courtesy of Graham Sloan scores were combined with the team with most points, ends & shots taking the lucrative title as Junior Curling Club Challenge Champions. After two long days it would all come down to this last fixture against Graham Sloan team coach commented “it’s just a phenomenal Borders Young Curlers. Having maintained a 2 point advantage right from achievement for these juniors at such a young age. They played the first game it meant the minimum requirement for the title was one win fantastic all weekend and I could not have asked for any more and one draw from the two games. Both teams were looking confident and commitment, team work, effort and the skill level they showed was relaxed. Both teams lost the coin toss and Borders would have the hammer consistent throughout the weekend. Our juniors train 3-5nights per in the first end. Fraser made a good steal while Ross forced the opposition week and we have been getting closer to big results each season. to a single. After the 2nd end the teams looked to be settling into the match This is a major achievement for the club and hopefully the start and had a good grip of the Ice conditions. Both teams were in control at of many more to come. We have a great bunch of juniors at the the half way stage and never looked back. Pushing on in the 2nd half of the Ice Bowl but it should also be noted that we have a great group game they both ran out comfortable winners to secure the Junior Curling of voluntary coaches and supportive parents. I am really proud of Club Challenge Division 1 title for the first time in Dumfries Young Curlers the team’s efforts and they deserve all the credit they get for this 20 year history. outstanding achievement.” KELSO PRIMARY SCHOOL A Festival to introduce Primary Seven pupils from Kelso Primary Schools to the sport of curling was organised by Kelso High School 5th year students, Amy Bryce and Bob Hurren, both of whom are part of the Nationwide Young Ambassadors Programme. Six Primary Schools and 140 children participated in the Curling Festival which took place over two days (Tuesday 25th and Friday 28th November) at Kelso ice rink. Devised by the two Young Ambassadors as means of Report and photo courtesy of Amy Bryce introducing children to the sport, it included on-ice and off-ice activities with demonstrations, participation sessions and guest speakers. The Festival was supported by Cameron Bryce, Curling Development Officer, are a credit to Kelso High School. The Primary 7 pupils were all really Borders Sport and Leisure, The Royal Caledonian Curling Club, curling club engaged and showed true sportsmanship with great teamwork coaches, volunteers and senior pupils from Kelso High School. Kelso’s during all the curling sessions. The club coaches and volunteers Young Ambassadors have put a huge amount of work into organising these made the sessions run very smoothly and there was a large variety curling events and have shown great enthusiasm throughout. They have of activities on offer. The Following week at Monday Night Junior been outstanding role models for all the Kelso Primary School pupils and Coaching there were 10 new curlers in attendance. Deadline for articles is 12th February 2015 Your Curler is published by The Royal CaledonianFill Curling out Club. the online form on the RCCC website. www.royalcaledoniancurlingclub.org tel: 0131 333 3003 04 Clubs & Rinks January Issue LOCKERBIE ICE RINK The Matt Murdoch Memorial Charity Bonspiel in aid of the British Heart Foundation was held at Lockerbie Ice Rink back in the end of October last year. It was a great tribute that so many people wanted to show their respect in honour of Matt and 80 players from all over Scotland joined together, in what was a very sociable and memorable day. After the day’s play, the overall winners of the bonspiel were Matt’s elder son Neil, with David McMiken, David Henderson and Peter Black. The magnificent sum of over £10,000 was raised through a Silent Auction, Raffle and many generous donations. Marion extends her grateful thanks to everyone for their tremendous efforts in making the day such a success. Report and photos courtesy of Norma Lockhart Pictured L to R: David Henderson, Neil Murdoch, Marion Murdoch, David McMiken and Peter Black. MORAY PROVINCE On Saturday 13 December the Moray Province Curling Development Group organised the Moray Leisure Centre sponsored Christmas Bonspiel. 80 curlers took to the ice, which was fast and swingy. Among the 80 were 2 family rinks (one from the Nicol family and one from the Watt family), 5 rinks of curlers who have only been playing the sport since Report and photo courtesy of Sandra McIver the October Try Curling event and the remaining 13 rinks comprised of a mixture of young and not so young curlers. Every club in the east division of the province was represented. One of the stipulations It may be of interest that Frosty the Snowman (AKA Callum Jacklin) won of taking part in the bonspiel was that at least one item of clothing the impromptu prize in the end for the best dressed curler. Moray Leisure recognising Christmas had to be worn and it was fair to say that some Centre sponsored the event by paying half the ice costs and providing the rinks made more efforts than others. much appreciated soup and sandwiches. North West Castle - Stranraer - Ice Rink - We’re on the Button! Full Board Mixed Curling Weekends from only £150 pp Rate includes 2 nights DBB, 2 Buffet lunches and a min of 3 games of curling! Book Your Pre-Christmas Last ChanCe to Book Your PLaCe for Curling Break Now! the LYBurn troPhY - Ladies oPen Famous Grouse 16-18 october 2015 Starting Monday 9th Feb Alliance Wine 30 oct - 1st nov 2015 Final Wednesday 11th Feb 1.30pm Courvoisier 6 - 8 november 2015 League and Knockout.