2019-2020 MCA President’s Letter
Midwest Curling Association Member Clubs and Members:
As I’m sure you are aware, the curling season is just around the corner. And for some has continued throughout the summer.
In the last few years, curling has grown both locally and nationwide. Within the region, we have had several exciting changes. Windy City Curling Club officially opened their doors in May to a dedicated facility located in Villa Park, IL. St. Louis Curling Club continues to grow and has expanded their curling operations from one arena to two. And, Cedar Rapids Curling Club was awarded the 2021 USA Curling National Championships, a fantastic opportunity for the region.
With the recent success of the United States Men’s Curling Team, interest remains high. The Midwest Curling Association looks forward to the continued expansion of curling in the region and is eager to support their clubs and members as they spread their enthusiasm for the sport. In addition, the MCA would like to recognize our competitive teams who experience continued success at local and nationwide bonspiels and competitions. Their hard work and dedication is inspiring, and we look forward to seeing what the 2019-2020 curling season brings!
Throughout the curling season, the MCA hosts three bonspiels for their regional club members. The Prairie State Challenge and 5 Year & Under, both taking place this November, are quickly filling up. We look forward to seeing curlers from all MCA clubs on the ice! In addition to annual bonspiels, the Midwest Curling Association coordinates regional playdowns for the U18 Junior Nationals, Club Nationals, and Mixed Nationals. The MCA playdowns are a wonderful chance to represent your club and curl competitively against other local teams. A rare opportunity for all members of our curling community is the USCA’s Sixth Annual Member’s Assembly from Oct 11-13 at Milwaukee Curling Club. This event offers endless opportunities to socialize with curlers and learn more about the sport through clinics and on-ice sessions. Since the assembly is free and nearby, we encourage our members to take full advantage, even if just for an afternoon. With a busy curling season ahead, please check out any additional regional and club events on the 2019-2020 MCA Calendar.
To give back to our regional clubs, the Board of the MCA recently approved the MCA Grant program. Available to all MCA clubs, the grant money determined by each club’s annual membership can be used to enhance or promote the sport of curling at a regional level. We hope to continue this program in the upcoming years! To help improve the communications side of the MCA and keep up with our ever-expanding curling community, we have added a new position on the MCA Board. Shannon Brown recently became Media & Communications Director, and since starting, she has worked to grow our social media and update our website. Stay up to date with the MCA and register for all regional events at www.midwestcurling.com. Also, give the MCA Facebook page a like to stay current on events in our regional curling community.
We look forward to another successful curling season! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your MCA representative or myself. We are always eager to help!
Good Curling!
Jeff Wright
President, Midwest Curling Association
