Coaching Kids Curling

After 99 episodes, I decided to do something completely different for this 100th episode of my podcast. You're going to hear from more than 30 curling coaches, organizers and parents, all answering the same question: What advice do YOU have to make our youth curling programs better?Podcast Contributors (in order of appearance):(4:19) Abbie Darnley, Stroud CC Little Rocks (ON)(5:07) Amélie Blais, Passion Curling(5:46) Andrea Ronnebeck, Kenora CC (ON)(6:30) Andy Jones, Calgary (AB)(7:03) Bill Tschirhart, "A Pane In The Glass" Podcast(8:45) Brandon Shintani, Mind-Design Sports(9:20) Cheryl Rajala, Sudbury (ON)(9:53) Christopher Summers, Royal City CC (BC)(10:26) Delores McCallum (ON)(11:14) Greg Wilson, Brantford G&CC (ON)(11:40) Jonathan Penney, Cincinnati CC (Ohio, USA)(14:34) Jennifer Ferris, Ontario Curling Council(15:11) Helen Garside, Oakville CC (ON)(15:31) Kevin Campbell, Dixie CC (ON)(15:55) Marlene Kingsmith on behalf of Ray Kingsmith (AB)(16:56) Mike Gregotski, High Park Club Little Rocks (ON)(18:20) Michelle Hunt, Royal City CC Little Rocks (BC)(18:39) Mike Peplinski, USA Curling(19:03) Monica Walker, Broomstones CC (Mass., USA)(20:14) Pearl Quan, Chinguacousy CC (ON)(21:16) Raymond Ho, East York CC Juniors (ON)(22:03) Scott Dakers, Curl Edinburgh (Scotland)(22:28) Ryan Lafreniere, Laurentian University (ON)(23:08) Sabena Islam, Cataraqui G&CC (ON)(24:02) Sean Stevinson, Rock Creek Curling (Co., USA)(24:39) Stephen Bruneau, Brighton & District CC (ON)(25:16) Stephanie Thompson, "Empowered Performance For Curlers" Podcast(27:14) Tenielle Bachek, Okotoks CC (AB) - 3 pieces of advice!(32:28) Tim McChesney, Oakville CC (ON) - 2 pieces of advice!(35:18) Warren Hansen, "Inside Curling" Podcast(37:35) Josh Mudrick, East York CC Juniors (ON)(41:34) Glenn Gabriel, East York CC Little Rocks (ON)(47:10) A SURPRISE GUEST! (Pickering, ON)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Global Initiative For DEI In Curling Web sitehttps://academy.globalcurlingdei.orgEp.81: "Ray Kingsmith Memorial Bonspiel With Andy Jones & Marlene Kingsmith" (Apr 10/22)https://www.buzzsprout.com/1048435/10411724Ep.83: "Oakville (ON) CC's Instructor Co-Op With Delores McCallum, Tim McChesney & Helen Garside" (Apr 24/22)https://www.buzzsprout.com/1048435/10491089"Simone's World" Cartoon by Raymond Hohttps://eastyorkcurling.ca/index.php/simone-s-world"A Pane In The Glass" Podcasthttps://apaneintheglasspodcast.buzzsprout.com/"Empowered Performance For Curlers" Podcasthttps://empoweredperformance.ca/podcast/#"Inside Curling" Podcasthttps://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/inside-curling/East York Curling Club (Toronto, ON) Web sitehttps://eastyorkcurling.ca/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses:  "Bike, Bell Ding, Single, 01-01.wav"By InspectorJ (http://www.jshaw.co.uk)Of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

What do you do when the biggest snowstorm of the season comes on the same day as your youth bonspiel? For Alison Harris of Tam Heather Curling & Tennis Club in Toronto, she had to react quickly. Find out what she did the night before the bonspiel and what she did to reschedule her event later that season. We also talk about the unique format of the “Curling Day At Tam Heather” bonspiel and her plans for the 2023-2024 season. Some of the topics we discuss:* In-person interview with Alison on April 8, the rescheduled bonspiel day  (1:22-5:20)* 30+cm of snow starts coming down March 3rd, the day before the bonspiel (6:41)* Who was responsible for communicating the cancellation with coaches, players and club staff? (10:40)* Finding an alternate date for the bonspiel quickly (12:52)* Did the change in date affect any aspects of the bonspiel? (15:07)* Advice for bonspiel organizers handling weather cancellations (16:35)* Alison's plans for the 2023-2024 season: Coaching a U15 team! (19:47)* What is the most important part of a youth bonspiel? (22:46)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Tam Heather Curling & Tennis Club (Toronto, ON, Canada)https://tamheather.ca/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

When I (Coach Glenn) teach new people how to curl, I often tell them that it took me "TWO YEARS to figure this out." What took me 2 years to figure out? Find out in this episode… (Hint: I had a breakthrough in my curling delivery!)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:CKC Episode #41: "How I Met My Wife: A Valentine's Day Story"https://www.buzzsprout.com/1048435/7853596Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send an e-mail to coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses:  "Bike, Bell Ding, Single, 01-01.wav"By InspectorJ (http://www.jshaw.co.uk)Of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

In our last episode, I was joined by Mike Gregotski of High Park Club in Toronto and Mike Smith of Lindsay Curling Club. We shared strategies to help manage different ages and skill levels in our youth curling programs. In Part 2, we let loose! We continue our discussion of "Hit Draw Tap," talk about practice structure, obsess over attendance, and share our plans for the end of the curling season.NOTE: Interview recorded February 13/23Some of the topics we discuss:* The "behind the scenes" work organizing "Hit Draw Tap" (1:02)* East York Little Rocks uses "stations" for practice (2:19)* "Structure builds success" for practice planning (6:00)* Promoting older "Little Rocks" curlers to Junior program (13:04)* High Park Mike: Put the kid in the place "where they'll have the most success" (20:13)* Lindsay Mike: Kids that enjoy your program will be your "best recruiters" (22:53)* East York's "Try Curling" Event in March 2023 and Coach Glenn's son will be there! (28:27)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:High Park Club (Toronto, Ont.) Web sitehttps://www.highparkclub.com/Lindsay (Ont.) Curling Club Web sitehttps://www.lindsaycurling.comMike Smith's E-mail:lindsayyouthcurling@gmail.comMike Gregotski's E-mail:littlerocks@highparkclub.comMike G's Twitter handle:@mgregotski"Hit Draw Tap" Curling Canada Web sitehttps://www.curling.ca/hitdrawtap/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

Early in 2023, I set up a Zoom call for several youth coaches in the Greater Toronto Area. We were there to talk about practice ideas and it was a successful meetup. Some of us wanted to do a follow-up, but I was at a loss for a topic to discuss.That's when I heard from Mike Smith of the Lindsay (Ont.) Curling Club. He wanted to know how other people handled a wide range of kids with different ages, skill levels and experience. How do you run a curling program that fits all those kids?Mike Gregotski, longtime friend of the podcast from High Park Club, joined us on Zoom. But our conversation didn't just stay in one place – we talked about other topics like "Hit Draw Tap," youth in adult leagues and the fun of youth bonspiels. This episode is Part 1 of a 2-part series. NOTE: Interview recorded February 13/23Some of the topics we discuss:* How a 13-year-old potential curler motivated "Lindsay Mike" to start a conversation about managing different ages and skill levels (3:11)* Lindsay Mike's "Learn To Skate" story (5:19)* High Park's youth practice structure (8:42)* Lindsay Curling Club's youth practice structure (13:44)* Lindsay Mike coaches on his own! (18:38)* East York's youth practice structure (21:05)* Lindsay Mike gets youth into adult leagues (24:05)* How "High Park Mike" divides the kids on the ice based on age/experience (29:53)* How Lindsay Mike divides the kids in his program (33:21)* The challenge of using "Hit Draw Tap" in our programs this season (36:02)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:High Park Club (Toronto, Ont.) Web sitehttps://www.highparkclub.com/Lindsay (Ont.) Curling Club Web sitehttps://www.lindsaycurling.com"Hit Draw Tap" Curling Canada Web sitehttps://www.curling.ca/hitdrawtap/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses: "buttonchime02up.wav"By JustinBW of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

They call curling “Chess On Ice.” But the actual game of chess is something that means a lot to me and my family. In this special Father’s Day episode, I explain how chess connects me, my dad and my son.Part #1: My dad teaches me the game (1:30)Part #2: I teach my son the game (4:04)Part #3: My son teaches me a lesson! (6:52)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Code Ninjashttps://www.codeninjas.com/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send an e-mail to coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses:  "Bike, Bell Ding, Single, 01-01.wav"By InspectorJ (http://www.jshaw.co.uk)Of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

Many sports run camps for kids during the summer vacation, but it's rare for curling. Oakville (Ont.) Curling Club, just west of Toronto, will be running its youth camp in late August. In this episode, I speak with camp director Stephanie Thompson about the camp itself and what she hopes to accomplish this summer. We'll also talk about camps in general and what kids can get out of this experience. (Interview recorded May 10/23)Some of the topics we discuss:* Basics of the Oakville "Summer On Ice" Youth Camp (1:25)* Camp curriculum (6:06)* How fitness is incorporated into the camp (13:37)* Who's teaching the kids? (20:15)* Why go to camp? (26:17)* Stephanie found junior teammates at camp (32:06)* What does Stephanie want kids to get out of camp? (33:48)* Steph's World Curling Academy virtual workshops (38:43)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Oakville Curling Club "Summer On Ice" Youth Curling Camphttps://oakvillecurlingclub.com/index.php/125-front-page/418-youth-summer-campWorld Curling Academyhttps://www.worldcurlingacademy.orgTrillium Curling Camp (Waterloo, ON)http://trilliumcurlingcamp.com/ "Our Critique of the LTAD Model & Standardized Testing" (Ep.12 of the Empowered Performance for Curlers Podcast, Jul 31/21)https://empoweredperformance.ca/podcasts/episode-12-our-critique-of-the-long-term-athlete-development-model-and-standardized-testing/2023 Webinars & Workshops - Empowered Performancehttps://empoweredperformance.ca/2023-webinars-workshops/Stephanie Thompson IG handle:@empoweredperformanceFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

If you're a youth curling coach in Ontario, you've probably heard of the two summer youth curling camps: Trillium & Amethyst. In this episode, Sean Turriff from the Ontario Curling Council shares details about the 2023 versions of these two camps. (Interview recorded Feb 1/23)Some of the topics we discuss:* What are the Trillium & Amethyst camps? (2:24)* Who is this camp for? (4:47)* Who are the coaches? (6:23)* What would you say to a potential new camper? (9:41)* The cost and what you get for that price (13:01)* Confirmed "celebrity" coaches for 2023 (15:06)* How to register for the camps (20:26)* Sean's first experience at Trillium (21:27)* What is the Ontario Curling Council? (24:26)NOTE: The Ontario Curling Council is holding a “BIPOC Summer Curling Camp Lottery.” Three young curlers who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour, will have their registration fees for the Trillium or Amethyst Curling Camps paid for, thanks to a grant from Curling Canada. The deadline to enter the lottery is March 13th, 2023. Winners will be chosen at random and contacted directly.Summer Curling Camp Lottery - BIPOC Youthhttps://ontariocurlingcouncil.com/blog/2023/02/summer-curling-camp-lottery-bipoc-youth/Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Amethyst Curling Camp, North Bay, ON (July 2023)https://ontariocurlingcouncil.com/blog/amethyst-curling-camp/Trillium Curling Camp, Waterloo, ON (August 2023)http://trilliumcurlingcamp.com/Sean Turriff e-mail: sturriff@ontcurl.comMatt Murdoch Curling Foundationhttps://www.mattmurdochcurlingfoundation.co.uk/Ontario Curling Councilhttps://ontariocurlingcouncil.comFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach and coach developer who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

If you have a child that is active in other sports besides curling, you might know of sports where they test their skill levels and earn badges or pins or certificates. For years in Ontario, we had a program called the "Skill Awards" where kids, having learned certain curling skills, would earn a badge that they could sew on their jacket or sweater.In today's episode, I speak with Beth Iskiw from Edmonton, Alberta. Beth has been involved with the development of a new national skills award program for Curling Canada called “RockStars.” We explain what the program is about, what feedback they’ve received from the pilot program, and how youth program organizers can get more information about it.Some of the topics we discuss:* What is the RockStars Awards Program? (1:58)* Lesson plans come included in the RockStars binder (4:52)* Assessment anxiety for the kids (7:40)* Report cards/Achievement reports (9:11)* Sample lesson plan (12:07)* A fun drill for kids that Beth learned (15:13)* How to get a copy of the RockStars Program (17:03)* The lessons have visual diagrams (21:27) and links to Curling Canada videos (22:16)* What was the transition from competitive curler to youth coach? (23:51)* Beth's advice to youth curling coaches (25:55)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Ellerslie Curling Club (Edmonton, Alta.) Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/ellersliecurling/RockStars e-mail: RockStars@curling.caFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

No matter which club or facility you curl at, the start of the season is an exciting time. Chances are it’s been a few months since you last saw the kids in your program, not to mention the volunteers and parents. And with your first practice approaching quickly, you’re thinking about what you need to do to prepare for “Day One."In this episode, I have a conversation with two youth program organizers from Ontario: Abbie Darnley from the Stroud Curling Club and Maggie Dame from the Ilderton Curling Club. The three of us share what we do to get ready for the new season and what to expect on that first day.Some of the topics we discuss:* Background information about our clubs, youth programs and start dates (2:20)* Question #1: What's one thing you do to prepare for your youth program in advance of "Day One"? (7:05)* Question #2: What's one thing that a new youth coach can expect on Day One? (18:59)* Maggie's first-ever "Day One" last season (24:11)* Do we check equipment prior to Day One? (29:41)* Snacks! (32:02)* Where do we get our volunteers? (35:46)* How will we know that Day One is a success? (39:51)* The 2023 is in London, Ontario, which is near the Ilderton CC (42:34)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Ilderton (Ont.) Curling Clubhttps://ildertoncurlingclub.com/Ilderton (ON) Junior Program e-mail address: juniors@ildertoncurlingclub.comStroud Curling Club (Innisfil, ON)https://stroudcc.com/Brier 2023https://www.curling.ca/2023brier/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

What’s happening with Coach Glenn and his Little Rocks program this season? In this episode, he tells you about his club's recent Open House as well as his curling plans this fall, including an update about the podcast!Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:East York Curling Club (Toronto, ON) Web site:East York Curling Club - HomeFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses: "buttonchime02up.wav"By JustinBW of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

What does youth curling look like in Scotland? In this episode, I have a conversation with Scott Dakers, from Livingston, Scotland, just outside of Edinburgh. We talk about his experience working with the Gogar Park Young Curlers at Curl Edinburgh, the competitive pathway, as well as how success in Beijing affected their junior program.Some of the topics we discuss:* An introduction to the junior curling program at Curl Edinburgh (2:59)* Who coaches the kids on the ice? (8:48)* How do new kids join their program? (13:27)* Three fun drills ("Your Side," "Short Curling" & "Box") for kids (19:18)* Advice for coaches who want to use video with kids (21:52)* The "Performance Pathway" for competitive curlers (24:51)* Young curlers play with many other curlers at different competitions (28:03)* Importance of having coaches on the ice during youth competitions (31:31)* Scott's "It's My Call" Drill where they visualize the shot they're making (32:47)* Effect of Scottish success at the Beijing 2022 Olympics on Scott's junior program (35:53)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Curl Edinburgh Web sitehttps://www.edinburghcurling.co.uk/Gogar Park Young Curlers FB Web sitehttps://www.facebook.com/Gogar-Park-Young-Curlers-163371907682343/"Ice Diamond Award" citation for Jenny Barr ( 2022 Scottish Curling Awards)https://www.scottishcurling.org/2022-scottish-curling-awards-make-your-vote-count/Scottish Curling Skill Awardshttps://www.scottishcurling.org/development/junior-curling/skill-awards/"Drills & Coaching Aids" Resource Page (Scottish Curling Web site)https://www.scottishcurling.org/resources/coaching-resources/drills-coaching-aids/British Curling Performance Pathwayhttps://www.britishcurling.org.uk/about/performance-pathway/Scott's E-mail Address: scottdakers@aol.comFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

In the Spring of 2022, Curling Canada introduced the “All Heart Junior Curler Award.” Young people are encouraged to create curling programs that focus on diversity and inclusivity. The 8 winners will receive a monetary award that is split between themselves and their club.In this episode, I have a conversation with Karsten Sturmay of Edmonton, Alberta. We talk about how he got involved with the creation of this award, how it differs from the "For The Love of Curling" scholarships, and what his curling plans are for next season.Some of the topics we discuss:* A Diversity & Inclusivity Program Plan is part of the application for this award (2:51)* What type of "diversity" are they seeking? (8:17)* How it differs from the "For The Love Of Curling" Scholarships (12:30)* What can applicants to do increase their odds? (16:01)* Why are the awards called the "All Heart" awards? (18:24)* Karsten's involvement with Kidsport Alberta (24:07)* Curling programs are eligible for Kidsport funding! (27:27)* What Team Karsten Sturmay will look like in 2022-23 (28:40)* What Karsten likes to do in the curling off-season (31:42)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:All Heart Junior Curlers Awards (Curling Canada Web site)https://www.curling.ca/foundation/youth-scholarships/ Kidsport Canadahttps://kidsportcanada.ca/Karsten's Social MediaTW & IG: @k_sturmayTeam Karsten SturmayFB: @TeamKarstenSturmayTW & IG: @ Team_SturmayFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

In October of 2020, the Coaches Association of Ontario launched a Web site called "Safe Sport 101." This month, the CAO has launched an 8-part e-learning series as a follow-up to that Web site. In this episode, I welcome back Eric McLoughlin to learn more about this series.Some of the topics we discuss:* What is "Safe Sport" and why is it important for coaches? (1:52)* What is the "Safe Sport 101 Playbook"? (5:27)* A deeper dive into one of the modules, "Punishment & Discipline" (10:32)* An example from the TV show "Ted Lasso" (12:15)* An example from Eric's own curling experience! (14:55)* The essence of coaching (18:03)* A practical exercise for fostering positive team dynamics (22:00)* What is the CAO and its mandate? (27:37)* What part of Eric's curling game does he want to improve next season? (31:02)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:"Safe Sport 101 Playbook" Web site:https://safesport101.coachesontario.ca/playbook/"Safe Sport 101: A New Resource For Coaches With CAO's Eric McLoughlin" - Ep. 28 of Coaching Kids Curling (Oct 25/20)https://www.buzzsprout.com/1048435/6045700"Lessons From 'Ted Lasso' With Kim Tuck & Sean Stevinson" - Ep. 82 of Coaching Kids Curling (Apr 17/22)https://www.buzzsprout.com/1048435/10455818Eric's E-mail Address: ericm@coachesontario.caCAO Phone Number: (416) 426-7086Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

May is #AsianHeritageMonth in Canada.  What's it like being a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person Of Colour) coach in a predominantly white sport? In this episode, Coach Glenn shares a personal story after reading a Facebook comment about diversity in curling.Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:"How We Can Make Curling A Truly Diverse Game/A Donnovan Bennett Essay" video from Sportsnet (May 6/22)https://youtu.be/HiQ6ORC40GkCurling Canada Diversity & Inclusivity Web Pagehttps://www.curling.ca/diversity-inclusivity/USA Curling Diversity & Inclusion Web Pagehttps://www.usacurling.org/diversity-inclusionBlack Rock Initiative Web Sitehttps://bricurling.ca/Global Initiative For DEI In Curling Facebook Pagehttps://www.facebook.com/GlobalCurlingDEI/Goldline Curling #UnitedWeCurlhttps://blog.goldlinecurling.com/category/unitedwecurl/"Changing The Face Of Curling" Symposium, Niagara Falls (May 26-28/22)https://www.curling.ca/about-curling/business-of-curling/Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/This podcast episode uses: "buttonchime02up.wav"By JustinBW of Freesound.org (http://Freesound.org)Support the show

THE "CURLING AS A KID & BEYOND!" SERIES: Episode #6This episode is part of a series where I interview current and former competitive curlers to find out how they grew to love the sport of curling as a young person. In addition, I'll ask some of them what it's like to coach young people. And, in other cases, I'll ask them what it's like having their own children in the sport.Johnson Tao is a silver medallist at the 2022 Canadian U21 Curling Championships. He also curls for the University of Alberta and is one of the winners of the 2021 “For The Love Of Curling” Scholarships given out by Curling Canada. In this interview, we talk about how he attended the Vancouver Olympics at age 7 and how that sparked his interest in curling. We talk about how he coached his own high school team in Richmond, B.C. Then we talk about what it means to be a competitive curler who is also Chinese-Canadian.Some of the topics we discuss:* How watching the curling at Vancouver 2010 led to him joining a junior curling program (3:57)* The first time he visited a curling club (5:28)* What was it about the sport that he enjoyed? (7:56)* His first competitive team (10:44)* Coaching his high school team (13:27)* How he was recruited to the University of Alberta (17:15)* What does a "typical curler" look like? (22:20)* How to get more BIPOC curlers into clubs (24:20)* Johnson's "curling idol" (27:28)* RAPID-FIRE QUESTION SECTION (28:36) including Mother's Day greeting (33:01)* Johnson's new hobby (33:33)* THE BIG QUESTION: How do we get kids to fall in love with the sport of curling and stay with it for the long-term? (34:18)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Richmond (B.C.) Curling Club Web sitehttps://richmondcurling.com/University of Alberta Varsity Curlinghttps://bearsandpandas.ca/sports/curlingVancouver Curling Club Web sitehttps://vancurl.com/"Fiesta" by IZ*ONE Music Videohttps://youtu.be/eDEFolvLn0AJohnson's IG: @jtaotaotaoTeam Tao IG & FB: @TeamTaoJohnson's E-mail Address: jtao0747@gmail.comFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

Last February, we held our first-ever dream practice draft. In this episode, the draft participants return to the podcast to re-evaluate our picks and to find out who won the popular vote.Some of the topics we discuss:* Which "dream practice" (besides our own) would we have voted for? (3:47)* Which draft picks were we jealous of? (8:47)* Practice ideas that we used at our own practices (14:51)* The ideas we left "on the table" (21:40)* How our "Honourable Mention" winner got their "celebrity guest" to vote for them (29:41)* The first-ever winner of the 2022 "Dream Practice Draft" (34:02)* What new idea will you bring to your practices next season? (37:59)2022 DREAM PRACTICE DRAFT WINNERSHONOURABLE MENTION:TEAM TENIELLEWarmup: “Warmup Bingo”Song: “Hooked On A Feeling” by Blue SwedeDelivery Drill: “Yummy/Yucky” AKA “Have You Ever?” – Line kids up at sideboard. If they respond positively to a statement (e.g., “Do you like pizza?”) they slide across to other sideline. Otherwise, they stay still. They end up sliding back and forth.Sweeping Drill: Progressive Hog Line DrillGame: The “Howard Game” – No takeoutsSnack: Hot Dogs and Fruit KebabsCelebrity Guest: Marc Kennedy @LeftykenbearOVERALL CHAMPION:TEAM MIKEWarmup: @justdancegameSong: “Blinding Lights” by @theweekndDelivery Drill: Spin-A-Ramahttps://bit.ly/3CWdDbvSweeping Drill: Cornbrooms! Kids will realize how easier it is to sweep with current brooms ;-)Game: “12-Foot” – Rocks only count in the 12-foot circleSnack: Donuts! (a) Boston Cream w/ Icing Handle & (b) Vanilla Glazed with a “House" (@TimHortons)Celebrity Guest: @jeffstoughtonDraft Participant contact info:Patrick Brown, Uxbridge CC (ON)Twitter: @garnetcanoeTenielle Bachek, Okotoks CC (AB)Twitter: @BachekTenielleE-mail: Okotokscurlingjuniors@gmail.comMichelle Hunt, Royal City CC (New Westminster, BC)Twitter: @littlekidscurlGlenn Gabriel (Pickering, ON), East York CC (Toronto, ON)Twitter: @kidscurlingE-mail: coachingkidscurling@gmail.comMike Gregotski, High Park Club (Toronto, ON)Twitter: @mgregotskiFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

Who teaches people how to curl at your club? In many clubs, it’s an ongoing challenge to find people who are interested, qualified and available to teach new curlers. That also applies to those who coach and instruct young people. In this episode, I interview Delores McCallum, Tim McChesney & Helen Garside of the Oakville Curling Club in Oakville, Ontario. They were all involved with in establishing Oakville’s “Instructor Co-Op,” an instruction team that was founded to solve some of the challenges they experienced when it came to recruiting and training new coaches.NOTE: This conversation was recorded in March 2022.Some of the topics we discuss:* Why was the Instructor Co-Op founded? (3:05)* What kind of person makes a good instructor? (5:46)* What image is the Co-Op trying to convey? (12:34)* How did they pick the colour of their jackets - and what lesson did that teach Delores about the Co-Op? (19:41)* Why are the coaches paid? (22:37)* A summary of youth programs at Oakville this season (28:48)* When did they realize that the Co-Op was a good idea? (31:44)* What advice would they have for clubs who want to start their own instruction teams? (36:03)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Oakville (Ont.) Curling Club Web sitehttps://oakvillecurlingclub.com/Adult Learn To Curl ("ALTC") Program via Ontario Curling Council Web sitehttps://ontariocurlingcouncil.com/blog/club-development-2/adult-learn-to-curl-altc-program/Helen's E-mail Address: helen.garside@mac.comFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

In August of 2020, Apple TV+ released the first season of Ted Lasso, the story of an American football coach who is hired to manage a soccer team in the English Premier League. After two seasons and 22 episodes, the show is a runaway hit, winning 7 Primetime Emmy awards in 2021, including “Outstanding Comedy Series.” In this episode, I speak with Sean Stevinson of Lafayette, Colorado, and Kim Tuck of Strathroy, Ontario. The three of us have a conversation about the lessons we can take from “Ted Lasso” and use in our youth programs.NOTE: This conversation was recorded in late January 2022.Some of the topics we discuss:* Introductions for Sean (1:50) & Kim (2:04)* Show summary (2:40)* First lessons: Kim (3:54), Sean (5:34) & Glenn (6:58)* Kim's 2nd lesson - Getting joy back into the game (9:05)* Sean's 2nd lesson - Importance of trust (13:30)* Kim's favourite character (17:55)* Glenn's 2nd lesson - Take your athletes' concerns seriously! (19:55)* Sean's favourite characters (22:53)* Kim's other favourite character (24:34)* Glenn's favourite characters (26:10)* Curling update from Sean (28:48)* Curling update from Kim (30:04)* What else is everyone watching? (30:41)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:"Ted Lasso" Wikipedia pagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_LassoRock Creek Curling (Lafayette, CO) Web sitehttps://rockcreekcurling.com/Sean's E-mail Address: sean@rockcreekcurling.comKim's TW: @HoglineSallyTeam Tuck FB Page: @teamtuckmixeddblsFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show

Since 1989, the Ray Kingsmith Memorial Bonspiel is held every December in the Greater Calgary Area of Alberta. The bonspiel is one of the oldest, most prestigious junior bonspiels in the country with arguably the biggest prize purse. In this episode, I speak with Andy Jones of the Calgary Youth Curling Association (CYCA) and Marlene Kingsmith, Ray's daughter. We talk about the history of the bonspiel, the life of its namesake, the CYCA, and why the prize money doubled at the most recent "Kingsmith" in December 2021.NOTE: Both interviews were recorded in late January and early February 2022.Some of the topics we discuss:* Bonspiel details and basic history (1:57)* How did Andy get involved in the first place? (5:16)* What is the CYCA? (7:45)* How the CYCA dealt with COVID (12:07)* What makes the "Kingsmith" special? (15:52)* Jim's version of Marlene's prize money story (17:28)* Marlene: What was Ray like as a dad? (23:39)* Ray loved sports besides curling (26:03)* .Why did Ray love curling? (30:40)* Marlene accompanied her dad to Switzerland for the 1974 Silver Broom (31:49)* Her experience at the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics (33:42)* Parents and organizers make the "Kingsmith" special (39:06)* Marlene's version of the prize money story (42:07)* What would Ray think of the bonspiel created in his name? (44:50)* Ray Kingsmith posthumously wins the World Curling Federation's Freytag Award (45:45) & a funny story about the award ceremony in Regina (46:58)Links to the resources mentioned in this episode:Calgary Youth Curling Association (& "Kingsmith" bonspiel details)https://cyca.curling.io2021 Kingsmith news article "Team Wipf wins CYAC Ray Kingsmith Memorial" on the Cochrane Now Web site (Dec 31/21)https://cochranenow.com/articles/team-wipf-wins-cyac-ray-kingsmith-memorialRay Kingsmith's entry on the Curling Canada Hall of Fame Web site:https://www.curling.ca/hof/people/kingsmith-raymond-a-ray/World Curling Federation Freytag Award Recipientshttp://worldcurling.org/awards/freytag/"Sticks and Stones" Documentary (2014) on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/FRiMLH3n3mA"Sticks 'n' Stones" Book (2021) by Warren Hansenhttps://www.warrenhansenauthor.com/about-the-book.htmlAndy's E-mail Address: curl@cyca.caFollow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurlingGlenn Gabriel is an NCCP-certified curling coach who lives in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He has been the coordinator of the Little Rocks (U12) program at East York Curling Club in Toronto since 2011. If you have a question or feedback on the podcast, send us an e-mail at coachingkidscurling@gmail.comThe intro and outro music is "Golden Sunrise (Instrumental Version)"https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_Woodward/The_Wake_1790/JoshWoodward-TheWake-NoVox-10-GoldenSunriseBy Josh Woodwardhttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Josh_WoodwardLicensed under CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Support the show