Send us a text Tenielle Bachek is the Junior Program Coordinator at the Okotoks Curling Club, in Okotoks, Alberta, just south of Calgary. Their situation was unique, because they ran youth programs last season and are running them again this season. In this episode, we talk about her opening day in October, the preparations she made to get things ready for her program, and the advice she would give to fellow organizers who want to re-open their youth curling programs this season. Some of the top...
Oct 31, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 70
Send us a text THE "CURLING AS A KID & BEYOND!" SERIES: Episode #4 This 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. Jenna Burchesky is a two-time U.S. Junior National Champion and will be competing in the U.S. Mixed Do...
Oct 24, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Send us a text THE "CURLING AS A KID & BEYOND!" SERIES: Episode #3 This 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. Monica Walker is a three-time U.S. national champion and currently the third for Team Jamie Sinclair. ...
Oct 17, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Send us a text September 30 is International Podcast Day. In this episode, Coach Glenn shares some of the curling podcasts he listens to and why he likes listening to them. A big shout-out to all the podcasters who are doing this for the love of it, 'cause most of us ain't making any money! :-) Links to the resources mentioned in this episode: International Podcast Day (Sep 30) Web site https://internationalpodcastday.com/ Rocks Across The Pond Podcast Web site http://www.rocksacrossthepond.com/...
Oct 10, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 67
Send us a text In 2021, the Government of Canada declared September 30 as "National Day For Truth And Reconciliation." According to the Govt. of Canada Web site: "The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities." In this episode, Coach Glenn explains why this day is important to him and shares some actions he is planning to take to broaden his knowledge of Indigenous issues. Links to the resources mentioned in this episode: National Day For ...
Oct 03, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Send us a text THE "CURLING AS A KID & BEYOND!" SERIES: Episode #2 This 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. In 2019, a TSN poll named Jill Officer the greatest female second in Canadian curling history. In this...
Sep 26, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Send us a text NEW SERIES! PRESENTING "CURLING AS A KID & BEYOND!": Episode #1 This is the first episode in 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. I'll also be asking these curlers about their experience coaching youth. And, in some cases, I'll ask them about what it's like having their own children in the sport. Kerry Galusha is a longtime competitive curler and member of the famous Koe curl...
Sep 21, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Send us a text In the Summer of 2021, Bayview Golf & Country Club (located just north of Toronto) voted to close its curling program. It was the latest club in the Greater Toronto Area to end its curling program, part of a trend in the last 10-15 years of golf clubs deciding to close their curling sections. In this episode, I speak with Bayview curling member, former Bayview Curling Manager and competitive curler Julie Hastings. We discuss what led to the club's decision, what will become of...
Sep 12, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Send us a text In July 2021, Curling Canada announced that they were injecting $200,000 toward the creation of new grassroots programs for youth. In this episode, Helen Radford, Curling Canada's Youth Curling Manager, joins me to discuss the goals of this initiative as well as offering advice for potential applicants. Some of the topics we discuss include: * Why the emphasis on two-year plans (2:37) * Encouraging more BIPOC youth to try curling (4:24) * The importance of intercity/interclub leag...
Sep 06, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Send us a text When we teach kids how to deliver a rock, are we making the process easy for our kids to learn (and easy for our coaches to teach)? In this week's episode, Coach Glenn explains how simplicity and consistency can make your teaching methods more effective and efficient. Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurling Glenn 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...
Jul 04, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Send us a text Are we putting in the effort to learn about the kids we coach? Can we step into their shoes and see our sport through their eyes? In this week's episode, Coach Glenn challenges youth coaches to learn the "language" of their athletes. Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurling Glenn 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...
Jun 27, 2021•11 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Send us a text When parents find out that Coach Glenn is a dad, they ask the same question: "So... When is your son joining Little Rocks?" In this week's episode, Coach Glenn explains why the answer is harder than it sounds. Then he brings on a special guest to help him answer the question! Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurling Glenn 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...
Jun 20, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Send us a text Do we think about what our young curlers eat, even if it's what we feed them for snack after practice? In this episode, I speak with Melissa Kazan, a registered dietitian (RD) and sport nutritionist in Richmond Hill, ON. We have a wide-ranging conversation that includes why we shouldn't label foods as "healthy" and "unhealthy," what we should feed our kids before and after practice, and the importance of variety, tradition and taking pleasure in the food we eat. I also reveal my o...
Jun 13, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Send us a text This is a two-part series! John Benton is a longtime American competitive curler, administrator and coach. He also owns a company called "Cold Granite Curling" that provides training for individuals and teams. His approach to the delivery is called the "Release Point Method" (RPM). In Part 2, we continue our discussion of the three "planes," the value of keeping things simple, and talk about the state of Junior Curling at his club in Minnesota. NOTE: It's helpful if you can downlo...
Jun 06, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Send us a text This is a two-part series! John Benton is a longtime American competitive curler, administrator and coach. He also owns a company called "Cold Granite Curling" that provides training for individuals and teams. His approach to the delivery is called the "Release Point Method" (RPM). In Part 1, we introduce RPM, talk about the three "planes," and discover why he felt the need to create this set of delivery principles. NOTE: It's helpful if you can download the RPM Handbook PDF in ad...
May 30, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Send us a text Brandon Shintani is a high school sophomore from New Jersey, U.S.A., who created his own Web site and podcast called "Mind-Design Sports." What sets his content apart from other sports psychology resources is the fact that it's produced by teens for teens and kids. In this episode, we talk about why he became interested in sports psychology, different resources that he recommends, and we reveal a couple of our favourite present-day athletes. #AsianHeritageMonth Some of the topics ...
May 23, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Send us a text Brittany Tran is a competitive curler from Alberta who recently participated in the 2021 Scotties and Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship in the Calgary "bubble." An Asian-Canadian, she decided last year to step up and help with Curling Canada's and Curling Alberta's Diversity and Inclusivity initiatives, including CC's new D&I digital resource guide. In this episode, we talk about her early days of curling, what led her to get involved in D&I, and different ways for clubs...
May 16, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Send us a text Above the Arctic Circle, the town of Inuvik, N.W.T., is home to a curling centre with a thriving junior program. In this episode, I speak with Nick Saturnino, president of the Inuvik Curling Center, about its multiple youth programs, giving responsibility to young people, and creating new competitive opportunities for youth in his territory. Some of the topics we discuss include: * A short history of curling in Inuvik (3:18) * What is "Smash-Up Derby"? (6:46) * The "Rock Star Fest...
May 09, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Send us a text Stephanie Thompson is a registered kinesiologist and owner of Empowered Performance in Markham, ON. In January 2021, she was one of five recipients of a Gender Equity Award grant from Curling Canada. Her plan was to create a "virtual group fitness program for young girls, focusing on reducing curling-related injuries." In this episode, we update her grant idea, talk about the mission of her business and spend time talking about my favourite topic: Little Rocks and what to do for w...
May 02, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Send us a text As a youth coach and/or organizer, you've probably heard of Safe Sport, the "Rule of Two" and Rowan's Law. What do we need to know as we prepare our programs for the re-opening of curling clubs? In this episode, Jennifer Ferris, Manager of Programs & Operations for the Ontario Curling Council, joins me with updates to these three essential issues for youth curling. Some of the topics we discuss include: * What is "Safe Sport"? (1:23) and the ''Universal Code" (3:58) * Clubs ne...
Apr 25, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Send us a text Amélie Blais founded Passion Curling in Quebec in 2015. Since then, its youth programs have expanded to clubs across Canada. In this episode, we talk about how she started curling, her competitive experience, the creation of Passion Curling and becoming certified as a Competition-Development coach. Some of the topics we discuss include: * How her family got her started in curling (1:33) * Her competitive experience, including playing in the Quebec Winter Games at age 11 (5:04) * W...
Apr 18, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Send us a text You've likely heard of these youth curling programs: Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings, Hit Draw Tap, For The Love Of Curling Scholarship Program. But did you know that they're supported by the Curling Canada Foundation? In this episode, the Foundation's Manager, Brodie Bazinet, joins me to talk about the philanthropic program of Curling Canada and its support of youth curling across this country. Some of the topics we discuss include: * What is the Curling Canada Foundation and what ...
Apr 11, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Send us a text Greg Wilson of the Brantford (Ont.) Golf & Country Club joined me last December to talk about his junior program. Back then, he mentioned that he was organizing an online curling league for his kids. In this episode, his gives us a recap of his online "season" and offers advice to coaches and organizers who are thinking about putting together their own online league. He also shares his experience building a backyard curling rink for the first time. Some of the topics we discus...
Apr 04, 2021•20 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Send us a text Last January, Atina Ford Johnston and the Okotoks (Alta.) Curling Club were awarded a Gender Equity Award grant from Curling Canada. In this episode, we discuss the evolution of that idea from weekend curling camp to one-day provincial "Women In Curling" summit. We also discuss the youth curling program at Okotoks CC, including their competitive Junior Curling Academy. Some of the topics we discuss include: * How the Gender Equity grant idea changed from its initial proposal (2:25...
Mar 28, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Send us a text Right after the "Adapting Thriving 2021" Conference ended on Sunday night (Mar 21), I had a chance to speak with Delores McCallum and Janet Murphy of the Mississaugua Golf & Country Club about our reactions to the two-day symposium. Links to the resources mentioned in this episode: Adapting Thriving 2021 Conference Web page (NOTE: URL no longer exists) https://ontariocurlingcouncil.com/blog/adapting-and-thriving-2021/ Mississaugua Golf & Country Club Web site https://www.m...
Mar 23, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Send us a text On March 20 & 21, 2021, the Ontario Curling Council - in partnership with CURLSASK, CurlManitoba & Curl BC - will be hosting the "Adapting Thriving: Focusing on the Future" Online Coaches Conference. In this episode, I get a preview of the conference with the OCC's Education Manager - North, Andrea Ronnebeck. Some of the topics we discuss include: * Where did the idea for the conference come from and what does "Adapting Thriving" mean? (1:54) * A full rundown of all the se...
Mar 14, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Send us a text Teaching kids how to sweep (and making it FUN) is one of the biggest challenges for any youth curling coach. In this episode, I speak with brushing specialist Glenn Paulley about the principles of good sweeping and how we can teach kids to value this skill. Glenn will be presenting a session alongside Craig Savill titled "Sweeping Technical Skills" at the upcoming "Adapting Thriving" Curling Coaches Conference in March 2021 . Some of the topics we discuss include: * Glenn's experi...
Mar 07, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Send us a text In early February, Curling Canada announced their schedule of youth events for the next several years. In this episode, I speak with Curling Canada's Manager of Youth Curling and NextGen, Helen Radford, about the new U15 "Rockfest" as well as two other programs targeted to U12 curlers. Helen will also be presenting a session at the upcoming "Adapting Thriving" Curling Coaches Conference in March titled "Growing The Sport - Youth Feeder System & NextGen Programs." Some of the t...
Feb 28, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Send us a text What are the best practices when it comes to teaching strategy and tactics to kids? In this episode, I speak with Laurentian Varsity Curling Coach Ryan Lafraniere. Ryan will be presenting a session at the upcoming "Adapting Thriving" Curling Coaches Conference in March 2021 titled "How To Teach Strategy And Tactics." Some of the topics we discuss include: * How Ryan was recruited by his coach to become a curling coach himself (4:45) * His coaching mentors (6:43) * How coaches taug...
Feb 21, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Send us a text In this week's episode, Coach Glenn tells the story about how he met his wife. Hint: Curling! Follow our podcast on Twitter: @kidscurling Glenn 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.com The intro and outro music is " Golden Sunris...
Feb 14, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 41
