GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT // REPORTS FROM THE WARM ROOM


My stone picked … AGAIN!


By Kim Nawyn, Director of Growth & Development, kim.nawyn@usacurl.org


regular maintenance and using a sticky pad or Boot-Boy to clean curling shoes before walking onto the ice can limit the amount of debris on the playing surface, picked stones still happen. Fibers from carpet and clothes, hair (human, pet, broom) and pieces of well-worn grippers or aging hacks may contribute to the number of stones unexpectedly deviating from their pro- jected paths during league or bonspiel games. Ice not cleaned thoroughly aſter a learn-to-curl event may also be strewn with dirt or other de- bris tracked in on sneakers. Te Stevens Point (Wis.) Curling Club re-


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cently sought an answer to speculation about the source of dirt on its ice. Samples of debris (dark grey and black specs) were analyzed in the lab of a local corporation. Approximately 90 percent of the fibers in the samples were identified as tex- tiles, with the remaining 10 percent consisting of mammalian hair and unidentified non-wood vegetable fibers. About 80 percent of the textile fibers were cotton; 20 percent were mixed syn- thetic fibers. When seen under a microscope, the cotton fibers were predominantly blue and white. It was determined that these fibers came from jeans that club members and visitors wore on the ice. (If you ever want to see how much jeans shed, run a lint roller over a new pair!) Whether or not blue jeans are the primary


cause of dirt on the ice in most clubs, this exer- cise can serve as a reminder to make sure equip- ment is well maintained (e.g., hacks, grippers, brooms) and clothing is relatively lint free before going on the ice. Keeping a lint brush in your bag or locker to remove loose fibers prior to a big game and cleaning the running path of the stone with your broom may just help save your shot. While club-initiated investigations can open


our eyes to possibilities that we would not neces- sarily expect (no one I spoke to at SPCC guessed fibers from jeans made up much of the debris


ne of the most frustrating moments in curling is when a well-delivered curling stone picks! Even though


others may be able to learn from your experience. MEMBER PROGRAM UPDATE 2015 Members’ Assembly


In 2014, 80 curlers from 28 clubs met to share


in the samples), such explorations can also lend support to current practice. For example, a member of the Racine (Wis.) Curling Club called the USA Curling national office when his club was thinking about purchasing new handles. He wanted to know if we had data re- garding which color combination is best for col- or- blind curlers. While red and yellow handles are used in many clubs, no one on the office staff could recall ever seeing data on this issue. According to www.colour-blindness.com,


there are four main types of color blindness, with men more likely affected by this condition than women. Red-green color blindness impacts approximately 7-10 percent of men. Running all of the handle colors advertised online by Cana- da Curling Stone through an online color blind- ness simulator, the Racine CC found that several different color combinations could work for the various types of color blindness, including the common red/yellow handle combination. While there can be differences viewing color electroni- cally versus in person, the yellow and dark blue color combination was also shown to be very distinct when run through the simulators. Members of the Stevens Point and Racine


clubs were able to use available resources to explore answers to quality-of-life questions in their clubs. Has your club gone the extra mile to investigate a curling-related question? If so,


ideas and information, celebrate successes, and plan for the exciting future of our rapidly grow- ing sport. In 2015, we hope to attract more than 100 curlers from clubs across the country to the second annual USA Curling Members’ Assembly, which will be held in Fort Wayne, Ind. Details: Host hotel: Hilton Fort Wayne Downtown Reception: Oct. 15 (evening) Seminars: Oct. 16-17 On-ice training: Oct. 18 Members’ Assembly registration information


and full schedule will be available this spring. At- tend for as little or as long as you like! Hotel res- ervations can be made at the group rate (includes breakfast and parking) at $109 per night. Te link to the Hilton Members’ Assembly reservation portal can be accessed in the online edition of the U.S. Curling News, found at www.usacurl.org. Curling in the Gym


Te Curling in the Gym program is up and


running. Te program, which was made possible by a P&G/Team USA Youth Sports Fund Grant, is designed to expand knowledge of and access to the sport of curling while increasing physical activity in elementary school children. Curling in the Gym includes all materials and equipment needed for a physical education teacher or com- munity program leader without experience in the sport to run an 8-10 session program. Each kit includes two sets of FloorCurl stones and kid- sized brooms. Clubs can borrow the equipment for free, but are responsible for the cost of ship- ping. To reserve equipment, contact me at kim. nawyn@usacurl.org or click the link to the reser- vation form in the online edition. n


USA Curling (( 5


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