The day the Editor got stuck

The second Royal Caledonian Curling Club camp of the summer is on this week, again using the facilities of the Galleon Centre, Kilmarnock, and the Dolphin House Outdoor Education Centre at Culzean. And before I go any further, I think that appreciation should go to the staff at the Galleon for providing the good curling ice outwith the season, and for the instructors and staff at Dolphin House who drive the youngsters hither and thither, feed them, and provide a cocktail of fun and adventure!

This is the first year that there has been demand for two camps. And it's the first year to include a group of young curlers from Norway. Twenty eight young curlers, aged 12-17, are at camp this week.

The first camp was described here. Above and below are some pics from yesterday.

Top: the group on the beach at Dolphin House yesterday.

The hard working coaches. L-R Graham Sloan, Kay Gibb, David Horne, Judith McFarlane, Brad Askew.

Judith with her group at the Galleon.

The Norwegian visitors. L-R: Coach Kirsten Gronset, Silje Reite, Eli Skaslien, Ingrid Gronset, Kristine Stulen, Pia Trulsen.

Pia showing her Olympic genes!

A head emerges from a narrow opening way down in the caves below Culzean Castle. The Editor found he was too big to get through this squeeze, and got well and truly stuck. In fact it took considerable pushing from instructor Kenny Dunlop and pulling from Graham Sloan (thanks guys) to get him out of the plug! All in a day's work of course, for your intrepid reporter to bring you the latest for Curling Today!

Janine Phillips had no problems navigating the tight cave passage.

The shift clocks off.

It was a lovely day to be crawling around in the mud underground! (Thanks to Graham Sloan for taking this pic)

Volleyball on the beach.

Pulling together in front of Dolphin House.

Team building!

It is not all fun and games. Yesterday's evening seminar was about drugs in sport.

Judith begins her seminar.

Pics by Bob, except where indicated. Thanks to all for a great day!

Summer camp

The Royal Caledonian Curling Club summer camp, the first of two this year, is underway this week using ice at the Galleon Centre, Kilmarnock, and the facilities of the Dolphin House outdoor education centre at Culzean Castle. Judith McFarlane, the RCCC Development Manager, is the organiser.

Twenty-seven youngsters, aged 13-16, were already enjoying themselves, and learning more about our sport, when I saw them on Monday. After the morning at the rink, coasteering, exploring the caves at Culzean, archery and mountain biking, all with the Dolphin House instructors, were on offer in the afternoon. Here are a few photos to capture the flavour of the day!

Top: the campers.

Serious time on the ice - Fraser Davidson and Kyle Waddell!

Rachel Hannen.

Judith with her group at the Galleon.

Fun things to do on the ice!

Craig Waddell demonstrates his archery skills.

Off underground!

The coaches: L-R Albert Middler, Judith McFarlane, Marion Murdoch, Laura Morris.
Photos by Bob.

Royal Club Development

Applications are invited for a Part-time Curling Development Officer for the Waterfront rink in Greenock. Applicants must have 'a high level of motivation and commitment to the development of the sport' and will be responsible for developing and promoting involvement and participation in curling, at all levels, throughout Greenock and Inverclyde.

The full details of the job, which arises because of David Horne's move to Braehead, may be found on the RCCC website here. Closing date is February 15.

Moving on to arguably the Royal Club's most successful development initiative, Development Manager Judith McFarlane reports that the camp scheduled for this summer is full with 28 participants and she has provisionally booked a second camp to run from August 3-8. If you are reading this and know of any young curler (aged 12-17) who would like to participate then more information can be obtained from Cairnie House. All of which gives me an excuse to post a couple of photos from last summer!

The summer camp is based at the Galleon rink in Kilmarnock and the Dolphin Centre at Culzean (above) and mountain biking was just one of many off-ice activities last year.

Sweeping practice is hard work!

It's not all hard work. Jennifer Paul in a fun delivery drill!

Photos by Bob. More here.

RCCC summer camp

Judith McFarlane, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club's new development manager, took up her post on Monday, and this week is hard at work at the annual summer camp for junior curlers.

Twenty-nine young curlers, aged 12-17, are based in the Dolphin House Outdoor Education Centre in Culzean Country Park. In the mornings they receive intensive curling instruction at the Galleon Centre in Kilmarnock from Area Development Officers and invited coaches. In the afternoons, under the watchful eyes of the Dolphin Centre team of instructors, the youngsters participate in mountain biking, canoeing, abseiling and archery, amongst other activities. Evening talks and team building games complete an active schedule.

There will be a full report on the camp in the October Scottish Curler magazine.


Top: Judith McFarlane. Above: Lucy Gaudin from Kinross assesses how well her slide lines up. Below: campers and coaches at the Galleon Centre.