Disclaimer: CurlingZone does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any Content posted on any Forums area and you acknowledge that any reliance upon such Content shall be at your sole risk. Any Content placed on any Forums area by users and anonymous posters are the views of the user posting the statement, and do not represent the views of CurlingZone or our partners, advertisers or sponsors. By posting anonymously, you are allowing your IP address to be displayed for identification purposes. CurlingZone reserves the right to remove any post at its discretion without warning or explanation.
06-12-14 08:10AM |
|
mr. lucky
Hitting Paint
Registered: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 142 |
I don't think it was Richard. I don't think he would want to jeopardize his spot on the most successful US senior team over the course of the last two years. :-)
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-18-14 10:44AM |
|
MNIceman
Hitting Paint
Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Plymouth, MN
Posts: 159 |
Looks like the combine invites are out. It would be nice if the USCA publishes a list of all confirmed participants.
According to the tele-con on Monday it sounds like only 50 total people would be invited to the combine. If the WUGS teams are included in this selection that would mean 50 people were chosen to fill 40 spots (10 Men, 10 Women, 5 Jr Men, 5 Jr Women, 5 WUG Men, 5 WUG Women).
Makes the camp seem like a waste of time and money for most. How much is really left to be decided?
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-18-14 02:07PM |
|
jhcurl
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: US - CT
Posts: 1431 |
First, the above was not me (for the lurkers)
I thought I read somewhere or maybe it during the first webinar that the WUG teams would be a combination of the junior and adult HP players. That would mean a total of 30 chosen from the 50.
We will eventually know who made it based on the teams that are entered in various events.
JH
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-18-14 02:58PM |
|
Stolt42
Knee-Slider
Registered: Aug 2011
Location:
Posts: 7 |
If the program plans to use the same athletes for WUGS it will be a tight turn around time for the players since WUGS is Feb 4-14th and Nationals start on the 14th.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-18-14 05:09PM |
|
rbi
Hitting Paint
Registered: May 2014
Location:
Posts: 143 |
i wonder what their thinking is for choosing junior curlers. in the webinar Derek Brown said that athletes would be chosen primarily based on proven, recent success plus various, secondary criteria such as coachability, attitude, team fit, etc.
However, for juniors Team USA probably also prefers to invest in curlers who will stay with the program long term and become elite adult curlers. Not sure whether long-term commitment enters into their choices, however. Seems tricky.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-21-14 10:27AM |
|
tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Risky? Yes, RBI. Still, if Juniors were to remain with sending the winner of Nationals to Worlds, it should be fine. The risk is in concentrating our limited funding into a very few players. I'd prefer a broader approach, particularly with Juniors.
As a side note: I advise all Juniors offered the role as Fifth for the HPP Junior team to politely decline the offer. You are too young to spend a year just watching.
Selecting only curlers with World experience for Men's and Women's will eventually become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It feels like the Applications process merely gave the impressions of Open Tryouts. There doesn't seem to be much Open about it because limited funding and time limits the number of curlers they can handle. Too bad. Splitting the genders would have doubled the work time for coaching staff, but also could have doubled the number of curlers invited.
Ben Tucker
Struggling to pull away from curling totally
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-21-14 02:19PM |
|
runinrock
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Jul 2013
Location: 216
Posts: 41 |
The application process was simply a smoke screen for the appearance of an open tryout....I would assume the teams are already chosen for at least the men's and women's, I would presume only the 5th spots are up for grabs on those teams. Another example of the USCA half assing this process. You want I select a team to receive funding or select a world/Olympic rep, fine just don't insult our intelligence with this BS "combine" and a terrible BS webinar that gave no additional information than what was already common knowledge. Derek's presentation was nothing short of self preservation.
Just my opinions
__________________
-Mike Moore
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 04:18PM |
|
MNIceman
Hitting Paint
Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Plymouth, MN
Posts: 159 |
The list is out. 47 people invited to the camp. 14 Women trying out for 10 spots on the Womens A and B teams. 13 Men trying out for the Mens A and B teams.
Average age of the 14 Women is 26. Average age of the 13 Men is 28.5. (according to USCA bio info)
On the Jr. side 10 invites for both the Jr. Women and Jr. Men.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 05:01PM |
|
Alice
Swing Artist
Registered: Feb 2012
Location:
Posts: 324 |
Exactly what objective tests will those lucky folks be doing? Anything close to what the bobsledders must do?
http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Bobsled-...e-Test-Protocol
And then what about the subjective parts like interview and such?
Will the coaches and team managers themselves be subject to any similar tests during the combine or at anytime before the South Korean Olympics? Or have they a contract/tenure deal through 2018?
Back to World Cup soccer....
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 05:39PM |
|
dbsdbs
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2013
Location:
Posts: 812 |
Missing a few names that I might have expected to be there [had I given it any thought]. Would be interesting to see who applied but did not make the cut.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 07:53PM |
|
chubb
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Nov 2004
Location:
Posts: 52 |
Remember some of last years participants used up holidays all the way to next year.Let alone take a few days for the combine and then another 6 days for the Colorado Springs portion.
Gonna be interesting to see this shake down.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 08:54PM |
|
mr. lucky
Hitting Paint
Registered: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 142 |
I don’t think it’s very hard to figure out who the overall pics will be. Maybe a little more interesting who will be on the A team and who on the B, but the junior women will be fascinating. With Cory skipping, will they take both Anderson sisters based on talent or choose to leave one or both off for a sweeping front end player and Lank at third. Can you break up the sisters? Can you pass on a front end player like Gabower? Maybe the four skip Scottish model, Christensen, Anderson, Lank, and Haag. Wow, can’t wait for this decision.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 09:06PM |
|
jhcurl
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: US - CT
Posts: 1431 |
Since I can't really comment, I will just say the names that are missing are the most interesting to me.
JH
no opinions were harmed in this post
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-25-14 10:49PM |
|
SPMFromPCC
Swing Artist
Registered: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 440 |
And then there's the very few who simultaneously are and aren't "missing", but exist in a sort of limbo.....it's rather odd.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-26-14 09:25AM |
|
MiniMark
Hitting Paint
Registered: Jan 2012
Location: DeWitt, MI
Posts: 100 |
It's about the Juniors
While I'd like to say with certainty that we will get a top-notch Men's team that will be right in the mix at the World level out of this pool of guys...meh. Nothing new to see here. I would've liked to have seen some fresh names. These are all top American players, but...meh. I would love to be proven very, very wrong! GO USA!
For me, the Juniors should be the focus. These are the players that *should* be the future of HP. Make sure whomever you pick is in it to win it, will take instruction and criticism, learn from mistakes, and be willing to put in the work.
With only 155 applications sent in (I was going to apply but who needs a 46 year old lousy sweeper who throws with the wrong hand?) that's a cool 1% of the curlers in the country who could (or would) commit to the HP cycle. I don't know if that is good or bad. Thoughts?
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-26-14 10:13AM |
|
dbsdbs
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2013
Location:
Posts: 812 |
quote: Originally posted by jhcurl
Since I can't really comment, I will just say the names that are missing are the most interesting to me.
JH
no opinions were harmed in this post
Always like it when someone who apparently has some knowledge and wants to comment decides to tell others that he cannot comment. So why say anything, i.e. really do not comment?
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-27-14 03:50PM |
|
jhcurl
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: US - CT
Posts: 1431 |
quote: Originally posted by dbsdbs
Always like it when someone who apparently has some knowledge and wants to comment decides to tell others that he cannot comment. So why say anything, i.e. really do not comment?
I actually have no knowledge as a old-never-was. Perhaps I should have said, if I post about the process I will get scolded so my comment is limited to those curlers missing from the list. I find it surprising that the World team of Pottinger is not on the list. I have no idea why but find it interesting.
I hope this new process works out well for US curling.
JH
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
06-28-14 03:15PM |
|
dbsdbs
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2013
Location:
Posts: 812 |
interesting article in the Full Granite Jacket blog on the CZ home page
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-15-14 09:55PM |
|
Mike54321
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Oct 2012
Location:
Posts: 12 |
Doesn't the HP team make the chances of competing in Olympic curling easier than the playdowns? With the playdowns if I a great player but my region is thin then I out of luck. I can be a 5th player for the Olympic team but it is only one slot. With the HP team they are automatically in the Olympic Trials putting them in contention for the Olympics. A player who is nationally ranked and in shape can apply as an individual for 10 spots and I can control my curling background but I have no control over what my regional playdowns team does no matter how well I play the game. So why is everyone complaining about it?
Granted the teams should be non-centralized the HP team should still fight to win the Olympic Trials as we need varying opinion on what makes a great curler or team. The team that wins the Olympic Trials has the prevailing philosophy.
Last edited by Mike54321 on 07-15-14 at 10:03PM
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-16-14 04:23PM |
|
runinrock
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Jul 2013
Location: 216
Posts: 41 |
There are no regional affiliations for the US men's and women's nationals and no regional affiliation for the Olympic trials either....
__________________
-Mike Moore
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-16-14 05:26PM |
|
tuck
Super Rockchucker
Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613 |
Sorry, Mike, but I fear the exact opposite is true.
Coaches will bet on the sure thing with a player that has made it to Worlds, even if their Worlds was not spectacular. A great player in an area with limited team choices is less likely to get World experience.
I'd like to think that a stellar player from a team with some success could shine brightly enough to catch the eye of a brave coach, but I have my doubts. Would the Anderson Tiny Terrorists have made the cut without their Wisconsin teammates helping them to the Finals? My fear is that they would not.
Ben Tucker
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-16-14 06:35PM |
|
Mike54321
Harvey Hacksmasher
Registered: Oct 2012
Location:
Posts: 12 |
There might be a Olympic curler with their best days behind them and there might be a curler who competed in the USCA Nationals who's best years are ahead of them. Not all curlers picked for the HP program have competed in the Olympics and some from USCA Nationals. You can get a lot if regional experience and then approach a WCT coach and ask to be a fifth player and then work to be a starter. Then apply for the HP program. There go from there.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-17-14 10:40PM |
|
curlky
Drawmaster
Registered: Oct 2013
Location:
Posts: 559 |
Tuck, when you say
"Coaches will bet on the sure thing with a player that has made it to Worlds, even if their Worlds was not spectacular. A great player in an area with limited team choices is less likely to get World experience.
I'd like to think that a stellar player from a team with some success could shine brightly enough to catch the eye of a brave coach, but I have my doubts."
What I read is that you are calling the system rigged, or the coaches incompetent? Can't we just trust the the coaches will evaluate the talent correctly? Sure, going in to the camp, not everyone is equal, as your resume is what it is, but I would like to know what leads you to have this distrust that they wont evaluate and make an informed decision.
Perhaps I am misinterpreting what you are trying to say, so please help me understand if that is the case.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
07-18-14 04:32AM |
|
peteski
Drawmaster
Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 631 |
Without knowing what their options were, is it not encouraging that many of the people at the combine don't have that world experience, at least not beyond the junior level?
I hope you don't mind a Canadian, albeit a Canadian that would very much like to see the USA once again become a curling power, throwing in his two cents. I am fascinated by this process and my inclination is to say that I think it is the right idea. Right now, the only way to be at the top of the curling world if you're not Canada is to have what amounts to curling professionals (and Canada's top teams are more or less professionals anyway). To my mind, it makes sense to find the talented players that are willing and able to put in the time commitment necessary, put them together and support them as much as possible.
Now, my preference would be to have a national championship that still decides the world rep (although it looks like Nina Spatola's win wasn't completely meaningless as some feared), but I think this is a step in the right direction.
Some things I wonder about: are Courtney George and Jessica Schultz now out of the running for spots on these teams because those would seem like tough losses? How difficult would it be to put a west coast player with players from Minnesota? It's kind of interesting to think about the possibilities. I'm thinking the Spatola team will probably remain intact perhaps with Tabitha Peterson. Perhaps Deb McCormick would then captain the other team, but who would that include? Sormunen and Walker maybe? Schultz would make some sense if she's still in the running. On the men's side you would have to do some mixing and matching. Perhaps Shuster's team could add Sean Beighton if those pesky west coast issues can be sorted out. Or maybe Shuster could reunite with Craig Brown. Maybe you combine McCormick and Plys with Fenson's old front end. I don't know. You guys probably have a better idea of what makes sense, but I'll be very interested to see how this all shakes out.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is . |
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is OFF
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|