August 09, 2007

Regional Academy 2007-08

The details of this season's Regional Academy have been made public today. You can read the RCCC announcement here.

There are four strands to the 'performance pathway' of a curler in Scotland. The initial stepping stone is the Royal Caledonian Curling Club's Regional Academy which supports individual curlers from age fourteen who show excellence in curling. The programme is organised with training and support in ten regions: Angus, Ayrshire, Central, East, Galloway, Grampian, Highland, North West, South West and Tayside and Fife.

The programme is managed by Nancy Murdoch, the RCCC's Performance Development Coach. Each region has an identified Technical Director and Coach. Fifty-two individuals are included in the Regional Academy this season.

The Regional Academy programme is funded by the athletes themselves who pay an induction fee, as well as RCCC administered funds.

The named athletes and their support are:

ANGUS
Technical Director: Lorraine Henderson
Coach: Hazel Wood
Athlete: Jill Donald

AYRSHIRE
Technical Director: Agi Bryson
Coach: Tom Reid
Athletes: Aron Bryson, John Johnston, Craig Kirkwood, David Miller, Michael Reid, Gavin Reid, Craig Reid, Stuart Templeton

CENTRAL
Technical Director: Irene Hird
Coach: Logan Gray
Athletes: Michael Goodfellow, Lindsay Gray, Judith McFarlane

EAST ATHLETES
Technical Director: Robin Copland
Coaches: Trevor Dodds and Susan Kesley
Athletes: Tasha Aitken, Annie Barr, Ian Copland, Jennifer Dodds, Mairi Girvan, Gillian Howard, Clare Lang, Robert McBride, Fran Stretton, Struan Wood

GRAMPIAN
Technical Director: Kay Gibb and Albert Midler
Coaches: Kay Gibb and Albert Midler
Athletes: Rosemary Arkley, Andrew Dolman, Eddie Steven, Simon Gibb, Gordon Kennedy, Jamie McDowall, John Penny

HIGHLAND
Technical Director: Lynne Fraser
Coach: Lynne Fraser
Athletes: Robert Craigie, Ally Fraser, Blair Fraser, Grant Fraser, Alison Kinghorn, Peter Macintyre, Scott Fraser

NORTH WEST
Technical Director: Judith McFarlane
Coach: Don Frame
Athletes: Alison Black, Graeme Black, Emma Craig, Megan Priestley, Callum McLeod, Gary Cannell

SOUTH WEST
Technical Director: Marion Murdoch
Coach: Marion Murdoch
Athletes: Hannah Fleming, Duncan Gracie, Kirsten McNay, Thomas Sloan, Alice Spence, Kimberley Smith

GALLOWAY
Technical Director: Agi Bryson
Coach: Tom Reid
Athlete: Jay McWilliam

TAYSIDE and FIFE
Technical Director: Claire Milne
Coach: Lynn Cameron
Athletes: Andrew Bayne, Steven Mitchell, Sharon Stewart

Jay McWilliam won the National Pairs title last season, and is the lone athlete in the Galloway Region.

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