Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the West of Fife Curling Province on 28 April 2011 in the Lounge, Fife Ice Arena at 7.30 p.m. Present : Bob Smith, Colin Campbell, Inverkeithing; Robin Park, Boreland/Dunfermline; Donald Whyte, Dunfermline; Brian Duncan, Bob Anderson, Inverkeithing; Harry Mitchell, Raith & Abbotshall/Aberdour; Iain Brown, Raith & Abbotshall; Bill Creevy, Kirkcaldy Curling School; Willie Nicoll, Wendy Smith, Elinor Ritchie, Bank of Scotland; Mike Hudspeth, Stuart Carnegie, Karen McDonald, Dalgety Bay; Aileen Preistley, Susan Cupar, Joy Bowie, Dunfermline Ladies; Bob Tait, Inverkeithing/Boreland; Alice Mairs, George Swan, Ronnie Herd, Kirkcaldy Ice Rink; David Jones, Area Development Officer Kinross; Bill Arnot, Area 7 President (24) President Bob welcomed the representatives of the Clubs in attendance and called for any apologies for absence to be intimated. Apologies: Ross Muir, Broomhall CC; Ian Borland, Dunfermline CC; Lynne Stevenson, Liz Smith, Dunfermline Ladies Minutes of last AGM The President asked if the Minute of the previous year’s AGM could be taken as read, asking for it to be approved and seconded. Adoption proposed by Mike Hudspeth and seconded by Willie Nicoll. The minutes were duly approved. Thereafter the President and Secretary signed the Minute. Matters Arising Bill Arnott apologised for no apologies last year. He understood these would be passed on!! President's Remarks Bob again welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked the clubs for attending ‘League consisted of 10 teams out of 12 in Province (Tulliallan and Dunf Ladies missing) That was disappointing as Kirkcaldy ice is generally accepted as being better than recent years and we need support to keep it going. THE SLIPPINESS IS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY LACK OF THE IONISED WATER – V EXPENSIVE- BUT THERE ARE PLANS CONFIRMED TO UPGRADE THE PLANT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT SEASON.ROBIN PARK WILL SUMMARISE RONNIE HIRD’S REPORT ON THE RINK LATER. The ice rink must be kept going for curling as there is little alternative. Cupar is on hold, awaiting finance which is apparently dependant on Kinross. More later. Annual competitions will be detailed shortly but we have to note that we lost the Zermatt heavily to East Fife but won the Waldie Griffiths against West Lothian – by only one shot so not good enough! Clubs and members playing in prestigious competitions have done well. Particular congratulations are conveyed to Jim Stevenson from Dunfermline CC who skipped his team, including Albert Rae,(with George Lindsay and RCCC president Robbie Scott) to winning the Scottish Masters/David Young, Donald Whyte, Alan Hempseed and Willie Scott won the low road final in the GRAND MASTERS/ DUNFERMLINE LADIES CC have been particularly impressive with members Elizabeth Miller, Trish Petrie, Jane Wright and Helen Gordon winning the Kirkcaldy Ladies Open and several Ladies did exceptionally well at Kinross competitions. Hazel Swankie and Fiona De Vries were both included in the Scottish Seniors team for the worlds and we had further international recognition with Lyne Stevenson going on the winning USA tour. A Canadian ladies team also visited Scotland and played well against the Province. It has been a good enough season with improved level of ability and friendly rivalry in the competitions. It was good to see Kirkcaldy Virtual club enthusiastically joining in our closing Bonspiel and we hope to meet them more regularly. We think the Province continues to provide a competitive opportunity for all club curlers to expand their capabilities and meet new curlers. I must express my thanks over the last 2 years to my predecessor, Trish Petrie, for her quiet support, to the committee members for assistance and to Secretary/treasurer Robin Park for his diligent work. I am sure the Province will go to further strengths and heights. Thank you. Remember – RCCC Agm on 18th June’ Kirkcaldy Curling School Bill Creevy reported the following: ‘THANK YOU PRESIDENT BOB, BROTHER AND SISTER CURLERS. FIRSTLY I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE COLIN HOWDEN AND ALLAN MARSHALL FOR THEIR ACHEIVEMENTS THIS YEAR, IT ONLY SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY THEY CAME ALONG TO THE ICE RINK WITH WAID ACADEMY. THIS SEASON WE HAVE HAD QUITE A VARIED PROGRAMME – 2 COME AND TRY SESSIONS 39 OVER 2 SESSIONS, DOWN ON LAST YEAR BUT HIGHER % ATTENDING COACHING COURSE AND COACHING. CURLING’S COOL PROGRAMME - 136 ATTENDED, WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE BUT THE WEATHER PREVENTED 2 SCHOOLS ATTENDING. THE REGULAR WEDNESDAY EVENING COACHING SESSIONS ALSO ATTRACTED A FAIRLY REGULAR GROUP OF IMPROVERS AS WELL AS SOME NEW CURLERS. WE RAN AN AFTER SCHOOLS CLUB UNTIL CHRISTMAS – POORLY ATTENDED MAX 4. THE VIRTUAL CLUB CONTINUES TO FLOURISH – CURRENTLY 27 MEMBERS AND MORE PEOPLE KEEN TO SIGN UP FOR NEXT SEASON. WE WILL BE LOSING 10 PEOPLE FROM THE VIRTUAL CLUB – MEMBERSHIP IS LIMITED TO 2 YEARS, BUT THEY HAVE ALL JOINED OTHER CLUBS, WHICH IS THE MAIN AIM OF THE CLUB. ALSO 4 OTHERS FROM COACHING HAVE JOINED CLUBS. THIS YEAR TEAMS FROM THE VIRTUAL CLUB HAVE PLAYED IN THE INDOOR GRAND MATCH, THE WEST FIFE CLOSING BONSPEIL, A COMPETITION AT BRAEHEAD AND THE NATIONAL VIRTUAL CLUB BONSPEIL AT LOCKERBIE. WE RAN 2 CORPORATE EVENINGS FOR SCOTTISH WATER AND SOME OF THEM ARE KEEN TO CURL AND JOIN THE VIRTUAL CLUB. WE RAN COME AND TRY SESSIONS FOR 2 GROUPS OF SCOUTS – 50 OVER THE 2 EVENINGS. REGULAR WHEELCHAIR SESSIONS ON THURSDAY MORNINGS. WINTER SPORTS WEEK IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS- CURLING, SKATING, ICE HOCKEY – 40 JUNIORS SOME CAME BACK TO COACHING SESSIONS. SCHOOL SPORTS WEEK- SUMMER NOT A GREAT SUCCESS NEXT SEASON WE PLAN TO RUN THE SAME PROGRAMME PLUS ANOTHER COUPLE OF INITIATIVES. THE SCOUTS ARE LOOKING TO ADOPT CURLING AS A SPORT IN THEIR JUNIOR LEADER AWARD, BASICALLY THEY WOULD COMPLETE A LEVEL 1 COACHING QUALIFICATION. SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO IMPLEMENT A CURRICULIM FOR EXCELLENCE SCHEME , THEY CHOOSE A SPORT OR AN INTEREST AND IT IS BUILT INTO THEIR WEEKLY TIMETABLE. I STILL HAVE TO SPEAK TO THE 4 KIRKCALDY SCHOOLS, BUT I AM HOPEFULL THERE MAY BE SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK. JUNIOR CURLING IN FIFE NEEDS TO BE ENCOURAGED AND ONE OF OUR AIMS NEXT SEASON IS TO GET MORE TEENAGERS ON THE ICE. BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE ACTIVE SCHOOLS CO-ORDINATORS I BELEIVE WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AT THIS POINT ON BEHALF OF K.C.S. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COACHES AND HELPERS FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. AT THE MOMENT WE HAVE 18 VOLUNTEER COACHES AND HELPERS AND AT TIMES OUR RESOUCES ARE STRETCHED TO COVER ALL OUR PROGRAMMES. SO IF ANYONE HAS SOME FREE TIME AND WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST US OCCASIONALLY TO HELP US INTRODUCE CURLING TO THE MASSES AND GET YOU SOME NEW MEMBERS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE COACHING SCHOOL IS NOT THER JUST FOR THE BEGINNERS. WE ARE ALSO THERE TO ASSIST ANY CURLER WHATEVER THEIR LEVEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME’ BILL ASKED FOR ANY QUESTION - !!!! Kinross Curling School David Jones the new Curling Development Officer reported ‘Season 2010-11 has been a very successful year for curling at Kinross. Almost 100% of the ‘Curling Development Action Plan’ targets were achieved or partially achieved during the season. Junior’s not attending the Royal Club’s Skills Award Challenge Trophy in October was the only target not to be at all achieved. The success of meeting these targets would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Kinross Curling School and its committee members and volunteer coaches who have given their own time during the season. Thanks go to everyone involved especially to Diane Bell, Lorna Rennie and Maureen Aitken who have worked very hard during a year of change for the school with the departure of Ena Stevenson as Development Officer. As always the school are continually looking out for new coaches at Kinross so we would invite you all to join us next season and put something back into our great sport. For those who this might interest, Dundee Ice Arena is hosting an ‘Assistant coaches’ course on 17th May and it is hoped that Kinross will have the same course on the 14th September. Please have a look at the Royal Club’s website for details. Here are a pick of some of the facts and figures from the action plan to give you an idea on progress. A full Kinross Curling Development Action Plan will be emailed out for attachment to the minutes and is always available by request. Two Try Curling events were held during the season with 47 people attending in September and a further 29 in January. Come back rates have been excellent and a high proportion of these people went on to attend the Beginners Course and become members of the Virtual and other clubs. The schools ‘Curling’s Cool’ programme attracted 253 pupils from 14 Primary schools compared to the 187 pupils from 9 schools last year. This is an increase of 35%. It is hoped that this will increase 10% in season 2011-12. Kinross Junior Club and the Primary and Secondary After School Clubs welcomed good number of children during the season. Kinross Juniors had 36 members this season which is a great increase from 25 last year. Thanks to the Junior Club committee which includes Elaine Spain as Secretary and Jim Steel as a popular lead coach. The Monday Primary After School club was also notably very busy with an average of 32 children each week causing the doors to be closed to new curlers during the middle of the season! New enquiries were invited to attend the Thursday After School Club instead.