The Shorty Jenkins Classic is this weekend in Brockville starting tomorrow (Sept 13). Some big names will be there including Team Jacobs who is just coming off a win last weekend. These boys are busy...and they're committed. Hard not to root for them...especially when they are doing Northern Ontario curling so proud. Other notables will be the Chinese Mens team from Harbin, China. Kevin Koe will be there as well as Guy Hemmings getting back into the mix. Jeff Stoughton will be there with his new squad...and yes, with Mark Nichols in the lead position (I still can't wrap my head around that one!) Another notable is Team Heath McCormick who represented the USA last year in the Worlds. Playing in the lead position is longtime BRCC pal and son of Maymar and Al Gemmell, Dean Gemmell. All the best to these guys as well. In case you didn't know, Dean is the founder and host of the Curling Show, a cool podcast that interviews many curling personalities. Very interesting stuff, check it out. dean is a huge advocate of curling and it's guys like this that do our sport good! And don't forget Brad Gushue. He'll be there with his new squad. After a disappointing showing in Baden, Switzerland earlier this month, I'm sure the Gushue is looking to have a good showing....especially when he has the record for the most cabinet shuffles of any skip. But, he has put Newfoundland Curling on the map and I for one am proud of that and for that reason, I continue to have a soft spot for this guy.
On the Women's side, Eve Muirhead has made the trek from Scotland to play in this tournament. Sherry Middaugh also has a team in there. Not surprisingly, Marie France Larouche is in there, once again proving that Quebec needs more female competitive curlers! Tracy Horgan and her squad will be there, the sweethearts of Northern Ontario curling. As well, Rachael Homan will be there with her crew. I am interested in seeing the kind of year this squad will have. They have been together for a few years now and they are pistols, one and all. Tough team alright...they got game but they needed some maturing. Has it happened?
The BRCC is still undergoing preparations for opening. The ice will be in later this month, under the direction of Tom Leonard. This is an excellent opportunity to get out to the club and see what is involved in making curling ice.
There's going to be repairs to our dance floor as well. I did not mention this earlier but it will be getting a face lift. Boy, if that floor could talk...man O man, the stories it could tell. And there will be more good times coming up this year. That is a BRCC trademark....excellent curling and certainly excellent fun.
Need some equipment this year? Whether you are a new curler or an experienced curler needing to upgrade, the BRCC has lots of GOOD equipment. Check it out. The prices are excellent and the quality is second to none. Purchasing your equipment locally at the club helps the club and the BRCC always needs your help.
A quick note about the board. They are doing a fantastic job. They do alot behind the scenes and they always have the best interests of the club in mind. it is alot of work and they don't get paid. So, at the very least, they deserve our kudos. Over the past few years, there have been many, many repairs done to the club...and they are ongoing! Why, just this past summer, they had the roof repaired. Every bolt in the roof of our quonset hut was changed and that my friends, was no small task. But our board applied for and received a Trillium Grant that made this repair possible. Awesome I tell you! And when you get into the washroom this season and plunk you backside down on one of those new toilets that were installed, you'll have another reason to sing the praises of the BRCC board! As a pat board member, I can say that it is impossible to please everyone...but with that said, people who give their time and energy to make our cool little club a success deserve our thanks.
I love the BRCC. As a guy who has "curled around", I can honestly tell you that the BRCC is tops in my books and I will always be faithful. Nowhere else can you find such a great bunch of people to spend a winter with. Get out to the club and catch the fever because it is contagious.
Rock On!
The Curling Chronic
1 comment:
Know how much you like the Gush, but...have to tell you, my friend, the 3 guys playing with him need some work. Not the strongest team, by any stretch of the imagination. Having said that, let me tell you about the amazing game against team McCormick - we were there and it was beyond belief.
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