Potomac Curling Club
of the National Capital Curling Center
13810 Old Gunpowder Road
Laurel, Maryland 20707
Youth Curling Program Information 2012-2013
The Potomac Curling Club of the National Capital Curling Center provides curling instruction and
competition for youth from elementary school age, through middle school and high school, up to age
under 21 by June 30, 2012 (per USCA Junior guidelines). The Youth Program is divided into two separate
age-group sessions that meet most Sunday afternoons from late October through late March.
Our Middle Rocker Program offers curling for youngsters who are more comfortable with our lighterweight, half-size “middle rocks”, and is primarily designed for youth of elementary school age (typically
through the end of 5th grade). Middle Rockers meet on Sundays from 12:30 – 2:00 pm. They are given
age-appropriate instruction, participate in short games and gradually progress from half-sheet to full-sheet
play, as they become physically able to handle full-size rocks.
Our Junior Program is primarily designed for youth in middle school and high school, but does include
some college-age curlers (must be under 21 by June 30, 2012). Several of our older Juniors have
competed regionally and nationally, and provide both inspiration and role models for our younger curlers.
Only full-size rocks are used in this program. Juniors meet on Sundays from 2:00 – 4:30 pm. They
receive varied levels of instruction, participate in regular match play, and may opt to obtain more curling
experience through away bonspiels, league play and competitive curling.
Promotion from the Middle Rocker program to the Junior program typically happens during the season a
curler begins middle school, but exceptions do occur. Promotion is made on an individual basis, requires
express approval of the on-ice program coordinator, and takes many important factors into consideration,
such as a curler’s physical size, experience, ability, maturity, and family logistics. (For example: A family
with both 5th and 6th grade curlers may opt to place both children in the same program for logistical
reasons, if their ability level is similar.)
Registration and Membership
Please bring a signed Youth Liability Release form to your first session. It must be signed by a Parent or
Guardian if you are under 18, and is required before you can step onto the ice. These forms are available
on the Potomac Curling Club website (http://curldc.org) under “Our Club”. If you decide to join as a Junior
Curler, please fill out a Membership form (also available online) and turn it in (online or in person) with all
applicable fees. The membership fee for Middle Rockers/Junior Program Only for the full season
(October-March) is $60.00 per curler. Juniors who wish to also play in one or more leagues pay $160.00
or $200.00, depending on whether their parent is also a member.
Apparel and Equipment
Suggested clothing includes clean and dry rubber-soled shoes (such as sneakers), layers of warm,
flexible clothing (such as light jackets and sweaters, warm-up pants or sweat pants - jeans are NOT
recommended), and thin, warm gloves. Initially, Junior Curlers can use club-provided sliders (which fit
over shoes) and club brooms. If continuing through the season, it is recommended that a curler purchase
a personal slider, which costs about $20. This will save wear and tear on our club equipment. Brooms
and specialized curling shoes can be purchased as well and run anywhere from $80-$200. More
experienced juniors may want to invest in these, but these items are not necessary unless the curler is
competing in away bonspiels.
Weekly Youth Curling Sessions: What to Expect on the Ice
Middle Rockers: The weekly Middle Rocker curling sessions start with review and instruction of basic
curling skills. The curlers will run through some fun drills that introduce delivery, throwing stones, and
sweeping. After a snack break, the curlers return to the ice for some fun games that teach curling skills
and strategies at the appropriate level.
Junior Curlers: The weekly Junior curling session starts with warm ups, practice of delivery, basic skills
and running of drills. Each week, the curlers will work on different aspects of their game or on USCA
Junior Merit Program objectives. After a snack break, the group is divided into teams of varying skill level
for some coached game play.
Other Curling Opportunities for Juniors
League Play: For juniors who want to have more ice time in game format, joining a league is an
excellent way to gain experience. Our On-Ice Coordinator, Sandra McMackin, can best direct interested
juniors to the league and team format that best suits their skill level and available time. Potomac leagues
currently advertising as open to Junior curlers are the Saturday morning Breakfast Extravaganza and the
Sunday evening Pizza League.
Potomac Junior Bonspiel: This year, Potomac Curling Club will host its 7th Annual Junior Bonspiel on
November 2-4. Curling Clubs from all over the East Coast send teams to compete in this tournament.
Potomac usually also fields several teams depending on interest and number of out of town teams. All
Potomac Juniors can participate either by playing on a team or by volunteering time in the warm room.
Juniors interested in participating in our bonspiel should contact Kim Clawson, our Junior Bonspiel
Coordinator.
Bonspiels at other Curling Clubs: Potomac is one of a growing number of curling clubs on the East
Coast which have Junior programs. These other clubs host Junior bonspiels similar to our own; meals
and lodging are typically provided by the host club. If a Junior curler is interested in participating in “away
bonspiels”, our Administrative Coordinator, Lisa Beaudet, can provide more information.
Competitive Curling for Juniors: Juniors who wish to take their curling to the regional and national
competitive level should be prepared to commit a lot of time practicing, curling in leagues and traveling to
bonspiels. The curler must be committed and focused, attend as many Sunday Junior curling sessions as
possible, and be available for other practices with their team as needed. This year, Potomac Curling Club
is proud to host the GNCC (our regional) Junior Playdowns from December 27-30, 2012. The Junior
Nationals are January 26 – February 2, 2013 in Wayland, MA.
Volunteering
The Potomac Curling Club is a volunteer organization, and the Youth Program is no exception. Our
coordinators are all volunteers, as are our instructors and coaches. We will be looking for extra hands to
take on tasks throughout the curling season and for specific events like the Potomac Junior Bonspiel and
Junior Playdowns. Please consider donating your time and expertise where needed. If you are a parent
curler, help with on-ice instruction would be greatly appreciated. Each week of the season, a different
family in each program covers “Snack Rotation”. A sign-up sheet will be available at the initial Parent
Meeting during the first Session on October 21st and on each Sunday session thereafter. Drinks and a
light snack are all that are required, and the rotation is evenly split between all member families. The Club
hosts occasional non-Junior bonspiels throughout the season. Junior curlers are encouraged to attend
some of these events, both to watch curling and to actively participate in the running of the club as
volunteers. Finally, ice-making and work parties are the foundation of our club; without a building and ice
there would be no curling! Please step up to volunteer whenever asked.
Contact Information
Administrative Coordinator:
Lisa Beaudet
lmbeaudet@starpower.net
Potomac Junior Bonspiel Chair:
Kim Clawson
kc3@hotmail.com
On-Ice Program Coordinator, Head Coach: Sandra McMakin
s.mcmakin@comcast.net
Juniors Lead Coach:
Iain Munro
iamnotasailor@hotmail.com
Middle Rockers Lead Coach:
Frank Stachour
flutyfrank@juno.com
For more information about the Potomac Curling Club, please visit our website at www.curldc.org. When
you become a member of PCC, you will be automatically invited to join the “pcc_members” mailing list
which sparingly posts items of general interest to all Potomac Curling Club members. Please also take
the time to subscribe to the “Youthcurling” mailing list through the website; this is our primary means of
communication with Middle Rockers and Juniors, and will allow you to stay informed about the program
and any schedule changes that may occur during the season.
Should you need to call the Club for any reason the phone number is 301-362-1116.
Good Curling!!!
The Potomac Curling Club is a 501(c)3 tax exempt sports foundation with a tax ID number of 31-1596397.