Sports

SQUASH MINTON SUMMER CAMP

• Racquet Basics & FUN! • 1.5 Hours Badminton Court Time Daily • 1.5 Hours Squash Court Time Daily • Fun, O Court Activity during

lunch break (lunch not provided) • Recommend Ages 8-12 • Prior Racquet Experience Encouraged • White Clothing & Non-Marking Shoes Mandatory

Register in GameTime 41050. Monday - Thursday August 14-17, 10:30-3pm $300

10th Annual Pink Cup Funspiel

by Paul Webster, Curling Director

The 10th Annual Pink Cup Funspiel was held on February 23 and everyone had an amazing funfilled time. This ladies-only event is always highlighted on the calendar for a number of our members, some who have attended every single one! Over 30 members took part in this year’s event, which was won by Carol Taylor, Joan Bloxom and Judy Forshner. Played in skins-style curling rules, it came down to a sudden death draw to the button that saw Joan Bloxom squeak out the win for her team! A phenomenal sweep by Carol and world-class line calling by Judy cemented the win. Custom made Pink Cup cookies, baked by our fabulous Glencoe kitchen staff, were enjoyed by all as the winners were awash in cash for the championship win. Thanks again to all involved and we look forward to seeing you next year. A

THIS SUMMER IN CURLING

MONDAY-SUNDAY 8 am - 9 pm

Court reservations and equipment available at the Sports O ce.

Curling Floor Transformation

by Ken Clarke

Ken Clarke Fitness Director 403-287-4169 kclarke@glencoe.org

It’s BACK! The buzz is in the air and it gets louder each year. The curling floor has undergone its transformation for summer. Let’s welcome back Pickleball, indoor long track turf, a play area and table tennis!

This multi-use area has provided fun energy over the last few years. We’re excited again to offer members of all ages the opportunity to stay motivated and change things up. This area will also host the Summer Day Camp programs in July and August.

Pickleball indoor courts

Last year we acquired some beautiful new Pickleball indoor courts that were incredibly well received. They went up at the beginning of May and Pickleball season officially began. We also received permission to utilize the “all purpose” outdoor court at Elbow Park again this year from our friends at the Elbow Park Residence Association. We have supplied equipment so all you need to do is see the Elbow Park Clubhouse for checking it out. New this June will be Pickleball Clinics with Mona Burnett, our Pickleball expert. Mona has trained, competed and taught workshops all over North America and has come home to help us grow our Pickleball program. Watch for Intro to Pickleball, Learn to Play Clinics as well as training for small groups and one-onone coaching. Pick Up Pickleball times this year are Friday from 6 - 8 pm. Drop-in for impromptu games. All levels and abilities are welcome. Courts have been reserved, so just come ready to play. Equipment rental is available through the Sports Office.

If you’re not familiar with Pickleball, it’s a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. The game is played on a badminton-sized court with a net slightly lower than a traditional tennis net and with a paddle and wiffle ball. Games are played to 11 and you only win points on your serve. The service is hit underhanded (below the waist) to your opponent’s diagonal service box. The biggest difference that you’ll find is the “non-volley” zone which extends seven feet from either side of the net. Often called “the kitchen,” you are not allowed to enter this zone unless your opponent’s shot lands inside the area, at which point you can enter to return the ball. Should you play a ball in “the kitchen” without a ball hitting inside, you immediately lose the point and your opponent either gets the point or the serve.

The doubles game is played on the same court (no doubles alleys), with serving and scoring as follows: At the start of the game, the serving side gets only one fault before their side is out and the opponents begin their serve. After this, each side gets two faults (one with each team member serving) before their serve is finished. Thus, each side is always one serve ahead or behind, or tied.

Pickleball is a great game for all ages and abilities as it can be played as slow (baseline) or as fast (serve and volley) as you’d like. It’s a great game for families who love racquet sports and want to try something different and for those looking for a transition from more aggressive sports. Equipment, rules of play and court bookings are all available via the Sports Desk.

Summer fitness turf

The summer fitness turf has also returned to the Curling space. The long track of turf lends itself well to sprint, sled, lunges, or whatever your trainer comes up with. There is an assortment of plates, medicine balls and hand held equipment to ensure everything you need to round out your program is available in the space. Because this area is not a supervised fitness area, it’s reserved for members and guests over the age of 12 and we ask members to respect the equipment and each other by keeping the area clean and tidy.

We also have a wide turf area that can be used for fitness programming, summer camps, dryland training for skating and more. Because the roof is so low, we cannot allow any ball activities in the area as the risk to the ceiling and fire sprinklers is too great. If you are interested in using the space for an activity and are not sure if it’s allowed, please see the Sports Desk or Duty Manager.

The Summer Curling Multi-Use Space is available from 6 am - 10 pm Monday through Friday and Saturdays/Sundays/ Holidays from 8 am - 9 pm. A booking schedule is available on the doors or at the Sports Office. A

Summer School for Skaters

by Scott Davis

Scott Davis Head Skating Professional 403-287-4317 sdavis@glencoe.org

Believe it or not, figure skating is a year-round sport. Summer skating schools play a huge role in 12-month development plans and goal setting for figure skaters. During the summer, we all enjoy spending time at the lake, riding horses on the ranch or going to volleyball camp. Those experiences are important in the growth and development of any wellrounded athlete.

But if you’re a serious skater, you’ll also need summer skating training to ensure you can achieve your goals, whether you’re focusing on gold tests or performing your best in competition.

The collaboration between skaters and coaches can be essential for skaters to improve through the summer and during the year ahead. Skaters who stay on the ice during the summer can master new jumps, spins, dances and choreographic moves. They can also plan and perfect their programs. All the time off from school can now be spent on skating-related, off-ice programs to increase strength, flexibility, music appreciation and artistry. This sounds like hard work, right?

It’s fun! One of the most important aspects of a summer skating school is the camaraderie among skaters. During the summer months, new friendships develop because skaters are in group settings, working together to improve. They inspire each other through their hard work and spend quality time with each other both on and off the ice.

One of the best things about summer school is that skaters from around Western Canada join Glencoe members both on and off-ice. Athletes get to experience our fabulous facilities and the outstanding coaching Glencoe members enjoy every day. Glencoe skaters are inspired and motivated by the hard work and dedication demonstrated by athletes — both men and women — they may have seen compete at higher levels during the previous competitive season. Just seeing a skater successfully achieve a double axel, triple toe, multiple jump combination or perfect Bielman spin — on the same ice they’re skating on — motivates Glencoe skaters to push themselves even harder to achieve their goals.

Summer is a fantastic time to learn, grow and develop! Plus, who doesn’t like stepping into a cool ice rink on a blazing hot summer day!

Kathryn Osterberg, Skating Committee member, former Canadian Junior Nationals medalist and Canadian National Team member, remembers it this way:

“Summer school was always the best part of the year. At the Glencoe, I was lucky enough to train with skaters from around our province, who pushed me to skate faster, work harder, jump higher and dream bigger. Because these skaters were new to the Club, we all worked harder to demonstrate our ability and to learn new skills. It definitely stoked the competitive spirit! Yet, some of the best times of summer school were sitting on the pool deck, enjoying the hot summer day with all my skating pals after a grueling on or off-ice session. We worked hard and we played just as hard and many of those wonderful people I skated with are still friends today, including fellow Committee members, Shauna Mitchell and Chair Wendy Wadey." A

Welcome to Elbow Park Tennis Club

Did you know The Glencoe Club runs Elbow Park Tennis Club? It’s true, and it means that, as a member, you’ll get a significant discount if you want to become a member there, too!

With what can only be described as Calgary’s best clay court tennis surface — set in an idyllic park setting — we believe there’s no better place to play the game you love outdoors in Calgary this summer.

Opening each year in mid-May, EPTC is home to 400 members. They play “clay court tennis” on five pristine surfaces. This year, we welcome a new clubhouse built by the Elbow Park Residents Association that we rent out from May through October for your enjoyment. Open to Glencoe members and the public, EPTC is one of Calgary’s most sought after outdoor tennis memberships.

You can register at The Glencoe Club (at the Sports Office) or download a registration form by visiting www.eptc.ws

Ask at the Club about summer tennis camps run by our very own Tennis department and about social events for EPTC members only. Leverage your Glencoe Club membership. Enjoy the back-and-forth excitement of outdoor tennis under a hot sun this summer! Contact eptc@glencoe.org for further information.

Summer Camps The camps are for children aged 6-10 and 11-13 years. They run weekly with the option of morning sessions from 9 am to noon and/or afternoon sessions 1 to 4 pm. Instructors: Gene Kelly or Neil Parker with part-time help. Cost: $150/half day or $275 full day. Sign up in GameTime. There are a few spots reserved for EPTC kids. Camps are tennis focused with a multi-sport approach where we will play different fun sports as well as tennis.

Interclub

All indoor and outdoor clubs in Calgary participate. Teams consist of male and female players. Club captains will be in charge of tryouts, practices and controlling the match line ups. The Glencoe covers the entry cost of teams involved. A

EPTC Memberships

Only two short blocks away from The Glencoe Club lies one of Canada’s top clay court tennis surfaces and you, as a Glencoe member, have the opportunity to join at a discounted price! Now you can join the likes of Rafael Nadal and Guillermo Vilas as a champion on the clay court!

Tucked away in a beautiful park setting you will find an unmatched clay surface, fantastic friendly club members and a staff that all work out of our Club! If you're thinking of joining, check out www.eptc.ws today to look into registration, or simply stop by! Just head two blocks south on 7th Street SW.

JOIN TODAY! For more information email: eptc@glencoe.org. Memberships are available for singles, couples and families. You can also purchase single-day and five-day passes.

Get out to the courts today and practice. Surfaces are in unbelievable shape thanks to the hard work of our clay court specialist, Radu!

Enjoy the sunny weather with a tennis racquet in your hand!

eptc.ws eptc@glencoe.org @elbowparktennis

The Glencoe Club was proud to host the 96th Annual Lapham Grant, Lawrence Wilkins & Crawford Cup Matches, from April 20 - 23, 2017

by Robert Birrell, Squash Chairman

The event has a rich history, showcasing top level squash and emphasizing camaraderie and sportsmanship. Canadian men’s, women’s and senior’s teams competed against their American counterparts for the 2017 titles for each of the Lapham (men’s singles), Grant (men’s doubles), Crawford Cup (women’s singles and doubles) and Lawrence Wilkins (65+ men’s singles and doubles) Matches.

The Glencoe Club was well represented with 12 participants: Doug and Robert Birrell, Eric Dingle, Bill Fisher, Jim Kalman, Jamie Laird, Mike Letourneau, Jackie & Johnathan Moss, Harry Pelton, Cory Shannon and Michael Stewart.

This year’s event had 145 participants from across the continent who took part in over 60 doubles matches and 35 singles matches resulting in a draw of 2-2, with Canada winning the Crawford Cup & Lawrence Wilkins Matches and the USA being victorious in the Lapham and Grant Matches.

Overall, the weekend was a huge success, with a players reception on Thursday evening, a western-themed Captains Cocktail Party on Friday and the traditional Black Tie Dinner on Saturday night. A

Eric Dingle

Cory Shannon

Mike Letourneau

Jackie Moss

Johnathan Moss Rob Birrell

Meet the Champions Who Brought Squash to The Glencoe Club!

Sometimes, a club sports legacy is thanks to the single-minded commitment of one or two individuals who refuse to take “no” for an answer… and make it happen! O n two separate moments in The Glencoe Club’s history, it was one stubborn individual, each time, who ensured squash courts were built. The first of these squash “champions” was Fred W. Hess. “It was nobody’s idea except my father’s,” exclaimed Marmie Hess, Fred’s daughter, when asked about the 1931 origins of squash courts at the Glencoe.

Chairman of the Glencoe’s Building and Finance Committee in 1931, Hess was responsible for getting the Club built. He was also a member of Christ Church, where he had become friends with the Anglican Rector, Reverend G.N. Luxton. With Luxton over for tea at his house one day, Hess showed him the new Glencoe Club blueprints and asked him: “What sport do you play?”“Squash,” replied Luxton. “The best game in the world!”

Meanwhile, architect James M. Stevenson — of the Calgary firm Fordyce — had won the bid to construct the new Glencoe Club. He told Hess he had wanted to build a cathedral in Calgary, but the Depression had sidelined that dream. “The Glencoe Club will be my cathedral,” he told Hess.

With Luxton’s proclaimed love of squash and Stevenson’s desire to build the Club as a “cathedral,” Hess called for a squash court to be added under the high, curved roof over the badminton hall and skating rink. That year, Luxton was one of 12 initial Glencoe members to play “the greatest game in the world” at the new Glencoe Club. Unfortunately, when he left town in 1933, interest in squash fizzled at the Club, at least temporarily.

Then came the massive fire of 1962, which burned The Glencoe Club to the ground, sparking ambitious re-construction plans. As part of the bold, new blueprints, then-President R.C. Borland insisted — against opposition — that new squash courts be built and the game resurrected.

Reverend G.N. Luxton, Rector of Christ Church, Elbow Park from 1931 - 1933, was the first squash player at The Glencoe Club. Photo: Mackie Studios

Glencoe Club architect James M. Stevenson's "cathedral," under construction, 1931.

When asked why his father was so adamant the sport be reinstated in the new Club, Borland’s son, Bob Borland Jr., replied: “Dad told directors that we had squash before, and we’ll have it again.” And “have it again” the Glencoe did!

According to Wendy Bryden’s official history of the Club: “…President Borland was named Chairman of the Squash Committee in 1963. That year the Pro Shop stocked up on squash equipment, the rules of squash were posted on the bulletin board, a court reservation system was instituted, a league was set up, and Harvard University coach John M. Barnaby’s booklet on the fundamental techniques and tactics of squash was recommended to over a hundred keen members who signed up to try the game.” – The Glencoe Club Story (Wendy Bryden)

Today, Glencoe Club members enjoy recreational and competitive squash matches on brand new (2016), state-of-theart doubles and singles courts, opened as part of the Club’s recent renovation. A