While most curling clubs close for the summer,  We can offer curling nearly year round. and no, we will be curling on ice.

 

 

 

 

• We will primarily curl on Saturday afternoon.  though if interest is there we will expand to Sunday.

• Learn to Curl / Open Play Cost: $20 per visit, $10 per visit if you prepay for our Summer League.
• Summer League Cost: $80 first league / $100.
• 10 Annual Open BBQ Bonpsiel
• Have a group,  Talk to us. (816-806-1732) we can set up a league, lesson or work you into our current plans..

We believe you will have a great time trying something new but don't take our word for it.  Listen to these people to find out why Curling is ....

Fun & Recreational		Competitive		All Ages
Affordable		Social		Great Exercise

Watch all 6 videos

Thanks to Canadian Curling Association for producing these great set of videos.  Our members can relate and add to these  experiences about  this surprising energetic sport.  

A new curling club is hosting their first learn to curl the Weekend of August 10th and 11th at the Bode Ice Arena in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Britt Johnson, a former Kalamazoo Curler  with the help of Missouri Western State University has acquire 2 set of curling stones with the hope to have another 2 sets within a year or two as they grow their club.

Check out the press and contact the Bode Ice Arena for future dates.

Article from St. Joseph Post
Video at St. Joe Channel

PDF of Learn to Curl Program

26 curling teams proved enough of a draw to attract two tv news crews and a star photographer to our under recognized sport outside of an Olympic Year.  Help us further by, go to their website and  commenting at the bottom of the story or posting their story links  to your facebook page.

KCTV Channel 5

"Curling enthusiasts sweep across Kansas City ice"

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For the copy on the  story  by Journalist, Justin Schmidt (bio) go  to KCTV Channel 5 NEWS

Fox News 4

"Curlers Hope Olympics Draws Attention to the Sport"

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For the copy on the  story  by Journalist, Monica Evans go to Fox News 4

AUGUST 24-26, 2012 ONTARIO CAMP

We have less than 10 sports remaining for our upcoming HOT SHOTS Curling Camp which will be held from August 24-26 at the Oakville Curling Club.

Instructors include 2012 Grand Slam of Curling Players Champion John Epping, former Ontario Champion Sherry Middaugh, and international coaches Earle Morris, Cindy Bishop, and Wendy Morgan to name a few.

Cost is $675 + HST (without accommodation) or $779 + HST (with accommodation)

Details/Registration, go to www.hotshotscurling.com  or call David or Kathryn Gravelle at (705) 549-8975.

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OCTOBER 12-14, 2012 NEW YORK CAMP

We only have six spots remaining for our fall HOT SHOTS Curling Camp which will be held from October 12-14 at the Ardsley Curling Club, just outside New York City.

Cost is $699

We have negotiated a special rate for accommodation:
SpringHill Suites by Marriott – Tarrytown (www.tarrytownspringhill.com)

Group Rate: $109/room. The rate includes breakfast and access to shuttle bus between the hotel and Ardsley Curling Club. Reservations for the camp attendees: 1-888-287-9400. Mention ‘Ardsley Curling Club’ to receive the discount rate. Reservations need to be made by Sept 28 to get guaranteed room and rate. Reservations made after Sept 28 are subject to room availability.

Details/Registration, go to www.hotshotscurling.com

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The HOT SHOTS Curling Camps have been staging world class clinics since 1995 with international coaches and instructors providing on-ice and off-ice sessions from delivery to team building.  As well, video analysis has been a key component of the camp, with each curler provided with a video of their delivery.

In a previous article, we talked about knowing when to sweep. But knowing when to sweep does not do much good if your well-timed sweeping is ineffective. So, what does it take to be

Column by Jon Mielke and USA Curling

an effective sweeper?

Look around during league play or at a bonspiel. You will see almost as many sweeping techniques as there are curlers, and some of them are pretty entertaining. But watch a world or Olympic event – the participants’ techniques are strikingly similar. Everything is done to create maximum heat via pressure and velocity. Here Column by Jon Mielke provided by USA Curlingare some related things to strive for when you are modifying your sweeping technique to achieve maximum results:

• Sweepers wear two grippers (sweeping with a slider on one foot is less safe and makes it more difficult to put maximum pressure on the ice)
• Sweepers stand behind the back line when the shooter is in the hack and start moving down the sheet as the shooter goes into motion (this also facilitates good communications)
• Sweepers’ feet move side to side in a shuffle movement (vs. walking down the sheet)
• Sweepers face down the sheet and look up frequently (helps judge weight & need for sweeping)
• There is one sweeper on each side of the stone
• When sweeping, a sweeper’s head is over the head of the brush (this helps put maximum upper body weight on the brush head and thereby create maximum pressure and heat)
• The shaft of the broom does not rest on a sweeper’s thigh (that would put pressure on the thigh and not on the ice)
• Brushing motion is side to side and high velocity
• When not sweeping, sweepers are still in a sweeping position (if you are not in position and the skip suddenly calls for sweeping, there will be a delay plus you may lose your balance with a related sudden movement)
• Sweepers often sweep lightly and continuously to keep the running path clean (this also keeps them in position to respond quickly and safely for sudden sweeping calls)

It is also important to note that there are two basic body positions for sweepers. In one, the sweeper’s back is fairly vertical and the hands are roughly 1/3 and 2/3 of the way down the shaft of the broom. In the other position, the sweeper’s back is nearly horizontal, with one hand about halfway down the handle and the other hand within about a foot of the brush head.

Both of these positions are effective but the upright option is easier to teach and puts less stress on the lower back. More accomplished curlers may, however, want to experiment with the more horizontal option. In either case, the sweeper’s legs are angled away from the stone, putting the sweeper into a tripod position involving both feet and the head of the broom. This position transfers the maximum amount of body weight and pressure onto the head of the broom.

Whatever changes you make to your current technique will feel awkward, but don’t give up. Personally, I remember all the adjustments that I made over the years. I went from a corn broom to a brush, from sweeping with a slider to two grippers, from sweeping strictly on one side of the stone to being able to sweep on both sides, from sweeping with the handle of the broom on my thigh to getting all my body weight going down the broom and on to the ice, etc., etc., etc.

None of these changes came easy but they were all worthwhile, because effective brushing truly does contribute to winning the battle. It may even be the difference between winning and losing. Good shooting, by itself, does not win games, and good strategy, by itself, does not win games. Similarly, effective brushing, by itself, will not win games. But, all three taken together, along with good team communications and compatibility, are what it takes to be a really good team. Do your part and work at being a good sweeper. It really does make a difference.

Until next time – good curling!

(Jon Mielke is a Level III instructor and a Level III coach. He is the past chairman of the USCA’s Training & Instruction Committee and a member of Bismarck’s Capital Curling Club. All his previous training articles are available online at: USA Curling – Inside the USCA – CNews Columnists – Columns by Jon Mielke).