You're Killing Curling!!!

Sunday Dec 04 2011

I have heard it a few times this season already. Not specifically directed at me – but at the Association which I am proud to serve this year as President, CurlManitoba.

‘You’ve changed to this regional system for playoffs – you’re killing curling!!!” I don’t think so. In fact, I believe the exact opposite. I believe the regional structure has merits which can help to attract more people to play the game at the regional playoff level.

I admit there is a downside in that, with the great geography of rural Manitoba, teams are driving further and may end up staying in a hotel (or as we are at Clearwater) at a B&B. That was the great argument against – the reason why ‘you’re killing curling’. Nobody will travel – they said.

I talked last night in Clearwater with a guy who has strong opinions – opinions I respect. And he expressed the same concerns but as we talked, he came very close to saying – this is a good idea. For sure, he admitted he hadn’t understood.

It started with his comment that the Winnipeg zone will always get the extra berth – what we are calling the participation berth because they have the most teams.

He had missed the point that it is based on teams per berth. Winnipeg’s 27 entries for 4 berths got the extra spot this year, but only because two Westman teams have already qualified. Without Brian Fowler and Kelly Robertson, the 12 Westman teams are playing for 2 spots. With Fowler and Robertson it would have been 14, a ratio of 7 per berth, and the participation berth would have gone there.

With that explanation, he immediately said “this should mean that I will try to convince other teams to enter regionals – so we get that extra spot in our region”. EXACTLY!!

How can a system which encourages every team to try to convince others to play possibly be ‘killing curling’.

We went on to talk about the event we are playing in – 13 teams from Portage, Carman, Morris, Manitou, Clearwater, and other Central Region communities. A year ago, this would have been 5 or 6 teams playing in any one of those clubs and a few playing in another club.

This is a big event in a small club. With three sheets of ice in play, the Clearwater curling club will be buzzing all weekend. The lunch counter will be busy (remind me to tell you about the soup buffet and the great pies) and there will be people sitting in their lounge area, supporting the bar but more importantly talking about curling. “This is an event – better than last year,” my friend said.

EXACTLY!! How can a system which creates a significant event for one of our smaller clubs, which brings curlers together in a better competition, be ‘killing curling’.

The other thing he liked was that in the past, those 5 or 6 teams were playing for one provincial spot – now we are all playing for two spots. Granted the two spots might go to two teams from the same town and that would not have happened before – but if the objectives are to give everyone a chance to compete but still have the best teams qualify to the provincials, this regional system accomplishes the objectives.

EXACTLY!! How can a system which encourages competition and yet rewards the best teams be ‘killing curling’.

The regional system is a better way. I am not saying it is the best way – perhaps another idea will be an improvement. Is that not the role of CurlManitoba? – to find a better way when it comes to encouraging participation and competition.

And while I’m on the subject, I might as well tackle the other one that has been on mind.

You’re killing curling!! – we hear when we tell a team which missed an entry deadline that they cannot get into a playoff or a bonspiel. Enough time has passed that I can refer to a conversation I had about 6 weeks ago.

An entry deadline had been missed. Contact with the CurlManitoba office was made requesting the team be allowed into the event. The request by policy was denied. The President was called and hence the conversation.

There are only 13 teams in that event. One more makes a better draw. You should let my team in. You’re killing curling by sticking to the deadlines like this!...was the general conversation.

It was an easy conversation for me. Back when I worked for the Association, I believed in deadlines and was frustrated occasionally when we would ‘blink a little’ and allow an entry after the deadline.

So I start the discussion this way......So you want to be able to show up at the rink and play in the event – NO, of course not, you have to have a deadline.

EXACTLY (I say) so now all we’re talking about is the fact you don’t like this deadline because you missed it. NO, (he says) we’re talking about the fact that there is room in the event – and you should take my team this time. BUT (I say) what if there had been four calls after the deadline – which one do you take, do you only take 3 and not the fourth one because it would make 17 teams. OF COURSE NOT (he said) that wouldn’t happen anyway so you should take my team this time.

There is a reason for a deadline.

DAY 1-DEADLINE(usually Thursday) – receive entries

DAY 2(usually Friday) –Staff assemble entries, prepare seeding documents – circulate seeding documents to teams. Allow 3 days for teams to seed and return). Begin to develop draws based on numbers.

DAY 5(usually Monday)- Receive seeding documents back. Calculate results. Develop draws. (Remember with double events (junior men & women) and the regional system – this means at least 14 different events, not just one. In the case of this past weekend Juniors and Seniors, or 28 events.

DAY 7-8 Finalize draws – begin to review draws.

DAY 8-9 Finalize review – confirm draws – begin to circulate to teams.(even in an email age, you must allow time here, four days is not unreasonable to be sure adequate time for communication with teams to be sure they know when they will play. During that time post draws on the website, etc)

DAY 12 So, at best we are two days shy of two weeks pre-event. Could it be a day or two shorter - perhaps. Would that put added stress on the system – surely.

I have no problem saying the entry deadline should be a minimum of two weeks ahead of the event in question.

“But I missed the deadline – you’re killing curling by enforcing the deadline”, we continue to hear.

I DON'T THINK SO!! Just as surely as we anger the individual who did not get his entry in on time – by stretching the deadline, we anger the people who did respect the entry deadline. Among them may be some ‘marginals’ in terms of their true interest and it is a pretty easy for them to say “Why would I do this again?” I did everything they asked me to do – when they asked me to do it and then I got beat by some guy who entered after the deadline. I won’t be doing this again.”

You’re killing curling by sticking to your deadlines. NO WAY!

** And in the interest of full disclosure. My team missed a deadline this year. We didn’t play. Trust me when I say, if I wouldn’t try to influence the staff in my own interests – I’m darn sure not going to try to influence the staff on your behalf.

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