// TALES FROM SHEET NINE


Why Stevens Point? National office’s roots remain in Wisconsin


By David Garber, dj.garber@charter.net United States Curling Association staff are asked, surprisingly oſten, why


are you in Stevens Point? One staff member suggested I write about how the office came to be in Stevens Point, Wis., a town of 26,700 on the Wisconsin River, right in the center of the state. Te short answer is – the office is in Stevens Point because I am in Stevens Point. I have added a bit more history below. In the late 1950s, during the last pre-Olympic boom in U.S. curling club


building, two-sheet clubs were built in Two Rivers, Green Bay, Port Ed- wards and Stevens Point (four clubs within 100 miles of one another). Point has a diverse economic base, including education (the University of Wis- consin-Stevens Point, with more than 9,000 students); insurance (Sentry, with more than 2,000 local employees); and several paper mills. My father became a charter member of the Stevens Point Curling Club. Shortly aſter, he had become totally enamored of the game, and taught me to curl at age 12 as well as my mother and brother. As is so common in the roaring game, curling quickly became a family affair for us. Jump to the early 1980s


Te USCA board of directors, since its founding in 1959, had been 100


percent volunteer-operated. Gradually, activities and subsequent workload increased. Since the 1970s the board had talked about hiring an executive director to handle administrative matters, market the USCA to sponsors, and promote the USCA to the sports media. Te USCA’s annual budget in 1984 was about $100,000, mostly to fund


men’s, women’s, mixed and junior men’s championships, and world-team travel. Tis leſt little for paid staff and office space. Eventually, and with trepidation about affordability, the USCA decided to hire an executive di- rector on a quarter-time, independent contractor basis, with a small ex- pense budget. Te position was advertised in the May 1985, North American Curling News, with a budget including a $15,000 fee plus $15,000 for of- fice rent and expenses. I responded. I had just changed careers at that time, hanging a shingle as a marketing consultant. Te USCA position seemed to be a chance to acquire a client whose success meant a lot to me. Of 12 ap- plicants, three persons, including me, were invited by the USCA Executive Committee for interviews in late August, at the Executive’s then-customary meeting place, the O’Hare Hilton in Chicago. Two weeks later, I got a call from Bill Pattinson, long-time USCA trea-


surer and later USCA president, and a key executive for the 1989 Milwaukee World Curling Championships. Bill had good news. He offered me the posi- tion. He also asked, “but would you take 10 and 10?” I said “yes.” Tis meant that Bill, a charming man who was also frugal, had just cost me $10,000. (Bill’s frugality was one reason the 1989 Milwaukee Worlds made a stun- ning profit even with very modest attendance. Remember the late Doug Maxwell introducing the crowd to the players one early morning draw? But I digress, even if parenthetically.) So in September of 1985, during the full board meeting, I signed a one


8 )) usacurl.org


and a half page contract with USCA President Bob Hardy and went to work, aſter that on an annual handshake basis. As


it happened, my wife,


Ann, had started an ad agency in 1979. Some of my now-whit- tled expense budget allowed me to rent a 12-foot-square room in her office suite, including access to her telephone system, copier, fax machine, office furniture and access to her graphic art staff. Te latter helped me develop a new USCA identity brochure, for recruiting curlers and sponsors. In addition, I had a small travel account to get me to meet- ings at nationals. Te first year, Bob Hardy approved attendance at the 1986 Worlds in Toronto “so you can see a complete curling cycle.” My next worlds was 1989 in Milwaukee, where I stayed at the sumptuous Exel Inn somewhere north and commuted daily to the Mecca downtown. My budget finally allowed attendance at overseas worlds in 1992, when I had the dual role as E.D. and Editor, U.S. Curling News. Te Sandy Robinson era


Te next year, the 1986-87 season, was a year of great fortune for me and


the USCA as Sandy Robinson joined us, also quarter-time, as administra- tive assistant. Little did I know that Sandy’s tenure at the USCA would be longer than mine, her role growing into USCA controller. Te USCA budget grew gradually. Te Patron Pin Program was a great


success, peaking at $94,000 in 1994 under Warren (and Jannette) Lowe. Te USCA became an affiliated member of the U.S. Olympic Committee in the late 1980s, led by the late Bill McNelly and Tom Satrom. USOC grants al- lowed Curl USA to get started, under technical direction of the late Bill Farbelow. Te USCA now had a division to train curlers, coaches, instruc- tors and umpires. With Olympic medal status in 1992 came more money, and more respon-


sibilities. In 1995, staff was expanded with similar positions as we see today. Why still in Stevens Point?


Over the years, there are recurrent discussions about the best location for


the USCA office. Offers have been made to house the USCA, but never dur- ing my tenure did the cost-benefit relationship come close to matching that of Stevens Point. Tere are arguments that the USCA would receive more funding if its office were in Colorado Springs (home of the U.S. Olympic Committee). I very much doubt that was the case, at least through 2006, and I am certain the office costs would be much greater. One disadvantage of Stevens Point is that its airport is not a hub, and


requires some extra time and expense for air travel. One valid argument in Stevens Point’s favor is its central location in the


American curling community. If one studies the map of curling clubs in the USA, Stevens Point was in 1985 and remains today pretty much central, both east-west and north-south. n


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