Instructional and Drop-in League - Thursday Evenings
League
Coordinators: Charlie Jennings, and
Howard
Griffin
This season we will resume our Thursday "Drop In" league. No commitments, no pressure, no team requirements. Simply show up by 7:30 and you'll be placed on a team for the day. Requests for specific team mates will be accepted, maybe even granted. It varies from week to week. The best part is that you curl with a wide variety of curlers, from beginners to skips with 20+ years experience. You will also get to play a variety of positions, not always the lead. It's a great way to meet and curl with a variety of people. One of my personal favorites!
We're also an instructional league. Our objective this year is to make training available to members and guests on a regular basis. Our instructional part of Thursday evenings will be from ~6:15 to ~7:30. We hope to have delivery video taping clinics, sweeping clinics and more, offered by our members and the training committee. These will be spread out throughout the year instead of concentrated in the first week or two of the season.
Here is your chance to give curling a try! We welcome new curlers to come and give it a try on many Thursday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30. See the schedule below. On the days where we have a Micro-rental, space may be limited, but we'll certainly try to give everyone the opportunity to curl at least part of a game. Try to arrive by 6:15 so we can get you equipped with sliders etc. Wear warm, loose fitting clothes and clean flat soled shoes. Sneakers are OK. A release will be needed, and it is available on our forms page or at the club. Yes, introductory instruction will be provided, as will all necessary equipment. The best part of the evening is when you decide (and I'm sure you will) that you like curling, you are more than welcome to stay and play in a league game for a nominal $10 donation. No extra charges for bragging rights at your next party. New curlers will be mixed with more experienced curlers. This provides further on-ice instructional opportunities (coaching, not screaming, except for perhaps "sweep hard") and helps avoid frustration on the first time out.
New this year is the concept of a "Micro-rental", which is really reservations for the drop-in curling. This is targeted to small groups of 5-10 people, but with a maximum of 12. You'll have an instructor of your own so you will learn together, and efforts will be made to keep you on the same sheet(s), but not necessarily on the same team. This limit also facilitates the inclusion of experienced curlers to provide guidance and keep the game moving. Arrangements MUST BE MADE IN ADVANCE by
e-mailing our rental coordinator. A smaller group of 2-3-4 is considered "walk in" and will be merged with other potential walk in curlers.
League organization (Who said we weren't organized?) :
- The instructional part of the evening will run from ~6:30 to ~7:30.
- For drop-in guests, please try to arrive by 6:15 to sign waivers, get fitted for sliders, etc.
- Micro-rental instruction will also run from ~6:30 to ~7:30, arrangements ahead of time are required, and we suggest that you arrive by 6:15
- Micro-rentals will be limited to two sheets of ice. The remaining two sheets will be available for drop-in guests, and practice ice only if space is available.
- Clinics (delivery video taping, sweeping, etc.) will be scheduled to avoid conflict with Micro-rentals
- Walk-in guests and Micro-rental curlers will be merged with member curlers for balanced play, extended training by example, and to keep games moving.
- Teams will be formed from 7:30 to 7:55 PM ( or earlier ) while ice is being prepped
- Because the slow rate of play inherent in a novice environment has never allowed for a second draw, and the early hour at which a reasonable instruction period must begin, we should walk out on the ice, teams formed, ready to curl no later than 8:00 PM
-
We should be able to complete eight ends in two hours, but rarely do, for the reason(s) listed above.
- At 10:00 PM finish the end you are playing, and you are done for the evening. In no circumstances should the final end go past 10:20 PM!
- Violations of the 10:00 PM cutoff for starting an extra end, or the 10:20 PM finish the game deadline will be tolerated, however the offending curlers, who must be members, then assume closing responsibilities.
Anticipated*
2008-2009 Drop-in League and Give Curling A Try Dates:
* There
are many events that happen or are scheduled to happen
on a Thursday evening, and the Drop-in league is Dropped out
at the Drop of a hat. Please Drop by the web site regularly.
