Last month we carried a story about the Octogenarians who are still playing hockey. We know that some of them did not develop all of their skills as young fellows. A few of them did not hone their skills until they had finished putting their children out to fend for themselves. While there is an informal system of teaching and tutoring older wanabee Gretskys and Howes in the senior hockey world, there is no such informality in the world of curling. I remember being awed last year when I wrote about the ‘Big Business of Curling’. The Curling Canada programme ‘Discover Curling’ is a long-term recruitment strategy designed to be as inclusive as possible. It focuses on groups with challenges, community based organizations (e.g.: Seniors’ organizations) and the new cultural segments of Canadian communities. ‘DISCOVER CURLING’ is a Canadian Curling Association (CCA) Development Program operated in cooperation with key funding partners. The programme is committed to a long-range plan focused on providing every Canadian the opportunity to experience the thrill of curling. The objective of ‘Discover Curling’ is to assist curling club development. The ‘Discover Curling’ project is a long-term, active recruitment strategy for targeted groups. The programme wants to develop a participant base in the sport that accurately represents the Canadian population by offering equitable entry-level opportunities, basic and advanced training and coaching to involve new participants in the sport. Instruction and training are designed to get people started then help them develop their curling and participative skills. There has never been a better opportunity for seniors and seniors’ activity clubs to get involved in the active sport of Curling. . After all, haven’t many of you always secretly wished you could have been a Sandra Schmirler or Ernie Richardson? Well, the opportunity to be so has probably long since passed you by but that does not mean you cannot enjoy the sport every bit as much as they did. Form a group of active and excited participants to march down to the local club and get with the programme. Be pro-active and start exerting some of that infectious enthusiasm you have been harbouring for a rainy day (After all if it hasn’t yet come you may be running out of time). Contact the CCA and the Discover Curling programme and make it happen. You will never know how good you can be unless you get out and do it! Will it be easy – No! but what the hell – nothing worthwhile ever is. The joy is in the doing - not the waiting.

For further information go to the following web sites:
Discover Curling: http://www.curling.ca/business_of_curling/discover_curling.asp .

Nov 07 Jerry Flaman    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it