The Daily Pebble
On the airwaves... Tune into the audiocast, play-by-play via the Internet. Games will be broadcast with lead commentator Ben Tucker and special guests throughout the tournament. The audiocast is accessible via most Smart phones. In addition, Teams Karst and Reiser will be webstreaming women’s games through the U.S. Olympic Committee’s web channel at http://curling.teamusa/ with video and some audio from team coaches. Live end-by-end scoring of each game will be posted in the scoreboard at www.usacurl.org/curlingrocks.
Make these local stops:
The gold-medal matches will air live via webstream at http://curling.teamusa/live. The action will also air (tape delayed) via Mid Continent Cable (dates TBA).
Scheels: Great place for the family conveniently located near the host hotel. Ride the Ferris wheel and visit the fudge shop, arcade, and NASCAR simulator. Scheels has the largest selection of sports, sportswear, and footwear for the entire family Gramma Ginna’s fudge shop, 1551 45th St. S. Fargo, ND Check out Stewarts Deli for a quick lunch. Paninis, salads and other great lunch options. 4955 17th
Live bands begin Thursday Scheels Arena will be rocking the final days of the tournament. Fans can catch the musical styling of some local bands on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the upper lobby right outside Shooters. Shooters bar will be open late so come on out.
Thursday, February 17: Two Days Notice following the final draw until 1 a.m.
Friday, February 18: Betty Does following the final draw until 1 a.m.
Saturday, February 19: S.O.L. following the men’s gold-medal game
The Beer Garden opens daily at noon and is located in the pit area below section 113.
Thank you to our sponsors:
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Volume 1, Issue 1
Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011
Find us online: www.usacurl.org * http://2011usacurlingnationals.com
Fired up in Fargo: 2011 National Championships kick off By Terry Kolesar
T
he top 20 teams will converge in Fargo, N.D., as the 2011 USA Curling National Championships get underway today at Scheels Arena. The winning teams will represent the U.S. at the upcoming World Championships. The opening ceremonies are slated at 2:30 p.m. followed by the first round of action in the women’s round robin at 4:30. The men’s first round of play will take place at 8:30 p.m. The field of 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams will play in a round robin (nine games each) Saturday through Feb. 17 followed by the playoffs. The gold-medal matches are slated for Feb. 19 with the women’s game at 10 a.m. followed by the men’s match at 3 p.m. The 2011 Women’s World Championship will take place March 19-27 in Esbjerg, Denmark. The Men’s World Championship will be contested April 2-10 in Regina, Saskatchewan. At last year’s Nationals in Kalamazoo, Mich., Erika Brown (Oakville, Ontario) led her team to a 5-4 win in an extra end over Patti Lank’s team. Brown and teammates Nina Spatola, Ann Swisshelm and Laura Hallisey went on to the World Champion-
Games on tap today: 4:30 p.m. Women’s Draw 1 Haag v. Pottinger O'Leary v. Potter Sormunen v. Reiser Brown v. Karst Haase v. Lank 8:30 p.m. Men’s Draw 1 Hamilton v. Brown Disher v. Larway Birr v. Jacobson Fenson v. Goodland McCormick v George
A sheet of outdoor ice awaits visitors to the 2011 Nationals at Scheels Arena. Be ready to throw a few stones!
ships in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, finishing fifth. In the men’s gold-medal game, Pete Fenson’s team defeated Mike Farbelow, 8-4, to win the men’s title. Fenson and teammates Shawn Rojeski, Joe Polo and Tyler George represented the U.S. at the Men’s World Championship in Cortina, Italy, finishing fourth. This is the third year that the National Championships have been played in an arena setting (Denver, 2009, and Kalamazoo, 2010).
Fans needing rides to Scheels Arena can catch a shuttle service from the Hilton Garden Inn and Holiday Inn. Look for Kia Sorrentos parked outside the hotels. Shuttle service from each hotel to the arena will begin 45 minutes prior to each draw and will end 30 minutes after the draw begins. Shuttles from the arena to hotels will be available throughout the draw until 30 minutes after each draw ends. After the game, catch the shuttle outside in the west gravel parking lot outside Scheels Arena main entrance.
Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Bob Fenson set
Inside this issue: Men’s Competitors
2
Women’s Competitors
2
“Brotherly Love”
3
Audiocast & Webcast Details
4
Bands!
4
Check Out Local Hot Spots
4
USA Curling Sponsors
4
Bob Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.) will be formally inducted into the USA Curling Hall of Fame on Saturday just prior to the start of the men’s draw at 8:30 p.m. Fenson coached the Pete Fenson rink to curling’s first Olympic medal in 2006 when USA defeated Great Britain for the bronze medal in Torino, Italy. Fenson has coached at nearly every level — juniors, men’s, women’s, worlds and Olympics. In addition, Fenson won the 1979 U.S. men’s championship as well as the 2003 U.S. senior men’s title, which was capped with a silver medal at the World Seniors. Congratulations, Bob!
The Daily Pebble
Page 2
Volume 1, Issue 1
Page 3
Men’s teams Team Birr: Todd Birr (Mankato, Minn.), Greg Romaniuk (Snohomish, Wash.), Doug Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Kevin Birr (St. Peter, Minn.), Tom O’Connor (Golden Valley, Minn.) Team Brown: Craig Brown (Madison, Wis.), John Shuster (Duluth, Minn.), Greg Johnson (Appleton, Wis.), Derrick Casper (De Pere, Wis.), Jeremiah Dotlich (Hermantown, Minn.) Team Disher: Craig Disher (Rolla, N.D.), Kevin Kakela (Rolla, N.D.), Chad Carlson (Devils Lake, N.D.), Peter Annis (Owatonna, Minn.), John Benton (St. Michael, Minn.) Team Fenson: Pete Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.), Shawn Rojeski (Chisholm, Minn.), Joe Polo (Duluth, Minn.), Ryan Brunt (Bemidji, Minn.)
Five sets of brothers are playing in the 2011 National Championships in Fargo. Brothers Kevin Birr (left) and Todd Birr (center) won the national title together in 2007.
Team George: Tyler George (Duluth, Minn.), Chris Plys (Duluth, Minn.), Rich Ruohonen (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), Phill Drobnick (Duluth, Minn.) Team Goodland: Geoff Goodland (Eau Claire, Wis.), Pete Westberg (Naperville, Ill.), Tim Solin (Mahtomedi, Minn.), Ken Olson (Plymouth, Minn.), Tim Jeanetta (Elk River, Minn.) Team Hamilton: Matthew Hamilton (McFarland, Wis.), Jeremy Roe (Rio, Wis.), Joseph Bonfoey (Duluth, Minn.), Patrick Roe (Madison, Wis.), Paul Pustovar (Hibbing, Minn.) Team Jacobson: Zach Jacobson (Langdon, N.D.), Kevin Deeren (Chicago), Zane Jacobson (Langdon, N.D.), Kraig Deeren (Waunakee, Wis.), Mike Farbelow (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Photo by Jerome Larson
Members of the Pete Fenson team celebrate their 2010 title in Kalamazoo, Mich. The men went on to finish 4th at Worlds. Photo by Brownewell Photography Brothers:
Team Larway: Jason Larway (Lynnwood, Wash.), Colin Hufman (Seattle), Sean Beighton (University, Wash.), Joel Larway (Lynnwood, Wash.) Team McCormick: Heath McCormick (Sarnia, Ontario), Bill Stopera (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.), Martin Sather (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.), Dean Gemmell (Short Hills, N.J.)
Erika Brown (l-r), Nina Spatola, Ann Swisshelm and Laura Hallisey captured the women’s 2010 title in Kalamazoo last year.
Women’s Teams Team Brown: Erika Brown (Oakville, Ontario), Nina Spatola (McFarland, Wis.), Ann Swisshelm (Chicago), Laura Hallisey (Medfield, Mass.), Debbie McCormick (Rio, Wis.)
The Daily Pebble:
Terry Kolesar, Editor
Jerome Larson, Photography
Rick Patzke, Assistant Editor
Contributing writers: Andrea Kopischke & Keith Bistodeau, North Dakota State University; Regan Mizuno
The Daily Pebble can be found online as well: www.usacurl.org/curlingrocks
Team Haag: Jenna Haag (Milton, Wis.), Chloe Pahl (Green Bay, Wis.), Grace Gabower (Milton, Wis.), Erin Wallace (Green Bay, Wis.), Joy Pahl (Green Bay, Wis.) Team Haase: Chrissy Haase (Schenectady, N.Y.), Monica Walker (Brighton, Mass.), Karen Walker (Enfield, Conn.), Nicole Vasser (Framingham, Mass.) Team Karst: Lori Karst (Madison, Wis.), Sherri Schummer (St. Paul, Minn.), Emilia Juocys (Oak Park, Ill.), Heather Van Sistine (Hartland, Wis.) Team Lank: Patti Lank (Lewiston, N.Y.), Caitlin Maroldo (Rochester, N.Y.),
Todd Birr (Mankato, Minn.) and Kevin Birr (St. Peter, Minn.), Team Birr
Photo by Brownewell Photography Jessica Schultz (Richfield, Minn.), Mackenzie Lank (Lewiston, N.Y.), Christina Schwartz (Fargo, N.D.) Team O’Leary: Norma O’Leary (Silver Bay, Minn.), Margie Smith (Shoreview, Minn.), Theresa Hoffoss (Minneapolis, Minn.), Patti Luke (Duluth, Minn.) Team Potter: Cassie Potter (Birchwood Village, Minn.), Jamie Haskell (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Maureen Stolt (Plymouth, Minn.), Stephanie Sambor (Williston, N.D.) Team Pottinger: Allison Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.),
Nicole Joraanstad (Madison, Wis.), Natalie Nicholson (Bemidji, Minn.), Tabitha Peterson (Eagan, Minn.) Team Reiser: Nicole Reiser (Mandan, N.D.), Michelle Wagner (Fargo, N.D.), Gabrielle Coleman (Mountain View, Calif.), Ann Drummie (Washington, D.C.), Charrissa Lin (New Haven, Conn.) Team Sormunen: Aileen Sormunen (Duluth, Minn.), Courtney George (St. Paul, Minn.), Amanda McLean (Duluth), Miranda Solem (Cohasset, Minn.)
Brotherly Love By Keith Bistodeau
teammate that you know so well and know you can count on.”
W
This is not to say that there may not be some issues that these siblings must face together. With the long travel time in planes and cars, late nights in hotels and the possibility of a snorer or two, there are some issues all siblings face. The biggest one with siblings could be the acceptance of who is more talented, but this can be solved with modesty and a team viewpoint. “I accept that Todd is more talented than I, so I pretty much work on what he tells me to,” said Kevin Birr (St. Peter, Minn.), who is almost two years younger than brother Todd. “We think very much the same game, so we seldom argue over shots/ways of approaching problems.”
e have all heard the phrase that no one knows you as well as your family. While this may be true, there are very few examples in sports history where siblings or family members compete together, and even less examples of them doing well. Here at the 2011 USA Curling National Championships, this mindset is broken with five sets of brothers competing together on their respective teams. There is also a pair of sisters, two brothers and sisters, one husband and wife duo, and two mother-daughter combinations competing together at this year’s Nationals, showing that curling is truly a family activity. It is not just about winning and losing, though. All of these teams want to win, but it is also about the connection these competitors share with their siblings. When asked what it was like competing with his brother, Jeremy Roe (Rio, Wis.), vice skip on Team Hamilton said, “It makes it extra special. You have that
Most teams face similar situations without siblings. The fact that these individuals have the ability to compete together is a gift that all of them enjoy. If they win or do not, all of these teams will have fun competing together at the 2011 Nationals, and win or lose, they will all still be family.
Jeremy Roe (Rio, Wis.) and Patrick Roe (Madison, Wis.), Team Hamilton Zach Jacobson and Zane Jacobson (both of Langdon, N.D.), Team Jacobson Kevin Deeren (Chicago) and Kraig Deeren (Waunakee, Wis.), Team Jacobson Jason Larway and Joel Larway (both of Lynnwood, Wash.), Team Larway Sisters: Cassie Potter (Birchwood Village, Minn.) and Jamie Haskell (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Team Potter Brother-sister: Courtney George (St. Paul, Minn.), Team Sormunen, and Tyler George (Duluth, Minn.), Team George Erika Brown (Oakville, Ontario), Team E. Brown, and Craig Brown (Madison, Wis.), Team C. Brown Husband-wife: Allison Pottinger, Team Pottinger, and Doug Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Team Birr Mother-daughter: Joy Pahl and Chloe Pahl (Green Bay, Wis.), Team Haag Patti Lank and Mackenzie Lank (Lewiston, N.Y.), Team Lank