Fasten Your Seat Belt

Bunny eyes. Andrea Crawford of Team New Brunswick. Certainly no stranger to the STOH, but she will have to bring her A game and maintain it while competing in Montreal. And so it begins...the stretch of TV curling that will last for the next couple of months. With the start of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Montreal this weekend, the Olympics will be right on its heels and then throw in a Brier, a couple of Grand Slams and a Worlds, you have a recipe for an awesome run of TV curling.

And as I type this current diatribe, I myself am waiting for my ride to pick me up and we will be heading to Thessalon for our Senior Mens Regional playdowns. It's an exciting time for me. This year, in particular, I am feeling confident that I am with a solid squad and we have a shot at getting to a provincial championship. Three of the six teams competing get to go so by the numbers, we have a 50 / 50 chance. Throw in some skill, and hey, you never know....

And as the teams get to Montreal today, I am sure there are lots of squads also brimming with anticipation. But here are my picks:

Homan wins it all in a final against either Sweeting or Lawton.

Allison Ross: PQ   I'm not sure about these gals but they did beat out Eve Belisle to get to the STOH. First time at a big show and not much exposure to big crowds and WCT events so my guess is they are in tough. Can they get past Wednesday...the starts will all have to align.

Kim Dolan: PEI   No stranger to the STOH but zero exposure on the tour and I think this will hurt them over the long haul. I think they suffer from the same thing that hampers alot of east coast teams...lots of talent but a lack of sponsorship dollars and minimal exposure to WCT events which in the end will make it tough to get past Wednesday.

Stephanie Lawton: SK. Tough team, lots of experience. Been around for a while now and I'm sure thier expectations are high. Certainly the potential to win it all but they will have to bring it! Absolutely a spot in the playoffs and maybe the final.

Chelsea Carey: MB.   I like this team but they are not seasoned enough yet to win it all. Certainly a good shot at a playoff spot. I mean let's face it, they had to beat alot of good teams to get out of Manitoba but it will be a long road. I have watched them play a few times and noticed alot of small strategy errors that hurt them. I'll be interested to see where they sit at the end of the week.

Heather Smith: NS.   Veteran team...it is difficult not to like them. They have the potential to get on a roll and make the play offs and I sincerely hope they do. They will have to be consistent during the entire week.

Kesa Van Osch: BC. I watched them play their semi-final and final in the provincials. These young ladies are straight out of the juniors and they beat Kelly Scott to get here. No exposure to the big teams or the WCT in general. I cannot see them getting past Wednesday...I think it will be all too new to them. Big crowds, TV...they will have to reign it all in and stay focused.

Allison Flaxey: ON. I like this team for a couple of reasons. One, they played well to get out of Ontario and it is obvious that they have worked hard to get here. Also, this is Caleb Flaxey's wife...from the old Jacobs team when they were just starting out. Also...Al and Maymar's niece plays on this team so how could I not like them? First time at the big show and I think they will be in tough but if they play like they played in the Ontario provincials, I can see them in a play off. Here's to hoping....

Valerie Sweeting: AB. This will be their second Scotties and what a year this squad is having. They will be tough to beat and I certainly see them around at the end of the week. In fact, this will be one of the teams to beat. Potential is there to win it all...they will have to keep playing well.

Andrea Crawford: NB  Been to the Scotties lots of times and I like her and her squad. Bunny eyes (among the nicest eyes in curling) is an excellent player and I would love to see them make the playoffs but for sure they will be in tough and will have to bring it to each and every game. Once again, here's to hoping.

Heather Strong: NL   No stranger to the STOH and an excellent player in her own right. I think that if Heather et al could find time and money to get to some WCT events, you would see a marked improvement in their performance at the STOH. Because I am a Newfoundlander, I will be rooting for them. They certainly have the potential to get to the playoffs...can they win it all...well, heck, remember Jack McDuff in '76....anything can happen!

Rachael Homan: CAN   No doubt the odds on favotites to win the STOH this year. Bar some kind of a cataclysm, this squad will be in the play offs at the end of the week, and if they are able to play to their potential, no doubt can win the whole thing easily. It has not been a stellar year for this crew, but that can change in a New York minute.

So, kick back and settle in for a winter full of curling beginning with the STOH. One thing is for sure, I'll be Rockin' On!

In local BRCC news, looks like the Thursday Mens has quite the bottleneck going on near the top of the leaderboard. Looks to me that there is Team Mitchell, the Molson Exers (Team Rouselle....lost their first game of the second half last night but still at the top), Team Austin (yes, the Newfie Bullet), Team Viel and Team Villeneuve. According to my calculations, all these teams are within a point or two of each other. There are other teams having great seasons too and it there is still lots of games to go. Playoffs will be interesting this year.

GREAT CONTRIBUTORS: Transcan Service Center and Cantech Construction. Both these companies have made donations to the Bantam ladies (Team Hayley Horton) and also to the BRCC Ladies Spiel. Rick Roberts and Dennis Roberts are excellent guys and the BRCC is fortunate to have them as members. And they are both curling chronics as well...so I cannot help but have a soft spot for them. With Dennis, in particular, he is a former teammate who I enjoyed playing with and he is also my mechanic. So as much as I trusted him with his shots, I also trust him with my ride!  Thanks alot for all you have done guys!

ANOTHER GREAT CONTRIBUTOR: Mary Shamas. Dr Mary pays for the Saturday morning breakfast for the BRCC Ladies Spiel. She has been doing this for a number of years now. Thanks alot Mary!

So that's it, I'm going to stop it there and head upstairs and put some underarm deodorant on. I anticipate sweeping my fanny off this weekend so I'll be looking to maximize on the brush strokes and minimize the BO!

Stay tuned! And to Maymar and Al....keep checkin' our linescores and keep sendin' positive energy our way!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Post Ladies Spiel Reflections

BRCC's own Shirley Lemieux. Living proof that the Fountain of Youth exists! And here she is with her fav European curler, Thomas Ulsrud, certainly one of her Las Vegas highlights. Who says there are no highlights in curling. For sure there are many throughout a season. And you don't have to travel all the way to the American Southwest to find them. Many curling highlights are found right at your own club. The BRCC is no exception. And how do these highlights originate? From the excellent people who participate within the club.


EXCELLENT CONTRIBUTORS: Nicole and Nathan Mutch. Between the Maple Sugar Spa and Home Hardware, this terrific duo donated prizes and provided prizes at reduced prices. You can't beat em!

Dave Mitchell and Mitchell Pharmacy. ALWAYS donating and supporting the club, it's curlers and our competitive curlers. Dave and Marty are a first-rate people. The BRCC is a better place because of them.

Cameco. Need I say more? This company has contributed so much over the years, words can't express.....

SHOPPING LOCAL: Always a good idea.  I should note that the planning committee bought all the prizes for the Ladies Spiel locally. With so many local businesses contributing to the club, it seems only fitting that we shop locally for our prizes. It's a symbiotic relationship for sure.

BEATIN' THE BIG PEOPLE: Hayley Horton and crew. Hayley still loses a few games, but she wins alot more of them. All the hard work and dedication to the Roaring Game has paid dividends.

GOOD TIMES IN TV LAND: There is a ton of TV curling coming our way and it will kick off with the Scotties this weekend. If the winter is dragging on for you now, kit won't much longer because the plethora of TV curling that is about to engulf you will take the bite right out of old Jack Frost. And when you finally look up from your screen, it will be Mens Closing time...a sure sign of spring!

HEALED AND THROWING WELL: Sandy Milroy. Sandy had an injury before Christmas and was using a stick for a short time. However, that is all behind him now and he is back and curling with a vengeance.

GREAT Co-COOKS: Marshall Chow and Gator Fortin. These guys were cooks along with Ron Forest for supper and breakfast at the Ladies Spiel and boy, they dished up some awesome chow (pardon the pun Marshall!) Thanks alot guys.

GREAT ICE: The BRCC. The ice speed is great and the curl is awesome. Most runs have been eliminated thanks to the hard work and diligence of the BRCC ice crew. Boy...these guys are dedicated. They spend alot of time at the club. What good fortune that the BRCC has excellent volunteers. We could not do without them.

BRCC BE ALL - END ALL: Ricky Albert. Always helping at the club in every capacity imaginable. Ricky helps with the ice, with the bar, with cleaning....man, this guy is awesome! If you see him around, shake his hand and let him know he is appreciated. He is one of the best behind-the-scenes helpers we have!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Lemieux Rink Off To Provincials

Team Dan Lemieux. Off to the provincials. After a great weekend at the challenge round in Timmins, Steph Lemieux, Marc Barette and Clint Cudmore along with Dam Lemieux will be heading to the Northern Ontario provincials. These guys have had a great season thus far and hopefully it will continue. For Stephane, he has been doing some curling commuting to the Sault every week so it is awesome that this is paying off for him. He sure deserves this. Good luck guys at the provincials! Bring home the hardware!

The BRCC Ladies wound up their Rock Of Ages Spiel yesterday with the A Event winner being Kelly Berry and her team from Sudbury. They won thier final against Eliott Lake's Jan Townes rink. The B Event winner was Anita Moran winning the final over Christie Hagger. The C Event was taken by Team Annie Austin winning their final over Beth Laderoute and the D Event winner was Lucy Ann Trudeau winning over Cathy Jensen. Great job once again by the BRCC in putting together a Rockin' good time. Events winners' pictures to follow.

NEW SKIP: Natasha Hallett. Skipped a team for the first time this weekend. They won their first two games and got knocked out in the dreaded Saturday night game. Excellent start to skipping for Natashia.

EXCELLENT VITTLES REVIEW: Ron Forest. Cooked up a mean prime rib supper for the Ladies Spiel. Received rave reviews. Certainly the consensus is that we keep Ron and his crew for this event. You just can't beat these guys in the food department. Awesome job   Thanks alot Ron!

AMAZING BENEVOLENCE: Mike Landry and Crysta Murdoch. Mike got a donation from St Joe's hospital in Eliott Lake and donated it to the Bantam girls team (Team Horton). Not only did they do that, but he and Chrysta showed up on Sunday morning and cooked a plethora of burgers and hot dogs for the girls to sell at lunchtime. The initiative was over the top successful and as far as I have heard, they raised in excess of $300.00. Great job Mike and Chrysta.

SKINS WINNERS: Team Villeneuve. The BRCC Senior Mens competitive team recently went to Thessalon to play in the Skins Match. They ended up winning this tournament and all in all, had a very good showing. This squad will be returning to Thessalon this weekend to play in the Regionals....we're hoping to keep the momentum going!

YOUTH CHALLENGE PARTICPANTS: BRCC's Mia Smith, Cassie Smith, Avah Olsen and Hanna May went to play in a Youth Challenge in Sudbury this past weekend. These young curlers are doing everything right. They are practicing and participating in tournaments. Kudos to these young curlers for embracing the Roaring Game...they can do nothing else but improve. And kudos to the parents who get them there and foster their enthusiasm. Extremely cool.

BRCC MEMBER AT HEART: Kelly Berry. Kelly is still attending school in Sudbury and sits at or near the top of her class (no surprise there). Because of this, she is on a hiatus from the BRCC but that did not stop her from getting a squad together and bringing them to the BRCC to play in the Ladies Spiel. What's more, she made a donation to the prize table. This was unsolicited which makes this donation all the more special. Thanks alot Kelly!

TOP SPOT IN THE MENS: The Molson Exers (Team Keith Rouselle) are still on a roll. They have not lost a game since the second part of the season kicked off. Awesome job guys. They will have their hands full this coming Thursday as they square off against the Mitchell crew (current club champions).

INCREDIBLE IMPROVEMENT: Rhonda Kirby. I watched a couple of the Liz Rouselle games this weekend and Rhonda was playing second. She played absolutely super. She made some incredible shots. Very impressive display. Also, BRENDA DAUB was playing excellent in the vice position. It is no wonder that this squad is in the top spot in the Tuesday ladies.

MISSED: Al and Maymar Gemmell. Have not been seen around the BRCC for a while now as they are on a curling hiatus. You guys are missed! We think and talk about you all the time!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Rock of Ages Ladies Spiel Kicks Off Today

Well, it has finally here. The BRCC Ladies Rock of Ages Spiel kicks off this evening. This promises to be another of the BRCC excellent events that our cool little club is known for. Great games, great people, great prizes...even loot bags. Not to be outdone, that's for sure. Lots of planning by the Rez Girls and Vola Roberts....great job ladies.

Ron Forest will have some excellent vittles (prime rib) for the Saturday night supper. They will also be providing breakfast on Saturday morning...compliments of Mary Shamas. Thanks Ron (and crew) and thanks Mary.
Thanks to Al Viel (and crew) for running the shooter bar on Friday night.

And while this is going on, a team from BRCC is headed to Thessalon to play in the Thessalon Skins Match. Bob Villeneuve, Terry Fryer, Dan Horton and your truly will be braving the current storm to check out the Thessalon ice. Good practice, if nothing else, since the Senior Mens Regionals are in Thessalon next weekend.

Team Hayley Horton will be headed to the Soo next weekend to play in the Bantam Provincials. Best of luck to those young ladies...they have worked hard this year and they are stoked.

So, if you are stuck for a gig this weekend, check out the BRCC for a Rockin' Good Time. Those BRCC Belles really know how to put on a good time so there is no chance of being disappointed.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Continental Cup Awesome!

 Great seats at the Continental Cup. And great shot-making by both sides.

 Maria Prytz. Among the many highlights of our trip to Vegas for the Continental Cup was meeting and chatting with this excellent curler from the Swedish team. Maria Prytz is an awesome curler and a very personable lady. Note to Maymar and Al Gemmell....notice the shirt. I saved it and wore it especially for this occasion!

The fans at the Continental Cup were awesome. If no one had heard of Blind River before this event, they surely knew about it by the end. The people sitting around us were great fun. This is a big part of seeing these events live...making new friends.








And so it was, 12 Blind River curling club members made the journey to Vegas to kick it at the Continental Cup of Curling.  We were not disappointed. The curling was first rate. Lots of opportunities to meet the players and chat with them. Here's my take on it all:

WEATHER:  20 degrees every day so it was shorts and T-shirts for us. It was crazy sitting in the stands wearing this kind of apparel. I loved it! No rain..in fact, you could not buy a cloud! Cool evenings but with a long sleeve shirt or a sweater, you were good to go!

VENUE: Awesome. The Orleans Arena is a nice facility and connected to the hotel. I could literally walk out of my room and go straight to my seat without ever going outside. (But I did go outside because the weather was awesome!

FOOD: Cheap and good! Lots of restaurants in the hotel that served good food at excellent prices. I gained 5 lbs last week. back to the elliptical this week.

CURLING: Incredible. Great games and great shot-making. Both teams did not disappoint.

HIGHLIGHT: Besides meeting Maria Prytz...got to chat and take a photo with Vic and Russ. Great guys. A big highlight for me was attending with Joanne Niganobe, Christine Owl, Al Moffatt, Yvette Maffatt, Sheri Blanchet, Kristy Blanchet, Frank Lemieux and Shirley Lemieux. They becaome my little ducklings and I led them up and down the strip over a couple of days. To look behind me and see them all coming behind in single file, it was like I was mother goose and they were my ducklings. I might have started off the day as Mother Goose, but after a few beverages along the way, I was more like Mother "Loose:"! These gals and guys were great fun and we had alot of good laughs.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE: You've heard the expression "Photo Bomb"? Well, I thought it was "photo bum" and did a bit of photo bumming along the way. Hence, I became the Photo Bum! What a good laugh that was!

EVE MUIRHEAD: Lots alot of weight. Did not look healthy but she must have been because she played well.

JEFF STOUGHTON: Crowd favorite and he did not disappoint. Jonathan Mead played to the crowd as well.

DELTA AIRLINES: Synonymous with "Nightmare". My first time with Delta and most likely my last. Going there and returning, there were problems. I've already sent a letter to them. Cancelled our flight and despite the fact that we booked back at the beginning of September, people who booked flights long after us got earlier flights out than us. This lack of a solid protocol cost us a day of our holidays, plus the cost of a shuttle to Alpena, MI. Definitely not cool.

FIRST RATE HOTEL: Kewadin in Sault Ste Marie, MI. Because of our problems with Delta, Kewadin shuttled us to Alpena,. MI...3.5 hours downstate. All they asked was that we tip the driver so we chipped in and gave him $160.00

VERY COOL MOMENT: We got interviewed by Colin Kelly, the event newspaper writer. Like I said, everyone knew about Blind River at the end of it.

BEST POSTER: Blind River's, of course. it was big and colorful and we made it on TV lots of times. Thanks alot Gator Fortin. BTW...that poster is very well traveled. Been to many Briers and Scots, Grand Slams and now the Continental Cup.

REGRETS: I meant to make daily entries while I was at the event but could not get our I Pad to work. Hence, this after-the-fact entry. Another regret?...it's over!

All in all, a real memorable trip. Loved the people we went with and enjoyed every minute of it. Would I do it again....in a New York minute! If you have never done anything like this, you owe it to yourself to try it. Memories abound!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Thursday Mens

Vegas Baby! This is it, the time has finally come. With 11 other BRCC members in tow, this curling chronic is headed to Sin City for the Continental Cup of Curling. We purchased our packages last February so it has been quite a wait. But the waiting is over and now I'm stoked, big time! And I'm not the only one stoked. There is a club full of stoked curlers every Thursday night for the Mens League. And there is no secret as to why they are stoked. it is an excellent league...great games and great comradry. And as Thursday marks a nearing to the end of the week, it is always a perfect day to get out there and hang with your curling pals and immerse yourself in the Roaring Game.

Rick Berthelot vs Chris Zagar. WIN for Berthelot
Dan Berthelot vs Keith Rouselle. WIN for Rouselle
Francois Lemieux vs Al Viel. WIN for Lemieux
Michel Rivard vs Bob Villeneuve. WIN for Villeneuve
Tod Swan vs Andrew Roberts. WIN for Roberts
Jeff Mitchell vs Tom St Jules.  WIN for Mitchell
Glen Austin vs Chris Astles. WIN for Austin
Jim Kendrick vs Ben Lemieux. WIN for Kendrick
John Hammond vs Dave Mitchell. WIN for Mitchell


STILL GOIN' STRONG: The Molson Exers. Team Rouselle is having one heck of a season. These guys have been together for a long time  but this is their best year by far that I can remember. Great job guys.

PULLED IT OUT: Andrew Ludgate. At the helm (Jeff Mitchell was absent) and taking on the tough Family Jules, Andrew stayed with it and made a big shot in the end to win it. Awesome.

EXPONENTIAL IMPROVEMENT: Andrew Roberts. This guy just keeps getting better and better. He has an excellent understanding of the game and he makes alot of shots. This guy has certainly come into his own. BTW, I prefer the pony tail over the samurai look.

HAMPERED BY SHOULDER ISSUES: Benny Lemieux. It's been a tough go of late for Ben. He has an issue with his muscles in his shoulder and it makes it hard to throw. But like the true curling chronic that he is, Ben gets out there and toughs it out. Hopefully, this shoulder thing works itself out for him.

STILL TOP DOGS: Team Mitchell. Another stellar season for the Mitchell squad. Will they ever run out of gas?

EXCELLENT LEAD: Scott Smith. Scott Smith pays lead for Dave Mitchell. His game is real solid. He has excellent weight control and sets up alot of ends for his team.

AWESOME SUPPORT: Cameco. This company is so generous and supportive for lots of organisations around town. The BRCC thanks you. And a big thanks to the employees of Cameco who participate in the club. Several of which lend their trades skills to help out around the club. Like I have said many times...a great company with great people in its employ.

So that's it. The next post I make, I'll be making from the Continental Cup. I'll try to keep you posted as to what is going on there and share our experience with you. BTW: they have a patch and live entertainment every night. Awesome!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Stoughton Wins Skins Match

Stoughton wins it all! And an impressive payday of $70,500.00  Not a bad weekends pay for a weekends work!

In Womens' provincial curling, the Scotties field is pretty well set. With the exception of Quebec, all other provinces are settled. It was excellent to see all those games on Sportsnet TV this weekend. They are as follows:

NL: Heather Strong:  Back for her umpteenth time. Hope she does well.

NS: Heather Smith. (Fomerly Heather Smith - Dacey): A great performance expected.

NB: Andrea Crawford (Bunny Eyes): Back for another go at it. I still say this team could be better if they played more on the Grandslam circuit. They need more sponsorship.

PEI: Kim Dolan.  Not her first time. I think she will be in tough.

ONTARIO: Allison Flaxey: Great run in the provincials. First time at the Scotties..I'm interested to see how they perform on arena ice in front of the big crowds.

TEAM CANADA: Rachael Homan: Not having their greatest year but capable of greatness. I expect them to be strong. In fact, I expect to see them in the final.

MANITOBA: Chelsea Carey. Good run in the provincials. They could be a contender.

SASKATCHWAN: Stephanie Lawton. Real solid team. I expect to see them around at the end of the week. Lots of potential to win it all.

ALBERTA: Valerie Sweeting: This team has been awesome this year. This is another strong contender.

BC: Kessa Van Osch: Beat Scott in a nail biter of a final yesterday. This will be their first Scotties so I am interested to see how they will fare. This could a learning curve deal for them but who knows!

TERRITORIES: Sarah Koltun: Ended Kerry Galusha's long time run. Further testimony to the fact that there are more than 1 womens teams playing in the territories!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Gushue Upended At The Skins

The 16 Skins guys for the 2014 Skins Game. Great field of champion curlers assembled in Banff for a shoot out. And in the first game,Gushue took on Stoghton. It was looking good for the Gush as he was up a couple of skins early. With Johnny Mo, E J Harnden and Ben Hebert...I was liking Gushue's chances. But after a couple of miscues, Stoughton quickly turned the tables and eventually won the match in the 7th securing $11000.00. Since the last skin was worth $6500.00, Gushue had no chance to win and as fate would have it, Stoughton took that last skin as well, ending up with $17500.00. Team Gushue ended up with $3500.00

Tonight's game will feature Brad Jacobs against Kevin Martin. This should be a barnburner with Jacobs choosing Jon Mead (no shocker there), Marc Kennedy and Craig Saville. Tough crew. But then there's Martin with Ryan Fry, Carter Rycroft (bit of a reunion from the Wolchuck / Bartlett days), and Mark Nichols. Hard to pick the winner in this one but let's face it, Jacobs will be tough to beat. He's top skip these days so Martin will have to bring it. I guessing he will...thus, the barnburner.

A great night to kick it in the recliner and watch some world class curling.

Thank heavens for the Season of Champions. I look ahead at my curling and TV Curling calendar, and there is little room for anything else. And thank heavens for big screen TVs and surround sound....my TV curling experience is enhanced. Now if A M J Campbell Movers could only make a new commercial...my life would be complete!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Wednesday Open 8 Ender

While it's true that there have been some pregnant women out there playing the Roaring Game, this cannot mean that these people are not athletes. The nature of the game accommodates pregnant ladies but that does not mean that these people are not athletes. They were athletes before they became in the family way and lets face it, the fact that they continue to curl is a credit to them!

And if you look at it, the fact that curling is possible for pregnant ladies is a credit to the sport. I mean, if these ladies were in the skeleton competition, no chance they are jumping on a skinny sled on their belly, face down to the icy track and hurtling themselves at breakneck speeds down the track. But in curling, they can slide and sweep without any trouble.

But as far as I know, there were no pregnant people at the BRCC this past Wednesday in the Open 8 Ender (but this has been a cold winter so I guess it IS possible). But despite being pregnant or not, they were all out there meeting between the sheets and having a good time doing it.

Al Viel vs Hayley Horton.  WIN for Viel

Glen Austin vs Warren Neufeld.  WIN for Neufeld

Ryan Hagger vs Tom St Jules. WIN for St Jules

Lucy Ann Trudeau vs John Topash. WIN for Topash

RED BUM AWARD: Team Austin. Could not deal with the excellent shots made by Warren and the Neufeld Factor. This team makes alot of shots and they are strong in every position!

BACK TO 100%: Tom St Jules. Big Daddy was having some problems with his Sciatic and it was hampering him. But, I am pleased to report that he has made a full recovery and is back to being the on-ice "tough guy" that we all know and fear.

CUTEST CURLER OUT THERE: Abby Hagger. I am so pleased to see this awesome young lady out there playing in the leagues. She makes alot of shots and her sweeping abilities sure have come a long way (must be the sharp, new broom).

GREAT SPORT AND ALL ROUND GREAT GUY: Brian Tonelli. Loves the Roaring Game. He doesn't really care about winning or losing....he just enjoys being out there. He epitomises the joys of recreational curling.

STILL A CURLING WHIZ: Al Viel. At this point, a veteran of the game and a true curling chronic. And can always be counted on for some real tough competition.

IMPROVED IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS: Helen Rancourt. I watched parts of her game the other night and she has developed a real solid delivery and is throwing the rock well. Great job Helen.
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FUN COUPLE: Judy Laframboise and Ron Coventry. This pair are fun to curl with. They will not be going to the National Mixed this year but if there was a National Competition for being a fun couple to curl with, they would definitely be on the Podium!

INCREDIBLY SOLID DELIVERY: Tamara Behnke. Her curling skills continue to improve at an exponential rate. All the curling and practising this young lady does certainly has paid dividends.

EXCELLENT POTENTIAL: Adam Valiquette. This guy has a solid curling style and is right into the game. Once he establishes more weight control, he will be a formidable opponent. Looking for a good player, he's your guy.

So that's how it all worked out for this Wednesday Open 8 Ender.

I will be away next week and despite this, I will send some reports of our Continental Cup experiences so keep an eye out.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Season's Second Half Is Underway

Happy New Year!  With the Christmas holidays behind us, it's full steam ahead with the second part of the season at the BRCC. The Spirit of Curling is always present at the BRCC but I wish the spirit of "Warmer Weather" would show up. It has been one heck of a cold season thus far but hopefully the weather will break and bring some more temperate conditions. In the meantime, sweeping harder will generate more heat out on the sheets!

And they were all sweeping hard on Monday night past at the Monday Mixed.

Jerry Jensen vs Joanna Hammond. WIN for Jensen

Andrew Roberts vs Gator Fortin. TIE GAME

Andrew Ludgate vs Ryan Hagger. WIN for Ludgate.

Sandy Milroy vs Dan McMillan. WIN for McMillan.

NEW CURLING STUFF for CHRISTMAS: Amanda MacDonald. That's right, Santa brought Amanda new curling shoes and a new Goldline broom. And she's stylin'. She says it has improved her game. Curling shoes always make a difference!

MORE NEW CURLING STUFF FOR CHRISTMAS: Abby Hagger and Donna Ladiett. Both are sporting new Goldline curling brooms. Abby's broom is taller than she is but I'm sure she'll grow into it!

RED BUM AWARD: Team Sandy Milroy. Not to worry...we have all had them and you cannot grow into the game of curling without having experienced one or two. The redness goes away after a few days.

SLIP, SLIDIN' AWAY: You might have noticed that the ice is a bit greasy. That is normal as there was a controlled melt over the holidays and the ice is new. This will go away after a few games get played. In the meantime, be aware and be careful!

And then on Tuesday night, the BRCC Belles were out there for the first Ladies Night of the New Year.

Chantal MacLeod vs Anita Moran. WIN for MacLeod.

Beth Laderoute vs Lucy Ann Trudeau. WIN for Laderoute

Joanna Hammond vs Annie Austin.  WIN for Hammond

Marty Mitchell vs Deanna Roberts. WIN for Mitchell.

Jamie Ellmore vs Christie Hagger. WIN for Hagger

Vola Roberts vs Liz Rouselle. WIN for Rouselle

COME BACK QUEENS: Team Chantal MacLeod. After going down early in the game, the MacLeod rink turned it all around and pulled out the win. Great job ladies!

TOUGH CUSTOMERS: Team Joanna Hammond. This squad consists of Joanna, Hayley Horton, Julia Horton and Tamara Behnke. This squad are one of the toughest teams out there and when you have them to play against, bring your "A" game because they take no prisoners. Excellent team.

KEEPIN' IT GOIN': Marty Mitchell. The Iron Bridge Belles have always been a tough crew to contend with and with Marty replacing Marg Tivy, it seems the tradition continues. The Belles will no doubt be somewhere near the top of the standings when all the dust settles. The Iron Bridge Belles seem to be the one constant in an ever-changing curling universe.

STOKED: Me! The Continental Cup of Curling is just around the corner and there are 12 of us from the BRCC that will be heading to Vegas next week to watch it live.

BIG SEASON OF CURLING AHEAD: Team Jacobs. They will be heading to Banff for this weekend to play in the Skins Match. From there it's off to Vegas for the Continental Cup and from there, it's off to Sochi, Russia for the Olympic Games. Talk about Livin' The Dream!

So, we're off and running for the second part of the season. Just a reminder, the BRCC Ladies Spiel is January 24, 25 and 26th. I noticed that there are just three spots left before this spiel is full. Still thinking of playing? Get your name in soon...always a good time. You won't be disappointed.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic