// TALES FROM SHEET NINE


Step into the past brings up familiar issues


By David Garber, Emeritus Editor, dj.garber@tds.net


occasionally gold, at least based on several kind responses received from readers extant when the railroad first came through these parts (e.g., when rails brought Illinois curlers to a northern Wisconsin bonspiel). Sometimes these old arti- cles remind me that learning to curl once includ- ed learning to treat blisters from early-season corn-broom sweeping. Tose brooms (with cool names like Blackjack) cost about five bucks each in the 1960s, but good sweepers bought ‘em by the dozen because they wore them out quickly. Top teams reported sweeping on gym floors in the summer to ensure front-ends’ hands, arms and shoulders were in shape early. A lost art, corn. Recently I spotted a column written by me for


I


Frank and China Rhyme in the December 1986 issue of the (then) North American Curling News. I had been hired as the USCA's executive direc- tor in September 1985, so I was a newbie to the work, but already a 25-year veteran of the Roar- ing Game. I mention it here because the subject seems timely. Here is an extract: “What’s more important, social or competitive


curling? Several curlers have either written or spoken to me about conflicts over ice time, club policies and curler attitudes about social curling


enjoy mining back issues of the United States Curling News (founded 1944!) for material I think might be interesting to readers. Sometimes I dig up lead, but


versus competitive curling. Tese are dedicated curlers. Some view the game as a competitive activity and some view it as primarily a social, recreational activity.” Asked for my opinion on resolution of the conflict, I suggested, “Why set up the issue as ... the classic ‘win-lose’ situation? ... Aſter all, most of us like one another regardless of the reason we curl. And frankly, we need all curling constituencies to ensure a vital, healthy curling community. “Why not set up a ‘win-win’ situation? Nomi-


nate and elect representatives of each constitu- ency to your club’s board of directors. ... Listen to various views … compromise oſten.” I used an example that, in my club, a 25-year-old had personally recruited 10 new members last season. Recognizing talent, our club put that person on the board, not only in recognition of their ef- fort, but to be sure those younger curlers were represented in club governance. “Competition for resources is a legitimate part of our society but, then again, so is compromise.” I noted that in my experience, “the healthiest, happiest clubs I’ve visited have enthusiastic members in each constituency.” Please note, this is ancient history. In 1986


there was no athlete *funding, no high perfor- mance program and no Olympic presence for curling, but even then, there were issues between competitive and recreational curlers. Te advent of Olympic curling and subsequent TV cover- age every four years proved to be a fantastic re- cruiting tool for existing and new clubs, but that Olympic presence has also generated new sourc-


es of stress among curlers. Stress can be managed in productive ways; I predict we curlers will con- tinue to thrive. *Disclaimers: Our Tursday night rink was


sponsored by Point Special Beer, and we spent our Monday nights at Medford’s Tombstone Pizza Super League, drinking sponsor’s beer and eating fresh free pizza aſter each game. Life was simpler then.


### Several new books that include, or are about,


curling have come to my attention. Te Good Life Elsewhere (2008, 197pp, New


Vessel Press, on Amazon, $11.32 paperback ($8.99 Kindle, good reviews) by Vladimir Lorchenkov, is an intriguing book about Moldovan émigrés to Italy who travel under the guise of being a large curling team. Part comedy, part drama (i.e., trad- ing in kidneys), is a way to learn about another poor nation torn by a Russian-speaking minor- ity, so much in current news. At press time, I’ve read half the book, which is well done. Curling itself is not the book’s central theme! Curler Gabriel Coleman has two Kindle books


listed on Amazon.com. Introduction to Curling Strategy ($3.99 on Amazon) and Break Trough Beginner Curling ($9.99). Tere are favorable reviews on Amazon, but I have not read either book. n


USA Curling (( 31


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