Bantam Regionals At BRCC: Good Times

The BRCC played host to 5 Bantam Boys teams and 2 Bantam girls teams this past weekend. Great bunch of young people and some impressive shot-making. There were 3 boys teams from Sault Ste Marie (Team Rhude, Team Servant and Team Manary), a team from Thessalon (Team Goodmurphy) and a team from Blind River (Team May). For the girls, it was Team Rutledge from Sault Ste Marie and Team Horton from Blind River. Team Servant and Team Manary will be going on to the Provincials as well as Team Rutledge for the girls. Congratulations to these fine young players and congratulations to all the teams who competed for putting on a fine show for the fans.

The Blind River Bantams, consisting of Jacob May, Dawson Kluding, Stephen Berthelot and Kale Goudreau were perhaps the most inexperienced team playing in this competition but there were certainly the MOST entertaining. And they won a game on Saturday night that had the crowd cheering. Great bunch of young fellows!

The BRCC Bantam girls went 0 - 2 but played well and certainly demonstrated their potential. I think next year will be a different story for this team. This was a great experience for them and I was most impressed with their upbeat manner and the way they conducted themselves.

In fact, both BRCC teams were very personable and they did their club proud.

Special thanks to Bob Villeneuve and Terry Fryer who ran this event. Terry donated snacks for the teams..thanks alot Terry! Thanks alot to Cameco...who donated hats and mits to each of the 7 team players. That was a nice touch and the kids certainly appreciated it. Also, thanks to Tod Swan who spent the weekend at the club as the head official. As well, Lucy Ann Trudeau was the girls' coach and Akeeshia Trudeau and Al Viel coached the boys. Akeeshia attends university in Sault, MI and took the weekend to travel to Blind River to coach these boys so thanks alot Akeeshia...that was awesome. Also thanks to Mike Laderoute and Richard Olmstead for looking after the ice. Also, thanks to Kristy Blanchet (and Bella) who inputted scores on the NOCA site.

It was a fun weekend for everyone involved in this event. A good learning experience for the young curlers and certainly some excellent entertainment for the parents and fans. Great job by all.

Rock On

The Curling Chronic

Flood Scheduled for 9 AM, Saturday, Dec 29th

Mike Laderoute wanted me to let you know that the ice will be flooded on Saturday, Dec. 29th @ 9 AM. This will be completely necessary to get rid of the crap that will be left on the ice from the Boxing Day Spiel. Mike is looking for some volunteers to show up for a couple of hours to help him out. This is an excellent way to get those volunteer hours going on and Mike certainly needs your help. Please make an effort to show up if you can.

Merry Christmas to all of you from the BRCC!. Have a fun and safe holidays. Avoid drinking and driving at all costs!!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Tuesday Ladies

It was no tree stand water for the BRCC this past Tuesday. They were enjoying the full-bodied taste of real beverages as they celebrated at their Christmas party. They curled 4 ends and they had a Turkey shoot. Winners of the Turkeys were: Julia Horton (great job Julia!!), Paula Sommers and Christine Scholburg.

The ladies brought presents to donate for local children who need them. Great idea and great job by the organizing committee. Thanks alot ladies for doing your part for the league and the club.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Monday Mixed

Santa and his cinnamon bun delivery. A couple hours with Al and Maymar Gemmell would have Pere Noel stretchin' it out! They were all stretchin' it out last Monday at the Mixed.

Ice A: Al Viel vs Sandy Milroy. WIN for Milroy. And that is how the Milroy crew will head to the holidays, posting a win. This is a solid team and they have had alot of success in the first half of the season. They win the "Tough Stuff" Award.

Ice B: Bob Villeneuve vs Dan McMillan. WIn for Villeneuve. The Villeneuve squad knock off t a tough crew. They win the "The Stars Have Aligned" Award.

Ice C: Glen Austin vs Gator Fortin. TIE GAME. Excellent game, lots of good shot-making on both sides. Always lots of laughs playing against the Fortin squad. They win the "Fun Factor" Award.

Ice D: Michel Rivard vs Brian West. WIN for Rivard. Michel Rivard has been picking up the pace in both leagues that he is playing in. Last week he tied his Mixed game and this week a win is posted. Michel wins the "I'm Feelin' It" Award.

I noticed that Michel Rivard signed his name to the Mixed Doubles list on the board. This is just a list to see how much interest there would be for a tournament some weekend. If you think you would like to try it, sign up and lets put something together in the New Year. Perhaps this might lead to a new league being formed. One thing is for sure, Mixed Doubles is absolutely excellent for having fun and honing your skills all at the same time. The games are fast and there are plenty of interesting ends. Always lots on rocks in play. Check it out!

Rock On!

The curling Chronic

Thursday Mens

If this was where I grew up, you might find an Eaton's Catalogue in that 'Schmidt-house'! But there's no more Eaton's catalogues kickin' around these days and you certainly won't find any at the BRCC! No sir, it's all curling stuff over there. And nobody goes there to read anyway, they go there to curl. And that's just what the men were doing last Thursday as the the Thursday Mens League nears the mid-season mark. Lots of teams hover near the top of the leader board.

Ice B (Tuesday): John Hammond vs Chris Zagar. WIN for Hammond. It's been a pretty good first half for the Zagar crew. They played some good games and had some close finishes. They win the "There's Always The Second Half" Award.

Ice C: Keith Rouselle vs Michel Rivard. TIE GAME. Last week I reported IN ERROR that Brian Tonelli won over the Rivard crew two Thursdays ago. This was incorrect as it was Team Rivard winning that match up. And then a tie against the veteran Molson Exers. Looks like the Rivard rink is stringing some shots together and gaining some momentum. They win the "Ditched The 4 - Cylinder For Some More Horse Power" Award.

Ice A(Thursday): Ben Lemieux vs Al Viel. TIE GAME. The Robb Road Express finish out in a solid position on the leader board. This crew has been on a tear so far this season but for now, they are coasting to the New Year and the second half. They win the "Tryin' To Keep It All Together" Award.

Ice B (Tuesday): Brian West vs Jim Kendrick. WIN for West. With Andrew Roberts at the helm, the West crew jump back in the saddle again. They win the "Cabinet Shuffle" Award.

Ice C: Bob Villeneuve vs Mike Laderoute. WIN for Villeneuve. The Villeneuve squad is a tough team. Nonetheless, they have had ups and downs this first half so I'm thinking this is ma team to watch out for in the second half. But for now, they win the "Roller Coaster" Award.

Ice A (Late): Rick Berthelot vs Dan Berthelot. WIN for Berthelot!!! I just don't know which one but I bet it would have been an interesting game to watch.

Ice B: Dave Mitchell vs Rick Rouselle. WIN for Rouselle. So it was the Posties who derailed the red hot Mitchell crew. But why would it not be the Rouselle crew? They have been having a heck of a season and they have only had one loss so far this season (it was the Villeneuve rink that handed them that loss). If my calculations are right, it might be that it will be the Rick Rouselle rink that will sit at the top of the leader board going into the second half of the season. Great job by these guys. They win the Sittin' At The Top 'O The Heap" Award.

Ice D: Chris Astles vs Craig Roberts. WIN for Astles. The Astles rink have lots of good games. They always seem to have alot of rocks in play which makes them a great team to play against because games with alot of rocks in play are always more entertaining. They win the "Nothing Lacking In Our Strategy" Award.

So that is how it played out for this past Thursday. Three more regular games are scheduled for this week and that will be it until the New Year. With Christmas just around the corner, curling will soon be taking a back seat to the holiday fun. I'm all for the fun but I would mention that it would ruin any one's holidays to be caught for drinking and driving. It is just not worth it on so many levels. Take a cab or bum a ride but don't do the drinking and driving thing. Then we can all meet up at the BRCC in the New Year and pick up exactly where we left off!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

BRCC Bantams Rock It!

From left to right, that's Tamara Behnke, Carli Geoffroy, Julia Horton and Hayley Horton. These young ladies are living proof that practice DOES pay dividends. Just this past weekend, this squad (Team Hayley Horton) played a Bantam Tournament in Copper Cliff against Sudbury and North Bay teams. They won the spiel, winning the final against North Bay 9 - 3. Awesome job ladies.

This crew has been practicing regularly and playing in the Tuesday Ladies League and the Wednesday Open 8 Ender. They have enormous potential and when they play their Regionals in Blind River in January, I am hoping they will get to the provincial. Keep up the good work ladies!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Wednesday Open 8 Ender

Did the sign guys do this to inspire road rage. I don't think so. I would think most people would have to laugh at this while passing by. And laughter IS the best medicine.

It just occurred to me that I am in my 4th year for writing this blog. In July of 2008, myself and Dave Mitchell went to a Business Of Curling seminar in Sudbury hosted by the CCA and the NOCA. We met some real interesting people (had a beer and a few laughs with Guy Hemmings and attended some excellent presentations. One of the presentations was from Resby Coutts who writes his own blog on Manitoba curling (Thecurler.com). It was through meeting him that I thought I might start one for the entertainment of the BRCC members. Wow, 4 years later and it's still going on. Time flies when you're having fun.

And they were having fun at the BRCC last night at the Wednesday Open 8 Ender. Three games went off.

Ice A: Andrew Roberts vs Rysan Hagger. WIN for Hagger. The Roberts crew (with Melissa and Nishin conspicuously absent and Craig Roberts sparing) had their hands full with the tough Hagger rink. When this rink is firing on all cylinders, they are hard to beat. They win the "Purrin' Like A Kitten" Award.

Ice C: Vola Roberts vs John Hammond. WIN for Roberts. With Vola at the helm, the Roberts crew knocked off a very tough team. Great win for Vola who played a great game. She wins the "Athlete Of The Night" Award.

Ice D: Warren Neufeld vs Tom St Jules. WIN for Neufeld. The Neufeld Factor has quickly risen to be one of the teams to beat in this league. They win the "We May Be Nice, But We're Fierce" Award. Real good team dynamics going on here.

So that is it for this Wednesday night. I noticed last night that the Boxing Day poster is down so i am thinking that it is full. Wow, that did not take long. this spiel is so popular! I NEED YOUR HELP!!! We need volunteers to work this spiel, at the bar and around the club. Especially at the dance. PLEASE sign up to help. As of right now, there are no volunteers signed up and we do need the help.

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Tuesday Ladies

The BRCC Ladies League is also a persistent bunch. They are there every Tuesday night battling it out on the ice and jostling for position on the leader board. I should also note that there were some concerns from our BRCC Belles that on Ladies Night were not getting on before the Mens Teams on Tuesday night. As you all know, Mens League play spills over onto Tuesday night to accommodate the size of the Mens League as well as the shift workers. However, Ladies League players that have scheduled games on Tuesday Late would like to be able to get on the ice for their game as soon as the first sheet is ready. Personally, I think this is a reasonable request. We should honor our BRCC ladies' request and let them have the ice first. It is Ladies Night after all and heck, it's just a chivalrous thing to do. Let's keep our fine BRCC Belles happy and give them the ice first.

Ice A: Christine Scholburg vs Annie Austin. TIE GAME. This is the third consecutive tie (and the 4th tie for the season) for my beloved Rez Girls. That must be a record! They win the "Just Keepin' It Status Quo" Award.

Ice B: Marg Tivy vs Beth Laderoute. WIN for Tivy. The Iron Bridge Belles still hovering near the top of the leader board and having another great season. They win the "Champs In Perpertuity" Award.

Ice C: Haley Horton vs Shirley Lemieux. WIN for Lemieux. With Maymar Gemmell at the helm, the Lemieux crew reminded the Juniors what experience does for a team. The Horton team take their losses well and demonstrate a clear understanding of what growth means to a young team. They win the "We Can Take It" Award.

Ice D: Liz Rouselle vs Johanna Hammond. WIN for Rouselle. The Rouselle rink is back near the top of the leader board, enjoying a solid season. The Hammond crew have had a tough first half but this is a new squad and they are gaining experience and will be much stronger in the second half. The win the "We're Waiting To Spring Our Trap" Award.

Ice A (Late): Paula Sommers vs Makayla Alloway. WIN for the Alloways. The Alloway crew  are always a good game for whoever plays against them. These ladies love to curl! I expect them to move up the leader board in the second half. They win the "For The Love Of The Game" award.

Ice B: Christie Hagger vs Myra Kiernan. NO INTEL. It would be pretty difficult to pick a winner from this match up. The intensity of the Haggar rink vs the experience and soft touch of the Kiernan crew. Who could call this one?

So that's how it played out for this past Tuesday. Have you thought about the BRCC ladies Spiel coming up in January (25th - 27th)? Get your team in there and be part of one of the greatest planned events I have ever seen. These ladies know how to plan and deliver an great bonspiel. Plan to be at this one, you will be hooked!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic

Thursday Mens

I know what you're thinking. Dennis Roberts is going to have a sore jaw! And Deanna (next to him) is lucky as the bat just missed her. But that's not them. Dennis and Deanna are curling fans and that's safer...I mean let's face it, when was the last time a curling rock came flying into the stands. That would really have to be the high, hard one!

Lots of action in the Thursday Mens once again this week. Lots of teams hovering near the top of the leader board and the Dave Mitchell streak continues!

Ice C (Monday): Rick Rouselle vs Craig Roberts. WIN for Rouselle. The Rouselle rink continues on with an excellent season. They win the "That's What Goin' Postal Is All About baby!" Award.

Ice D (Tuesday): Yvon Valiquette vs Dave Mitchell. WIN for Mitchell. The veteran Mitchell squad has had a very impressive first half. They have thus far been unstoppable. The win the 'Invincibility" Award.

Ice A (Thursday): Chris Zagar vs Mike Laderoute. WIN for Laderoute. The Bionic Knee and his rink have turned it all around and are back posting wins. Hot And Cold, But Mostly Hot" Award.

Ice B: Rick Berthelot vs Jeff Mitchell. WIN for Berthelot. The Jeff Mitchell crew have hit a bit of a rough spot and will no doubt be looking to recapture some of that early season fire for the second half. They win the "Lookin' For A Match" award.

Ice C: Chris Astles vs Keith Rouselle. WIN for Astles. The Molson Exers are forced to take second place in this match up. They have won some, lost some and that may be a good strategy because maybe they are saving their run for the playoffs. They win the "Keppin' It Balanced" Award.

Ice D: Al Viel vs Jim Kendrick. WIN for Kendrick. The Kendrick rink quietly goes about the business of their games. They win some and lose some but definitely can move up the leader board and they may do this undetected. They win the "Flyin' Under The Radar" Award.

Ice A: (Late): Ben Lemieux vs Brian West. WIN for Lemieux. The Robb Road Express continues to bask in the glory of a real good season. This team lost in the final of the Club Championship last year and looks to be looking to get back to that final. They win the "Lookin' For Redemption" Award.

Ice B: Glen Austin vs John Hammond. WIN for Austin. The Hammond rink is a tough team despite this loss. This squad likes to play with alot of rocks in play and can always be counted on for a good game. They win the "Bring Yer A game" Award.

Ice C: Bob Villeneuve vs Francois Lemieux. WIN for Lemieux. The Villeneuve rink are a solid crew but it has been a tough first half for this squad. Nonetheless, there is still lots of curling left and this team will definitely be getting on a run before long. They win the "Has Anyone Seen Our Mojo?" Award.

Ice D: Brian Tonelli vs Michel Rivard. WIN for Tonelli. The Friendly Giant pulls out a win. Great news for the Big Guy and his squad. The Tonelli crew got off to a slow start but have picked up their game. They win the "Rebounders" Award. Good job guys.

So that's how it played out for this past Thursday. There is still time to sign up for the Boxing Day Spiel. Get your team in there for a fun day and an awesome spaghetti supper, along with the dance that night. This event has become a Blind River tradition...come out and enjoy yourself.

Rock on!

The Curling Chronic

BRCC Members Join 8 Ender Club

Say Hello to the newest members of the 8 Ender Club! This is the Robb Road Express:  Ben Lemieux, Robin St Jules, Dan Horton and Lloyd Wilton. This veteran crew scored an 8 Ender last night and it could not have happened to a greater bunch of guys. This squad has been around for a few years and these guys play a good game and always hover around the top of the leader board. They DO NOT perform well when wearing "team Jackets" but as you can see in the picture, they do their best work while fashionably mismatched.

These guys are excellent and I could not be happier for them. Great job guys. I'll get this pic to NOCA!

Rock On!

The Curling Chronic