What happened in the previous two weeks:
Communications/PR
The third season of Curling Night in America on NBC Sports Network debuted on Thursday. This event kicked off more than 150 hours of curling coverage that will air on NBCSN, Universal HD and NBCSports.com now through April, which will include more than 100 hours of World Championships coverage. NBC’s channels will be carrying 16 games from the Women’s Worlds in Beijing, and 17 games from the Men’s Worlds in Edmonton.
People were lined up nearly all day long to take part in the first of two CryoMAX Curling Zone promotions as part of Frozen Fenway in Boston on Jan. 8 (postponed from Jan. 7 due to a winter storm) and Jan. 14. We enjoyed great volunteer support for both events from Broomstones Curling Club.
Events/Sport Education
Those interested in purchasing tickets for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games may enter a non-binding “Expression of Interest” with official ticket supplier CoSport. No pricing is available at this time.
All but one playoff team has been determined for the 2017 USA Curling Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. A tiebreaker on the women’s side is taking place this morning, with the first playoff games on tap this afternoon. Regional team registration was down for the 2017 USA Curling Club Nationals, which will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska, in March, but a decision was made to overrule a requirement that a region must have at least three registered teams to be granted a fill spot. Thus, GNCC, MN and MOPAC were each granted an additional women’s team to fill the competition to 10 teams.
Host sites are needed for USA Curling championship events for the 2017-18 season.
The WCF has announced that the Füssen courses, the Füssen Junior Camp and the Sweetlake Junior Team Camp are now open for registration.
Kim Nawyn participated in a SafeSport Program conference call regarding the USOC’s online training portal, and connected directly with the new SafeSport Agency regarding transition requirements. This program, available to all USCA members, is geared toward reducing incidents of abuse and harassment in sport.
The Dedicated Ice Transition Group met by teleconference.
The Ad Hoc Membership Committee met Thursday to continue to discuss ideas for more inclusive membership models and ways to enhance existing structures.
USA Curling received two sets of stones that will be used to help develop interest in the sport in communities without current curling opportunities.
Kim Nawyn met with several college students at the USCA National Office to discuss ideas for improving the college curling program.
Grants/Sponsorships/Revenue Development
The USOC has awarded a $5,000 international relations grant for senior USCA leadership to participate in the 2017 WCF Congress in Bled, Slovenia.
While at the Continental Cup in Las Vegas I have had several meetings with potential sponsors and other individuals who have been major financial supporters of the USCA.
Competitive Programs
The USA Curling National Wheelchair Team beat Finland for the gold medal in the Kissakallio Cup in Lohja, Finland, last week.
USA’s Jamie Sinclair and Heath McCormick teams helped Team North America win the WFG Continental Cup of Curling in Las Vegas last week, the fifth straight victory over Team World. Debbie McCormick was Team North America captain. Attendance was the second highest ever for the four-day event, at 52,753. The record of 62,498 was set in Las Vegas in 2016.
It has been confirmed that there will be a Continental Cup in 2018, and USA teams will be invited to participate.
The USCA HPP team led by Nina Roth reached the playoffs of the International Bernese Ladies Cup.
The USCA HPP team led by John Shuster reached the quarterfinals in the Meridian Canadian Open Grand Slam of Curling.
The women’s and men’s Challenge Rounds determined the final qualifiers for the 2017 USA Curling Nationals in Everett, Wash.
What’s up next week:
- USCA Revenue Development Committee teleconference, Jan. 23.
- USA Curling Senior Men’s National Championship, Jan. 25-29, Centerville, Wis.
- USA Curling Senior Women’s National Championship, Jan. 25-29, Portland, Ore.
- USA Curling Mixed Doubles Qualifying Round, Jan. 26-29, Eveleth, Minn.
- America’s Challenge, Jan. 27-29, Duluth, Minn.
What’s coming two weeks from now (Jan. 29 – Feb. 4, 2017):
- 2017 Winter World University Games begin Jan. 29 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Founded in 1912, the St. Paul Curling Club is the largest curling club in the country with over 1,200 members. Click