Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Toon Town
Posts: 106

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Originally posted by mcgregorm89


So another remain at the status quo and just watch the numbers continue to fall. Its not the elite competition killing the sport, its the clubs unwilling to change.

How quick do you think the sponsors would pull out of the Scotties and briers if their were just club players and no elite.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210

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Originally posted by Love2Curl


Our numbers in Saskatchewan continue to drop each and every year. I do not believe the status quo is working.

How should the clubs change to increase number? How many curlers have left the sport over the last 10 years?

At our club every thing is done to promote the game, but the numbers continue to drop. I could care less what happens at a national level, but I can guarantee you seeing number drop at my club and other clubs in the city is very alarming.

Getting the game on TV is great, but its not increasing the numbers at the rink.

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 10

quote:

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Originally posted by mcgregorm89


So another remain at the status quo and just watch the numbers continue to fall. Its not the elite competition killing the sport, its the clubs unwilling to change.

How quick do you think the sponsors would pull out of the Scotties and briers if their were just club players and no elite.

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location:
Posts: 1064

UMm....not sure if you're from the US or not...but...I wouldn't agree that at the Clubs in the US it's become all about Elite curling.

Hell, we have a cadre of folks at our club (Potomac Maryland) who are unhappy because there isn't *enough* focus on anything beyond Learn to Curls and Social leagues.

I suppose we could be the exception, but I kinda doubt it.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Burlington
Posts: 638

As I see it there are two points here. The top curlers and the average public/club curler.

Elite curling seems to be doing well and on the rise with more TV and more events. This is good and the only real mass advertising curling gets.

The top of the tree is growing well, problem is the roots are rotten!

Looking at the slides of the top curlers doesn't encourage the average couch potato to try the sport! Some people yes but someone who is not the most athletic, not so much! Probably 1/2 the senior sections use a stick and they account for up to 1/3 of the club curlers, all part of that 99% of actual curlers that pay for the clubs.

Compared to golf curling is cheap. In fact curling is too cheap to support itself and most clubs depend on the bar to keep the lights on, not a very healthy business plan!

Funny part is curlers, who end up paying $10 to $20 a game if you work dues cost per game, bitch about the cost, yet they will pay $70 for a round of golf in the summer! I guess the fact that curling is way too cheap is a bit off topic, sorry!

I still believe that we need a advertising program aimed at the general public that airs on media like TV in late September pointing to local clubs. Maybe with a call line that gives the phone numbers of clubs in the area code.

We also need a change in attitude of the CCA and provincial associations. Programs like coaching or business seminars or even ice making should be free. After all, that is why these organizations collect dues from clubs and various government grants. With arm twisting you may get people to attend these seminars but ask them to pay as well..for get it....and the clubs barely cover costs to exist so they can't afford to help!

Last edited by lolar3288 on 02-21-15 at 05:46PM

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210

So if its all the Olympics fault lets look at how the numbers for curling was the 90's, i'm sure they were just booming, couldn't keep people back, line ups around the block on registration day right. Then the Olympics and slams came and the numbers shot right down am I right.

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location:
Posts: 13

quote:

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Originally posted by mcgregorm89
So if its all the Olympics fault lets look at how the numbers for curling was the 90's, i'm sure they were just booming, couldn't keep people back, line ups around the block on registration day right. Then the Olympics and slams came and the numbers shot right down am I right.

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Last edited by nicecontroleasy on 02-22-15 at 12:05PM

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Registered: Sep 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 116

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Originally posted by melz10


I would argue it is the elite competition killing the sport. When new folks enter, it is not about sport and camaraderie. It is not about the traditions and spirit of curling. It is about "winning that Olympic Medal." And once it is realized that it is too hard, or that personal really doesn't have what it takes (skill, time, or money wise), they leave the sport. And all the clubs seem to focus on is competitive curling. Can the next Olympic champ come from our club. That is the disease of the IOC lurking into your sport. It may take a little bit of a different path in Canada, but this is the route it is taking in the USA. All focus has been lost on social curling and the traditions of what made curling great and now it is all about "competitive curling" to the tune that most folks are running around and acting like a bunch of middle school students without parental supervision.

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Burlington
Posts: 638

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Originally posted by Western Newbie
[B
"
We will be losing our community rink this year for political reasons. So that will be the end of the curling in this community until new ice is built. If it is built.

Hockey is taking over the curling rink because there is a demand for their training program." [/B]

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Registered: Sep 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 116

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Originally posted by lolar3288


Now this is a situation where the Provincial Association should be contacting the community rec committee, asking for a meeting to promote the value of curling to a community including kids, Olympics and seniors! Then contact the provincial sport minister to see if additional funding could be made available. They should already have the contacts in their Contact lists! Instead they just sit there like monkeys on a fence watching it happen!

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Burlington
Posts: 638

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Originally posted by Western Newbie


there is a very active hardworking group working to seek a solution. The question is can the supporters sustain the financial burden of maintaining a new facility in the long term. Curling numbers are down. Most of the active voices are 45+yrs. These people are not sitting on the fence, but making efforts to solve a problem.

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Registered: Sep 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 116

quote:

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Originally posted by lolar3288


I'm sure the local people are working very hard....but what is the Provincial Association or CCA doing to help!

These sorts of problems are usually above the resources of the Clubs themselves.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 200

quote:

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Originally posted by nicecontroleasy

I don't know what the answers are but what has been done before is not good enough anymore. Some of the problems have been caused by the many traditionalists in our sport that resist and deny change.

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: Kingston, ON
Posts: 210

quote:

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Originally posted by nicecontroleasy
[B
I don't know what the answers are but what has been done before is not good enough anymore. Some of the problems have been caused by the many traditionalists in our sport that resist and deny change. [/B]

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Burlington
Posts: 638

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Originally posted by mcgregorm89


My point exactly, they complain about numbers being down but resist any changes yet offer no solutions of their own.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

Good points. My husband is a very good curler and on his men's league night he curls with a bunch of kneesliders. They lose more than they win. I asked him why he sticks with them. His response was "nobody else will skip them and they might leave the club and curling".

I see this in a lot of teams - 4 skips playing together on league nights while a bunch of knee sliders band together and lose every game. The good curlers don't seem to want to play with the novice curlers. We at the club level need to start encouraging all our members to play together. If you are competitive, go on bonspiels, join/start a major league, enter playdowns with like minded curlers. Sometimes the oldtimers make no effort to welcome new members and instead gripe about their lack of curling skills. This is what is hurting the game.

And yes, Provincial Associations & the CCA need to be more proactive when it comes to helping save rinks from closing.

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location:
Posts: 98

There isn't a magic pill that's going to correct the downward trend of curling in a year. Someone has to lobby the gov't to create space for the game, then introduce it elementary school and secondary school. Kids in toronto get 2 hours a week sometime on a sunday. That's a huge problem. Kids that are good have no weekly avenue to play as there are no leagues and the crumpy old men would rather play with 3 then let a talented kid on the ice---laughable. Add the stupid layer of 'qualified' coaching to the miz and what do you get? You get 30-50 little rockers that can be parlayed into more than a single competitive bantam team. The vast majority of kids playing the game today which will be playing the game tomorrow are kids from curling families. ANd that's the problem. And such a pity as it's a great game/sport and a wonderful way to spend time with your growing children.

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Registered: Feb 2014
Location:
Posts: 538

Remember when only amateurs could complete in the Olympics?

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 200

quote:

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Originally posted by Jimbobogie
Remember when only amateurs could complete in the Olympics?

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Registered: Mar 2009
Location: Burlington
Posts: 638

quote:

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Originally posted by bennybeam
There isn't a magic pill that's going to correct the downward trend of curling in a year. Someone has to lobby the gov't to create space for the game, then introduce it elementary school and secondary school. Kids in toronto get 2 hours a week sometime on a sunday. That's a huge problem. Kids that are good have no weekly avenue to play as there are no leagues and the crumpy old men would rather play with 3 then let a talented kid on the ice---laughable. Add the stupid layer of 'qualified' coaching to the miz and what do you get? You get 30-50 little rockers that can be parlayed into more than a single competitive bantam team. The vast majority of kids playing the game today which will be playing the game tomorrow are kids from curling families. ANd that's the problem. And such a pity as it's a great game/sport and a wonderful way to spend time with your growing children.

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location:
Posts: 98

Good for you and if more people had your mindset, the future of the game would be in good hands. Unfortunately you're in the minority. And with just about all city of toronto rinks being leased and ran by the members themselves, it's only going to get worse.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2668

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Originally posted by lolar3288


Well this year this old man wanted to put a 15 year old bantam girl on his mixed competitive team as a lead. It was a Sunday morning 10:00 am start time. Her parents agreed to bring her but the league kicked up a fuss and changed the rules to prohibit anyone under 18 from playing....this is a Sunday morning!! How do we expect to get the kids involved with this kind of attitude!

As to the coaching, this CAC crap is even making it tough to get hockey coaches in the rec leagues. All I can say is mind less kingdom building.

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location:
Posts: 98

At our club, whenever a certain team gets the late draw, they call the other team and move the game up as there is always an empty sheet for those teams (they play C-D and are two teams short thus an extra sheet during their draw time). Guess how that impacts the teenagers who try to book a spare sheet--which incidentally is the only one available Mon-Fri. Unless you want to keep your teenager up until 9:00 to get on the ice then your out of luck. And when pressed for an answer--the club manager--her buddy---sides with her. Folks, after five years and 3 clubs I can tell you first-hand that youth curling in toronto is in dire straits.

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Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Elmira
Posts: 179

My daughter's competitive Bantam team has been welcomed with open arms into the Richmond Hill curling club's open league, along with a few other young players.

It would sure help the declining membership numbers if more clubs would consider accepting younger members.

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Registered: Feb 2015
Location:
Posts: 98

That's great Marc--kudo's to the good and decent people of RH. Another tidbit---leaside has 8 sheets of ice. But get this---after school only 4 are available and are often booked. The other 4--well--they sit empty. When pressed for a logical answer--I'm told the icemaker needs 3.5 hours to get them ready for the early draw that starts at 7. Again, 5 years ago my son picked up this sport and I'm stunned how dysfunctional those that run the show are. Luckily, I only have a couple years left of juggling 5 club memberships and local GTA traffic to get my kid some ice time.

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