USWCA NEWS Collaborative leadership, shared goverance achieved By Donna Pearson, USWCA President


speech would come to fruition. As 68th


W


hen President Jeannie Borland passed the gavel to me in Detroit in February 2015, I did not fully realize the extent to which the goals and objectives I outlined in my opening


president of the United States Women’s Curling Association (US-


WCA), my vision embodied collaboration and shared governance in building leadership teams (committees) that would function as an integral part of our organization. T is leadership had previously existed, but we worked hard to fi nd a continuous fl ow-through at critical points that would better support the USWCA’s growth and development. We wanted to create a plan for sus- tainability as leaders moved through the organization, promoting education, continuation, and evolution within the USWCA. Collaborative leadership and shared governance are embodied in four key


concepts: Sustainability; Education through Leadership; Collaboration, Tech- nology, and Communication; and Transition. Sustainability: Grassroots focus, new members, new ideas, and innova-


tion are all critical to the future success and growth of the organization. T e original mission of the USWCA was, and is, “to promote and conserve the best interests and the true spirit of the game of curling,” which “unites women’s curling clubs throughout the U.S. to cultivate friendly relations among [the USWCA’s] members and their clubs.” I sought to further that eff ort by ask- ing women to invest their skills and talents in a particular space — to further evolution of the USWCA. Education-Leadership advances the “we” perspective in our mission.


nance structure, which we formalized through a vote at the annual meeting in February; the addition of a fi nance offi cer; technological changes that re- sult in more effi ciency for internal structures; and fi nally, we made the move to “thinking time” to be more in line with competitive practices nationally. While we eff ected many of these changes under my watch, they are, in fact, the result of years of preparation with those before me laying the groundwork. I want to thank all of you for your eff orts on behalf of the USWCA. During


my time as president, it has been my pleasure to see our organization grow and transform itself for the twenty-fi rst century; and while there remains much to do, I look forward to welcoming our 69th


president, Carol Stevenson. O ur


leadership continues to fulfi ll the mission of promoting and conserving “the best interests and the true spirit of the game of curling.” Q


rocket exhaust


Top 10 Bonus Tips for Curlers in the Coming Zombie Apocalypse A column by Richard Maskel


10] A zombie attacking in mid-delivery is always considered to be


an “external force,” which means that you will most defi nitely be al- lowed to re-deliver your stone once the undead interloper has been properly dealt with. 9] A bitten teammate should be terminated immediately— it is far


In-


spiring new ideas and reaching out to other organizations refreshes our ability to lead. If we are “to develop, nurture, and promote the sport of curling among today’s women and all youth,” it will take everyone’s talents and expertise. Collaboration, Technology, and Communication


T is brings me to the latter part of our mission—collaboration and educa-


tion “to promote international friendships, to preserve the tradition and lit- erature of the game, and to hold women’s curling events each year.” People must change, along with the organization. Greater usage of technology and communication techniques allows us a larger presence on the USWCA web- site, more print space in the Curling News, and increased visibility on social media. T e opportunities are endless. Moreover, USWCA Liaison Jennifer Stannard and USCA Board Chairman


Rich Lepping are working together for the benefi t and visibility of both orga- nizations, furthering the collaborative goals of our sport. Transition


As the saying goes, nothing is constant but change. Many of us drag our feet


in the face of change, while the other half runs forward. For the USWCA, transition builds depth, breadth, and capability in the or-


ganization. T e “we” concept requires us to become more fl uid about how we invest our skills and talents. As we continue our eff orts, I ask each of you to assist the USWCA in its missions of growth and respect. I invite and encourage you to be part of the exciting new changes facing


the organization; the USWCA grows stronger the more invested you become through the giſt of your time, talents, and tenure. We have many women who have years of experience in the USWCA and these I have found to be an enor- mous asset during my year as president. Achievements


T roughout this past year, we realized many goals: changes in the gover-


more advisable to play shorthanded without them than to try to pro- ceed on until they inevitably “turn” at some untimely juncture in the game when you least expect it. 8] Remain extra-vigilant while in the act of sweeping— an urgent


and repeated command of “Hurry” from your skip may have more than one potential interpretation when zombies are in the vicinity. 7] Always choose to travel with a fi ve-player team. It’s simple


math— the more choices the zombies have when attacking your rink, the better your odds are for survival. 6] Play a “junk game” whenever feasible— if the zombies strike in


the middle of an end, they will have a far greater diffi culty in maneu- vering around all those pesky guards to get at you. 5] If a stationary stone is displaced for the purposes of smashing in


the head of a downed zombie intruder, it should be replaced as near as possible to its original position when play resumes. 4] Make a thorough sweep of the club before beginning play and be


sure to double check the compressor room— zombies are attracted to noise and are therefore highly likely to congregate there. 3] Avoid lengthy tactical discussions unless absolutely necessary—


teams are more vulnerable to attack when everyone is focused on “shot selection” and no one is paying attention to that zombie who has sud- denly wandered onto the sheet for an undead “coach interaction.” 2] It should be understood in advance that the winning team will


buy the drinks, while the losing team shall dispose of any zombie re- mains that are still leſt out on the ice aſt er the conclusion of the game. 1] Keep in mind that your club’s “six foot” stick is not just an excel-


lent “biter measurer” tool, it can also function as a very eff ective “biter dispatcher” tool if swung at the target’s head with suffi cient force and accuracy.


USA Curling (( 17


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