Mixed National Championships to take place next March
The upcoming National Championships will NOT include equilibrium-challenged Matt Waymire, still recovering from his loss of balance last winter.
/ Kurt Allen
MIDLAND -- Dozens of first-time curlers will step onto the ice at the Midland Curling Center on Saturday for the annual learn-to-curl Open House. By just looking at the ice, they will be able to tell that a special season is ahead. In-ice logos of corporate sponsors herald the USA Curling Mixed National Championship on March 19-26, 2011.
“This is the first time we have hosted a national championship curling event in Midland,” explained event chairman John Zimmerman. “We’ll have ten teams representing the very best mixed curlers from across the United States, Alaska to the East Coast. Midland teams will compete in the Michigan/ Ohio/ Indiana regional playdowns trying to qualify for the championships.”
Midland Curling Club members have been organizing since last March to host the championship event. “Like most of our league play and events throughout the season, all the planning and implementation of this event will be done by Midland Curling Club volunteers,” Zimmerman said. “The United States Curling Association will appoint the head officials. Our volunteers, with help from community volunteers and from other clubs in the region, will do the rest.”
Making ice for the season is a good example of that volunteer effort. This is the Club’s third season in the new Curling Center. The Facilities Committee prepped the floor for ice by beginning to cool it in early October, even before the October 7 Morning Rotary beer-tasting event. After the Rotary event, the volunteer ice crew cranked down the temperature and started to make ice. “In preparation for the championship season we invested in two upgrades for the ice,” Zimmerman explained. “Instead of painting targets on the ice we installed full-length competition surfaces pre-printed on plastic mesh. It’s a big labor-savings and it eliminates clean-up problems when the season is over.” The Curling Club also added a de-ionized water system for faster and more consistent ice.
As chairman for the Mixed Nationals, Zimmerman concentrated on lining up sponsors for the event. “These events are not big money-makers,” he said. “Sponsorships will help us deliver a first-class event without going into a hole.” Sponsors of the 2011 USA Curling Mixed National Championship are Chemical Bank, Tim Horton’s, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Quad Graphics, and Goldline curling supplies.
Sponsors for this exciting winter event had to be lined up in the heat of the summer. Because the ice is less than one inch thick, it was important to have sponsorships confirmed in time to install in-ice sponsor logos when the ice was made for the season. Zimmerman had it all lined up before enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime event of his own. “I completed the sponsor solicitation, ordered the logos, and then left for the Galapagos Islands. When I got back the ice was all in, transforming a space that supported day camp activities all summer into a championship-class curling venue. It’s beautiful.”
The public is invited to participate in the learn-to-curl Open house from 1 to 3 P.M. this Saturday. Participants can pre-register at the Midland Community Center front desk, or walk-in on Saturday. For those who sign up for the season, the $10 Open House curling fee will be applied to the season registration fee. Free public viewing is available during Saturday’s Open House and throughout the season. The Midland Curling Center is located at 2009 Jefferson Avenue, on the campus of the Midland Community Center.
For more information on Saturday’s curling open house, call the Midland Community Center at (989) 832-7937. For more information on the Midland Curling Club visit www.midlandcurls.org.
