January 22, 9:00-11:30 AM PST – PNWCA Skills Clinic on Strategy & Tactics
This interactive, off-ice session will cover the core concepts of curling strategy and how to apply these concepts in game scenarios. This session is suitable for those that are new to skipping, want a refresher on the basics, or just want to be a more effective member of their team from any position. This session is virtual so you can participate from anywhere! Sign up here
Author: gtriolo
“Super(market) Sweepers” win PNWCA 5 & Under Championship
The PNWCA 5 & Under Championship returned to Granite Curling Club of Seattle on December 16-18, with an expanded field of 12 teams. Curlers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, and Arizona participated in this event that also served as a qualifier for the USA Curling 5 & Under National Championship. Following pool play, the teams were divided into “A” and “B” events, both of which were extremely competitive.
The “Super(market) Sweepers” (Brandon Ellison, Kimber Maroney, Woody Wu, Jeff Hansen – Coyotes CC) emerged victorious in the A event and punched their ticket to nationals with a 5-0 record.
Team Dimmit (Will Dimmit, Matt Rockett, Sonja Wesch, Thorsten Frank – Granite CC & Evergreen CC) waited until the playoffs to begin their winning streak, ultimately earning the title of B event winners. Not too shabby for a team with two brand new curlers!
Special shout out to Team Cornwell (Jayson Cornwell, Raymond Gawenit, Zac Crawford, Ean Scholz) of Inland Northwest Curling Club, who got their first experience on dedicated ice at the event. We look forward to seeing you back at GCC again!
Team Larway Sweeps the PNWCA Senior Championship
Team Larway won the 2022 PNWCA Senior Championship held Dec 26-28 at GCC. The rink of John Rasmussen, Ken Trask, Doug Kauffman, and Joel Larway (see picture) swept the round robin phase of the tournament.
Joel writes, “I’d start with a huge thank you to the ice crew for providing the ice for all of us. Also a thank you to the other teams. It was great to have five teams and many past GCC presidents as well. We know this event is for bragging rights only, but we will take full advantage of that. Phil Shryock showed us the way. We are so looking forward to being having the GCC host the US Senior Nationals this year and we have been working on peaking for that event. We hope many of the members will come out and support that event.”
The tournament was organized by the Pacific Northwest Curling Association and invited men and women from the Granite, Evergreen, Bend, and Inland Northwest Curling Clubs. While the regional tournament was not a qualifier for the 2023 USCA Men’s and Women’s Senior Nationals, it provided great preparation for the national event.
PNWCA Statement on Jeff Plush & USA Curling
PNWCA 5 & Under Championship
Registration now open! The PNWCA 5 & Under Championship is back! Twelve teams will compete from December 16-18 at Granite Curling Club of Seattle in order to win the title of best in the Pacific Northwest! This event is also a qualifier for the 2023 USA Curling 5 & Under National Championship.
Registration opens Saturday, October 8th. Priority will be given to PNW teams until October 22nd (or until the 12-team cap is reached), so be sure to sign up early! All curlers must have 5 years of experience or less to be eligible. For more details and to register, visit https://curlingseattle.org/competitions
Slide Tuneup at GCC
The PNWCA is hosting a free “Slide Tuneup” at GCC September 11th from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. This is an opportunity for curlers with 2 months to 20+ years of experience to get feedback on their deliveries and tips on how to improve from a number of coaches. Two 75-minute sessions are available, each with room for up to 20 curlers. To sign up, please email development@pnwcurling.org with your preferred time slot (1:30-2:45 or 2:45-4:00).
Note: If you are a GCC member and brand new to curling, please consider joining GCC’s Novice League instead (first session is 11:30am on 9/11)
Statement on GNCC Expulsion
Monday Drop-In League at Tacoma Twin Rinks
Are you in the Tacoma, Washington area and interested in giving curling a try? The Tacoma Twin Rinks is hosting a drop-in curling league every Monday evening, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The cost is $20 per person per night, and everyone is welcome! If you live in the Tacoma area and would like to see curling get a foothold close to you, please support the Monday drop-in league. Your participation will help toward establishing a permanent league in the fall.
More information and sign up here: https://www.tacomatwinrinks.com/curling/
Chris Hester Rink Wins Senior Men’s Championship
Undeterred by snow or COVID, four Senior Men’s teams played a spirited round robin that left three teams tied. Team Hester (Chris Hester, Phil Shryock, Jeff Wick, Richard Palmason – Granite CC) won two playoff games to win the first ever Pacific Northwest Curling Association Senior Men’s Championship. Special thanks to Stu Beck, who chaired the event, Joe Roberts and June Fox, our officials/bartenders, and Dave Leinweber and Keith Freeland, who provided great championship ice.
Sarah Maywalt Rink Wins Club Women’s Championship
Congratulations to Team Maywalt (Sarah Maywalt, Fran Poodry, Mary Bourret, Melissa Sienko – Evergreen CC) for winning the Pacific Northwest Curling Association Club Women’s Championship. They emerged victorious after a best-of-three battle against Team Tamura (Lisa Tamura, Kelsey Schneider, Jeannie King, Lindsey Goss – Evergreen CC), with two of the three games going to all ten ends. Team Maywalt will represent the Pacific Northwest region at the 2022 Club Women’s National Championship (location & dates TBD).
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