CHAMPIONSHIPS


Seattle set to host 2014 Junior Nationals


By Lori Markham, Chairperson, 2014 Junior Nationals Committee


the Olympic Winter Games have raised awareness of curling as a fun and competitive game. While the main objective of the game is to score points, curling demands


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good sportsmanship, kindly feelings and honorable conduct. Tis spirit in- fluences both the interpretation and application of the rules of the game and also the conduct of all participants on and off the ice. Curling is a sport that encourages youth on a positive path, giving them a place to find wholesome fun, cultivate respect, enjoy exercise, and experience opportunities for their future. Its popularity is growing rapidly and will once again be on the world stage at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Te Granite Curling Club of Seattle is proud and delighted to host the up- coming culminating competition for junior curling in the United States, the


urling has long been a revered winter sport and is believed to be one of the world’s oldest team sports. It is a game of strategy, tactics, and skill. It has evolved into a popular modern sport and


2014 Junior National Championships. Tis exciting event will be held from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2. Twenty teams of young men and women ages 21 and under will travel to the Granite Curling Club seeking a chance to represent the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Flims, Switzerland, a mere 20 days later. We are looking forward to hosting these talented young competi- tors, coaches, USA Curling personnel, and families and friends of curling. It will be an exciting week as the Granite Curling Club will have a full


house of junior curlers from several states in the USA. We are thrilled to host an event that promotes passion for our sport in youth. Your support of our national event will encourage and bring well-deserved attention to these Olympic hopefuls. Join us as we celebrate our national juniors. n


Competing in playdowns? Read these updates first By Dawn Leurquin, Event Services Manager, dawn.leurquin@usacurl.org A


ttention curlers! Are you planning to compete in the upcoming playdowns to advance to one of USA Curling's championships. Below are some important updates: Mixed National Championship updates


Regional spot allocation: During the fall Board of Directors meeting, the Championships Com-


mittee voted to have the Mixed National Championship regional spot allo- cations come into alignment with the way the Club National regional spots to the national championships are determined. If only one team has regis- tered in any of the 10 regions, that team will advance to the national event. Previously, if only one team in a region signed up by the registration


deadline to compete in the Mixed Nationals, they had a choice to make: either withdraw from the competition or play in a proximate region. Te change came about aſter the traveling team won the hosting region’s spot at the Nationals during two past seasons. Rather than allow this unfortunate circumstance to negatively affect an event that is a hearty mix of camarade- rie and serious curling business, the change supports harmony among our nation’s regions and clubs. Te possibility exists that there may still be open spots to the Nationals


if no teams sign up to compete from any particular region(s). Should that happen, the fill policy will kick in, and open spots will go to the region(s) that registered the most teams. Fill policy details are inside the rules book; see Page 24 of the USCA Rules of Curling & Competition, located on the USA Curling website at www.usacurl.org


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MoPac Mixed playdown Nov. 30 – early deadline Because the Mountain Pacific (MoPac) region currently sports only one


dedicated ice facility as they continue to fortify the region, finding host sites for regional playdowns can be especially trying. Having to hold an event in an arena means that a block of time must be reserved, including time to prep the ice for a different sport than that which may usually occur there or play on less than adequate ice, and oſten at a heſty cost. To avoid that cost, they must work with the single facility's event schedule and try to fit in the playdowns as best they can. Adding Olympic open house events to an already tight schedule at the


newly built Evergreen Curling Club has caused a bit of a pinch for the Mountain Pacific region’s mixed playdown. By request, a one-time inter- nal deadline of Nov. 30 for the region has been agreed upon. Tis change occurred aſter publication of the rules book that would have allowed for a broader scope for notification. Mini rules book offer


A couple of years ago USA Curling began creating mini rules books


for officials who found the 8-1/2 x 11 inch size to be cumbersome to carry while working an event. Coaches and staff members favor this style of rules book as well. While the larger version’s PDF file is free and located on the USA Curling website (www.usacurl.org), anyone interested in purchasing a pocket-sized copy of the rules can now do so for $5 each, including ship- ping. Tis is a print-on-demand publication, meaning orders that arrive


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