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USA CURLING’S FOURTH ANNUAL

MEMBERS’ ASSEMBLY

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2017

SEMINARS

All participants are encouraged to attend FREE seminars for members offered on Saturday, September 30th, and Sunday, October 1st. The room names noted next to session titles are located in the Hilton MSP/Mall of America. A printed schedule will be provided in event packets when checking in at the USA Curling Registration Table at the Hilton. All attendees must register in advance order to ensure space. CLICK HERE to access the registration form. NOTE: This schedule is subject to change prior to the assembly. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th 8:30am-9:00am Welcome Comments – MN VALLEY BALLROOM IV Rick Patzke, CEO, USA Curling 9:00am-12:00pm Annual USA Curling Members’ Meeting – MN VALLEY BALLROOM IV Rich Lepping, Chairman, U.S. Curling Association Board of Directors Gordon Maclean, Secretary, U.S. Curling Association Rick Patzke, CEO, and additional USA Curling Staff Members

Have you ever asked, “what has the USCA done for us this year?” Presentations on the High Performance Program, Operations, Competitions, Member Services, Growth & Development, Communications, and more will highlight the organization’s achievements over the past season and look toward future possibilities. New member clubs will be welcomed into the organization and all items requiring Member voting will be addressed. A detailed Members’ Meeting agenda will be distributed prior to the meeting.

LUNCH ON OWN 1:10pm-2:00pm Tips from the Top: Preparing for Competitions - WOODLANDS Bill Stopera, Athletes Advisory Council (Panel Moderator)

Do you want to improve your mental and/or physical preparation for bonspiels or play downs? Learning how to perform optimally can be a challenge. Athletes who have experience competing at National and World level events will discuss the techniques they use to prepare.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th (Continued) 1:10pm-2:00pm Why Clubs Should Care about Casual Fans – WHITE PELICAN

Brian Reich, Casual.Fans/The Hacks

Since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the sport of curling has been growing - in the United States and around the world. Most of the people who consider themselves fans of curling have never stepped foot on the ice - and probably never will. But they will watch on TV, stream online, buy curling-related merchandise, and lend their support to competitive curlers at the local and, especially, national levels. This session will focus on the important role that fans play in the growth of curling in the United States, and the opportunity for clubs to engage fans in new ways. It will feature discussion of new, exclusive research on curling fans and how clubs can use this knowledge to sell sponsorship opportunities to local and/or regional businesses and more.

2:10pm-3:00pm Choosing the Right Equipment - WOODLANDS Gary Suslavich, BroomsUp Curling Supplies

Have you thought about whether you purchased or are considering the right equipment for yourself? Are you recommending the best options to new curlers? Education and knowledge is power! Gain a better understanding of the latest developments happening in curling equipment with Gary Suslavich of Brooms Up Curling Supplies. In this informative session, you will learn the pros and cons of different slider thicknesses and the various materials used in broom handles. Since Brooms Up is an independently owned and operated business, the pros and cons of each major manufacturer (Asham, BalancePlus, Goldline, Hardline and Olson) will be covered in an honest and straight forward way. And, while you are here ...please visit the 40' mobile Brooms Up store (the big black trailer parked outside of the St. Paul Curling Club) with convenient hours on Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

2:10pm-3:00pm The Benefits of Hosting National Events - WHITE PELICAN Jenny Biadasz, USA Curling Kevin Madsen, Glacial Ridge Curling Club Rick Patzke, USA Curling Amelia Young, Fargo-Moorhead Curling Club

Has your club thought about hosting a national championship or other national event? Is your board concerned about making a profit or finding enough volunteers? Do you have questions about sponsorships? This session will address the potential benefits of hosting national events including a chance to profit financially, promoting your club to the larger community, gaining insight and expertise from USA Curling’s certified ice technicians, and more.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th (Continued) 3:10pm-4:00pm Why Nutritional Supplements Should Matter to All Curlers - WOODLANDS Wesley Barnett, Thorne Supplements

Are you getting the nutrients you need to perform your best on the ice? Many Americans are too busy to eat balanced meals every day, but still expect their bodies to excel in sports, manage stress, and prevent disease. Wesley Barnett, Vice President of Thorne Nutritional Supplements, the official nutritional supplement partner of USA Curling and 11 other Olympic sports, will address who they are, what they do, and why supplements are important to curlers at all levels of the sport.

3:10pm-4:00pm Moving from an Arena to Dedicated Ice: Dakota Curling – WHITE PELICAN Darcy Ellarby, Dakota Curling John Larson, Dakota Curling

Have you ever thought about what it takes to convert an existing building to dedicated ice? Are you wondering how your club is going to pay for major renovations to its current dedicated ice facility? Darcy Ellarby and John Larson of Dakota Curling will guide participants through the process of retrofitting a building to host curling, including the funding process. Participants are encouraged to ask questions.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st 9:00am-9:50am What Are You Thinking?!?! Sports Psychology for Curlers – RIVERSIDE Bill Tschirhart, Author of “A Pane in the Glass: A Coach’s Companion”

Most of what goes into making a shot happens before you ever get into the hack. Curler inconsistency is not always because of lack of good technical skill. It is often psychological. Curlers already possess all of the tools that they need to become more consistent performers. This session will help curlers tap into their hidden potential by asking the question, “what are you thinking?”

9:00am-9:50am Don’t Sweep Aside the Risks – WHITE PELICAN Marty Lemert, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP

Volunteers are the lifeblood of every curling club. Whether your club relies solely on volunteers or has paid employees, clubs need to be aware of the potential legal risks they pose to the organization, especially if they work with vulnerable populations such as youth or special needs curlers. Don’t miss this interactive and practical session designed to discuss the risks and steps your club can take to safeguard itself.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st (Continued) 10:00am-10:50am Training Tips from Jon and Bev – RIVERSIDE Jon Mielke, USCA Hall of Fame/U.S. Curling News Columnist Bev Schroeder, USA Curling Junior High Performance Coach

The popular U.S. Curling News column "Training Tips From Jon" debuted in 2011. Since then, topics such as reading ice, calling line, and much more have been discussed. During this session top coaches and instructors Jon Mielke and Bev Schroeder will touch upon these topics and more. Questions are always encouraged.

10:00am-10:50am Using Technology to Enhance Club Management – WHITE PELICAN Darcy Ellarby, Dakota Curling

Did you know the internet is full of free and inexpensive tools you can use to manage your club? This session will introduce a variety of tools you can use to manage league registration, sell tickets to learn to curl classes and other events, organize volunteers, and develop a professional looking website. An open discussion will be included at the end of the session for attendees to cross-share their own creative ways to incorporate technology into club management.

11:00am-12:00pm Stones! Stones! Stones! – RIVERSIDE Kimberly Tuck, Canada Curling Stone Co.

Curling stones are one of the most important aspects of the game. But, players often have little knowledge of the stones with which they are playing at their home club, bonspiels, or event championship events. This session will touch upon the various types of stones on the market and what clubs need to do to keep their stones in top condition.

11:00am-12:00pm Using Video to Promote Your Club – WHITE PELICAN

Matt Gamboa, Hollywood Curling Club

Video can be an effective and inexpensive way to promote your curling club to members of the public. During this session, ways in which video can be used to make an impact on your club’s website and social media without a large financial investment will be discussed. (NOTE: USA Curling is producing a club-based commercial for use by Member Clubs this season)

LUNCH ON OWN

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st (Continued) 1:10pm-2:50pm Strategy and Tactics Workshop – RIVERSIDE Bill Tschirhart, Author of “A Pane in the Glass: A Coach’s Companion”

Strategy is about planning the right shots. Tactics is about playing those shots right. Teams often make good plans, but end up abandoning those plans mid-game or lack understanding about how to implement the plan effectively. In this workshop, you will be taught how to discover your team’s strengths and how to use those to plan effective strategy and tactics. All participants will receive the information they need to go back to their home clubs and continue working with the teams on which they play or coach.

1:10pm-2:00pm Capitalizing on the Olympic Winter Games 2018 – WHITE PELICAN Kim Nawyn, USA Curling

The 2018 Olympic Winter Games are just a few months away. This session will discuss effective recruiting techniques used around the country and how your club can capitalize on the “Olympic bump” this season. We encourage you to bring your creativity to this interactive session.

2:10pm-3:00pm Retaining Olympic Recruits – WHITE PELICAN Steven O’Keefe, Wausau Curling Club Lon Peper, Cedar Rapids Curling Club

It is never too early to think about retaining your new recruits. Getting new curlers more involved in club life (e.g., volunteering), improving their skills (e.g., training opportunities for second/third year curlers), and ensuring there is an obvious pathway to transition from a rookie league to an experienced league are a few ways that clubs have worked to keep newer curlers interested in the sport. Members of this panel will discuss recruiting challenges and successes.