season 2017-2018 news
Well attended AGM held at Forthbank on 18th April
The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) took place on 18th April, 7:00pm, Wallace Suite, Forthbank Performance Centre. There was a great attendance, with only two members missing out of the total membership and two newcomers wanting to join the club. There was a great deal of discussion at the meeting held in a very positive atmosphere as everyone expressed their opinions. The club is in good health in terms of finances and actually playing our sport with high satisfaction scores in the member survey undertaken before the meeting.
The attendees were kindly photographed by Ian Mackie who will be joining us next season. Left to right, Jim Kerr, Derrick Douglas (hiding) John Brisbane, Norman Ainslie, Alan Watt, Caroline Anderson, Jim Marshall (back), Joe Kincaid, Graeme Anderson (back), Joan Anderson, Anne Kane, Iain Gwynne and new member Alex Frew,
The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) took place on 18th April, 7:00pm, Wallace Suite, Forthbank Performance Centre. There was a great attendance, with only two members missing out of the total membership and two newcomers wanting to join the club. There was a great deal of discussion at the meeting held in a very positive atmosphere as everyone expressed their opinions. The club is in good health in terms of finances and actually playing our sport with high satisfaction scores in the member survey undertaken before the meeting.
The attendees were kindly photographed by Ian Mackie who will be joining us next season. Left to right, Jim Kerr, Derrick Douglas (hiding) John Brisbane, Norman Ainslie, Alan Watt, Caroline Anderson, Jim Marshall (back), Joe Kincaid, Graeme Anderson (back), Joan Anderson, Anne Kane, Iain Gwynne and new member Alex Frew,
Above is the minutes of the AGM. Please download if you wish to read them.
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Closing Bonspiel a competitive affair
With six players a side and everyone turning up, it made a fitting end to the season that everyone felt like playing a good game and so the scoring was kept low for a change for matches like this. With four people standing aside it took a couple of ends for everyone to hang of moving up the ranks and then coming off and going back on again. Caroline Anderson's turn as a skip was looking like disaster till her last stone cut a five down to a two loss with a wick and roll in from an opposition stone. Even husband Graeme was impressed and it got a cheer from the standby players too. At 4 v 4 when she came round to skip again, she didn't want to chance her luck and stood aside for John to take her place. John immediately engineered a 4 to win the game 8 v 4. We all then went up to the restaurant where we sat down to a meal and a drink to finish off the evening. The President, Graeme Anderson thanked everyone for the good game and reminded us all about the AGM.
Alex Reid missed for another year
The Alex Reid tournament is a big challenge every season and this year Lauriston and Zetland had a new skip playing who cannily managed to deal with our first team to win by 3 shots. Our second team managed a whole lot better against Bonnybridge but the overall winner was Borestone and Stirling who won both games, the only club to do so.
As we arrange this tournament for everyone it was good to see all the clubs ensuring they turned up and paid their money in a timely fashion on the night and our secretary conducted the draw with the help of a Falkirk player before the start of the second game to ensure a smooth handover for next year.
Team Brisbane win Corrieri by one point
Team Brisbane, consisting of skip John Brisbane, Joan Anderson, Alan Watt and Jim Marshall just pipped Team Anderson to the trophy by a single point having won 3 games out of the four played for 6 points compared to 5 for Team Anderson. All but one games were well fought and testimony to the distribution of skill throughout the club. Well played everyone, congratulations to the winners.
Norman Ainslie is Hendry Trophy winner
Our Novice skips competition was won by the Club Coach Norman Ainslie with wins over the other two teams to finish 4 shots up with 8 ends won. The other two teams of Iain Gwynne and Joan Anderson managed to peel a game of 9 shots each when they played each other. So Norman has come through the initiation ceremony to join the ranks of skips who have all won the trophy. Well done Norman, a trophy in your name at last.
Good effort in Murray but better won itFirst team won 4 ends to 3 and 8 v 4 in shots. Second team scored a better win 5 - 3 in ends and 7 - 6 in shots. In total, 9 ends won and 5 shots up. However, a couple of other games won 6 ends and so overall it was won by Falkirk with 11 ends won and 12 shots up. This means we have a season without any Province trophies so we will probably miss out on the Waldie Griffiths tournament next season.
SCCA League won unbeaten
We played against Dunblane on the 7th February and won with a score of 15 v 3. The following day the Secretary of the SCCA League sent out the following message:
Following last evening’s matches I can confirm that Sauchie and Bannockburn have established an unassailable lead and have won this year’s league with 3 matches still to play. Indeed they won all their matches. So it’s a big congratulations to SAUCHIE AND BANNOCKBURN as the 2018 champions. Well done S&B in your inaugural season in the Small Curling Clubs Alliance.
We have a new trophy to add to our collection this season. Well done everyone who played their part in this new competition.
Polmaise Trophy lost for another season
We played in the NCA on the 12th February On rink A Joe, Jim Marshall, Jim Kerr and Joan played Gordon, John, Laura and Philip and started well winning a single shot and made them play a fantastic shot to reply with a single but that was the only time in this game that there was a contest as they never looked back for the rest of the game winning 10-1. On rink B Rory, John, Iain and Derrick had a more nip and tuck game against Alan, Fraser, Tom and Dave but the 4 shot win at the 5th end sealed the game and a final win of 8-5 to Borestone. So not a good night's work, Borestone dealt with the swinging ice better than we did. Some of us retired to the restaurant where the Secretary presented the trophy to the Borestone Secretary.
So close in Aitken Trophy
Having won the first 4 ends against Falkirk we got a bit nervous when they finally scored but simply traded the final two ends to finish 5 ends won and a good start to the competition. The second team had a really tough match against Grangemouth with single shots winning all ends and our team winning 4 v 3 in both shots and ends. We didn't do enough to win but we were ahead of Grangemouth by a single shot for second while Borestone & Stirling won the trophy with 10 ends in total.
Canadian Tourists given a good game
We put forward a team to play the Canadian Tourists and they had an enjoyable game agains them, winning 5 ends in a row before they came back to win the last 3 ends. Skip Joe decided to play his last stone and gave them another shot to make it all square at the end at 8 v 8. Next time he wont. Overall, the Scots won by 2 shots in the morning and won the afternoon session as well, the only time to date they have been beaten twice. The team also attended the dinner at the Stirling Court Hotel with partners where the secretary gave the vote of thanks at the end of the evening. It was a very enjoyable time. Strathcona Cup page on this site
Swanswater Trophy goes to Torbrex
It was our friendly but fiercely competitive annual match with Torbrex for the Swanswater Trophy on Tuesday 16th Januaryv with two rinks each in the contest. There were only three shots in it, but Torbrex won it with an aggregate score of 14 v 17 on the night. We joined them up in the restaurant for a drink and the presentation of the trophy.
Pairs Final fiercely contested with Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall coming out winners.
The final of the Pairs competition took place on Tuesday the 9th of January at 6:15pm after an ice rink plant failure upset our plans to complete this in one single hight. Husband and wife team Graeme and Caroline Anderson played the two Jims, Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall. It was a high scoring match with threes being traded by both sides. The two Jims managed to steal one end by a single shot and this proved to be the difference between the two sides with the game finishing 7 v 6. Graeme and Caroline had built up a potential big score but Jim Kerr produced a thrilling take out to keep the score done and win the match. Well done to everyone for producing a great game and congratulations to Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall the winners.
Hope Pairs upset by Ice Rink failure
At 4:00pm on Wednesday the 3rd of January the Secretary was contacted by ActiveStirling and informed that due to an ice rink plant failure there would be no curling at the ice rink that night and so our entire Hope Pairs competition was threatened with cancellation. They could only offer two rinks in the National Curling Academy at 9:00pm that night, which meant we would have to play the final on another night. The Secretary phoned and e-mailed all the competitors and most could play so by 5:00pm the Secretary accepted the offer of the ice and we went ahead and had the competition. Husband and wife team Graeme and Caroline Anderson put their marriage on the line by playing together for the first time as Caroline agreed to play in place of original partner Anne Kane who couldn't make it. They played really well, winning both their games and now wait to play in the final. They will meet the two Jims, Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall, who carefully plotted their way through both games to get into the final.
Christmas Bonspiel and meal a success.
Almost a full compliment for the Christmas Bonspiel in the National Curling Academy for the first time and we had it all to ourselves too. We extended an invite to all the people who attended our TryCurling event and Alan Watt brought Siobhan Wilson along to make up the teams. It was a good scoring match on the best ice in Scotland. After the game we had our Christmas meal up in the restaurant which was under new management. We needen't have worried as the meal was better than expected. A good night for everyone.
Cairns/Elder Trophy won at Braehead
After winning the Dunn Trophy on Wednesday, two teams travelled to the Braehead Arena to play in our annual match with Crossmyloof. This played off at 6:00pm and both teams won 11 shots to 5 but got there in very different ways. The President's team traded 2 shots with the opposition over four ends before finally clinching the win in the last two ends with 5, whereas the secretary's team took a 5 at the second end and won it in the last end with a 4. It was a new experience playing against a wheelchair curler but Jim skipped and played a good game for Crossmyloof. All the players were then treated to a Curling Platter in the cafe behind the ice rink where we shared a drink and conversation and the awarding of the trophy.
We have retained the Dunn Trophy
Our annual match against Kilsyth and Fintry for the Dunn trophy took place on the 22nd November and both our teams won their games to score 4 points to secure the trophy for another year. Well done everyone.
John Brisbane is the Points Champion.
On Wednesday the 15th of November just over half the club membership turned up for the Points competition. It was good to see so many people on the ice for this event as the club pays for two sheets of ice to stage this event to find the top curler in the club. We played on sheets 5 and 6 with 6 playing very different from 5 as usual. John ramped up his score on sheet 5 mostly but pulled ahead in the last three disciplines on both sheets to snatch the title away from Graeme by just 3 points.We mananged nine out of ten disciplines this year because of the numbers playing, despite starting earlier than the advised time of 6:15pm. It really would be very helpful if a couple of people turned up to mark the scores, as this would ensure a smooth running of the play. Full guidance is provided on how to score the shots. Joan won the Ladies Trophy simply for turning up, ladies, please give it a try, you could win the trophy next year. Scores and analysis here.
McWattie Trophy league competition won on shots scored.
The McWattie Trophy competition went down to the wire and team Rory came roaring through to win it with substitutes and by courtesy of scoring a lot more shots than anyone else. So well done to Rory (even though he missed the last game), Alan, Norman and Jim. Substitutes played a big part in the overall result so well done to those who played.
Winning Start to our first SCCA League season beating Torbrex and Bonnybridge.
We played our first match in the SCCA league against Torbrex on Tuesday and we had an enjoyable game against a weel kent club. It started off trading single ends and then we took at 2 for the loss of a 1 and then won the next 3 ends to come out winners by 9 v 2. So we started with 3 points and +7 shots up. The second match against Bonnybridge took place on the 20th September and after losing the first end by a single shot against the hammer we went on to win every end after that to finish 8 v 1 ahead. It was a slow night and we only managed 6 ends but we finish September undefeated and 6 points and +14 shots up so we have made a mark on the competition already.
Opening Bonspiel in National Curling Academy a new experience for everyone.
On Wedensday we opened the club season officially with the opening bonspiel, the Morrison Trophy. Our first match to be held in the National Curling Academy. It is a bit unusual to go right after the entrance along the corridor and into the small changing rooms at the end to get ready to play. There are lockers and then through the doors into the Academy itself. It is bright and colder than the main rink. It took us a little time to get onto the correct rink as there are no notices and start playing. We were one person short till Duncan MacKenzie appeared to play in place of his dad. The ice itself is fast and still drawing and everyone took a while to get used to it but it was much easier to play well in such conditions and in the end we managed seven ends. We look forward to coming back.
Successful club Try Curling night
On Wednesday the 30th of August we had four guests come along to try our sport at the Peak, with the club coach Norman Ainslie leading the activities on the night. The guests were supported by the club members who had invited them and their progress was such that two ends were played as a game to show them what it was like to play a proper game. They were all keen to continue with learning the sport.
Summer Golf event organised by Graeme was a success.
We had our golf day on the 27th August, mostly in beautiful sunshine. We had a great day with a total of 8 golfers in 2 groups, Graeme Anderson, Jim Kerr, Iain Gwynne, Bob Turner in one group, Jim Marshall, Rory MacKenzie, Derrick Douglas and guest, Les Nimmo in the other. We had a stableford competition along with closest to the pin on the 10th and longest drive on 18th.
Results were: Stableford, 1st Graeme with 40 points, 2nd Les with 39 points, 3rd Iain with 34 points. Closest to the pin was Graeme and the Longest drive Iain.
With six players a side and everyone turning up, it made a fitting end to the season that everyone felt like playing a good game and so the scoring was kept low for a change for matches like this. With four people standing aside it took a couple of ends for everyone to hang of moving up the ranks and then coming off and going back on again. Caroline Anderson's turn as a skip was looking like disaster till her last stone cut a five down to a two loss with a wick and roll in from an opposition stone. Even husband Graeme was impressed and it got a cheer from the standby players too. At 4 v 4 when she came round to skip again, she didn't want to chance her luck and stood aside for John to take her place. John immediately engineered a 4 to win the game 8 v 4. We all then went up to the restaurant where we sat down to a meal and a drink to finish off the evening. The President, Graeme Anderson thanked everyone for the good game and reminded us all about the AGM.
Alex Reid missed for another year
The Alex Reid tournament is a big challenge every season and this year Lauriston and Zetland had a new skip playing who cannily managed to deal with our first team to win by 3 shots. Our second team managed a whole lot better against Bonnybridge but the overall winner was Borestone and Stirling who won both games, the only club to do so.
As we arrange this tournament for everyone it was good to see all the clubs ensuring they turned up and paid their money in a timely fashion on the night and our secretary conducted the draw with the help of a Falkirk player before the start of the second game to ensure a smooth handover for next year.
Team Brisbane win Corrieri by one point
Team Brisbane, consisting of skip John Brisbane, Joan Anderson, Alan Watt and Jim Marshall just pipped Team Anderson to the trophy by a single point having won 3 games out of the four played for 6 points compared to 5 for Team Anderson. All but one games were well fought and testimony to the distribution of skill throughout the club. Well played everyone, congratulations to the winners.
Norman Ainslie is Hendry Trophy winner
Our Novice skips competition was won by the Club Coach Norman Ainslie with wins over the other two teams to finish 4 shots up with 8 ends won. The other two teams of Iain Gwynne and Joan Anderson managed to peel a game of 9 shots each when they played each other. So Norman has come through the initiation ceremony to join the ranks of skips who have all won the trophy. Well done Norman, a trophy in your name at last.
Good effort in Murray but better won itFirst team won 4 ends to 3 and 8 v 4 in shots. Second team scored a better win 5 - 3 in ends and 7 - 6 in shots. In total, 9 ends won and 5 shots up. However, a couple of other games won 6 ends and so overall it was won by Falkirk with 11 ends won and 12 shots up. This means we have a season without any Province trophies so we will probably miss out on the Waldie Griffiths tournament next season.
SCCA League won unbeaten
We played against Dunblane on the 7th February and won with a score of 15 v 3. The following day the Secretary of the SCCA League sent out the following message:
Following last evening’s matches I can confirm that Sauchie and Bannockburn have established an unassailable lead and have won this year’s league with 3 matches still to play. Indeed they won all their matches. So it’s a big congratulations to SAUCHIE AND BANNOCKBURN as the 2018 champions. Well done S&B in your inaugural season in the Small Curling Clubs Alliance.
We have a new trophy to add to our collection this season. Well done everyone who played their part in this new competition.
Polmaise Trophy lost for another season
We played in the NCA on the 12th February On rink A Joe, Jim Marshall, Jim Kerr and Joan played Gordon, John, Laura and Philip and started well winning a single shot and made them play a fantastic shot to reply with a single but that was the only time in this game that there was a contest as they never looked back for the rest of the game winning 10-1. On rink B Rory, John, Iain and Derrick had a more nip and tuck game against Alan, Fraser, Tom and Dave but the 4 shot win at the 5th end sealed the game and a final win of 8-5 to Borestone. So not a good night's work, Borestone dealt with the swinging ice better than we did. Some of us retired to the restaurant where the Secretary presented the trophy to the Borestone Secretary.
So close in Aitken Trophy
Having won the first 4 ends against Falkirk we got a bit nervous when they finally scored but simply traded the final two ends to finish 5 ends won and a good start to the competition. The second team had a really tough match against Grangemouth with single shots winning all ends and our team winning 4 v 3 in both shots and ends. We didn't do enough to win but we were ahead of Grangemouth by a single shot for second while Borestone & Stirling won the trophy with 10 ends in total.
Canadian Tourists given a good game
We put forward a team to play the Canadian Tourists and they had an enjoyable game agains them, winning 5 ends in a row before they came back to win the last 3 ends. Skip Joe decided to play his last stone and gave them another shot to make it all square at the end at 8 v 8. Next time he wont. Overall, the Scots won by 2 shots in the morning and won the afternoon session as well, the only time to date they have been beaten twice. The team also attended the dinner at the Stirling Court Hotel with partners where the secretary gave the vote of thanks at the end of the evening. It was a very enjoyable time. Strathcona Cup page on this site
Swanswater Trophy goes to Torbrex
It was our friendly but fiercely competitive annual match with Torbrex for the Swanswater Trophy on Tuesday 16th Januaryv with two rinks each in the contest. There were only three shots in it, but Torbrex won it with an aggregate score of 14 v 17 on the night. We joined them up in the restaurant for a drink and the presentation of the trophy.
Pairs Final fiercely contested with Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall coming out winners.
The final of the Pairs competition took place on Tuesday the 9th of January at 6:15pm after an ice rink plant failure upset our plans to complete this in one single hight. Husband and wife team Graeme and Caroline Anderson played the two Jims, Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall. It was a high scoring match with threes being traded by both sides. The two Jims managed to steal one end by a single shot and this proved to be the difference between the two sides with the game finishing 7 v 6. Graeme and Caroline had built up a potential big score but Jim Kerr produced a thrilling take out to keep the score done and win the match. Well done to everyone for producing a great game and congratulations to Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall the winners.
Hope Pairs upset by Ice Rink failure
At 4:00pm on Wednesday the 3rd of January the Secretary was contacted by ActiveStirling and informed that due to an ice rink plant failure there would be no curling at the ice rink that night and so our entire Hope Pairs competition was threatened with cancellation. They could only offer two rinks in the National Curling Academy at 9:00pm that night, which meant we would have to play the final on another night. The Secretary phoned and e-mailed all the competitors and most could play so by 5:00pm the Secretary accepted the offer of the ice and we went ahead and had the competition. Husband and wife team Graeme and Caroline Anderson put their marriage on the line by playing together for the first time as Caroline agreed to play in place of original partner Anne Kane who couldn't make it. They played really well, winning both their games and now wait to play in the final. They will meet the two Jims, Jim Kerr and Jim Marshall, who carefully plotted their way through both games to get into the final.
Christmas Bonspiel and meal a success.
Almost a full compliment for the Christmas Bonspiel in the National Curling Academy for the first time and we had it all to ourselves too. We extended an invite to all the people who attended our TryCurling event and Alan Watt brought Siobhan Wilson along to make up the teams. It was a good scoring match on the best ice in Scotland. After the game we had our Christmas meal up in the restaurant which was under new management. We needen't have worried as the meal was better than expected. A good night for everyone.
Cairns/Elder Trophy won at Braehead
After winning the Dunn Trophy on Wednesday, two teams travelled to the Braehead Arena to play in our annual match with Crossmyloof. This played off at 6:00pm and both teams won 11 shots to 5 but got there in very different ways. The President's team traded 2 shots with the opposition over four ends before finally clinching the win in the last two ends with 5, whereas the secretary's team took a 5 at the second end and won it in the last end with a 4. It was a new experience playing against a wheelchair curler but Jim skipped and played a good game for Crossmyloof. All the players were then treated to a Curling Platter in the cafe behind the ice rink where we shared a drink and conversation and the awarding of the trophy.
We have retained the Dunn Trophy
Our annual match against Kilsyth and Fintry for the Dunn trophy took place on the 22nd November and both our teams won their games to score 4 points to secure the trophy for another year. Well done everyone.
John Brisbane is the Points Champion.
On Wednesday the 15th of November just over half the club membership turned up for the Points competition. It was good to see so many people on the ice for this event as the club pays for two sheets of ice to stage this event to find the top curler in the club. We played on sheets 5 and 6 with 6 playing very different from 5 as usual. John ramped up his score on sheet 5 mostly but pulled ahead in the last three disciplines on both sheets to snatch the title away from Graeme by just 3 points.We mananged nine out of ten disciplines this year because of the numbers playing, despite starting earlier than the advised time of 6:15pm. It really would be very helpful if a couple of people turned up to mark the scores, as this would ensure a smooth running of the play. Full guidance is provided on how to score the shots. Joan won the Ladies Trophy simply for turning up, ladies, please give it a try, you could win the trophy next year. Scores and analysis here.
McWattie Trophy league competition won on shots scored.
The McWattie Trophy competition went down to the wire and team Rory came roaring through to win it with substitutes and by courtesy of scoring a lot more shots than anyone else. So well done to Rory (even though he missed the last game), Alan, Norman and Jim. Substitutes played a big part in the overall result so well done to those who played.
Winning Start to our first SCCA League season beating Torbrex and Bonnybridge.
We played our first match in the SCCA league against Torbrex on Tuesday and we had an enjoyable game against a weel kent club. It started off trading single ends and then we took at 2 for the loss of a 1 and then won the next 3 ends to come out winners by 9 v 2. So we started with 3 points and +7 shots up. The second match against Bonnybridge took place on the 20th September and after losing the first end by a single shot against the hammer we went on to win every end after that to finish 8 v 1 ahead. It was a slow night and we only managed 6 ends but we finish September undefeated and 6 points and +14 shots up so we have made a mark on the competition already.
Opening Bonspiel in National Curling Academy a new experience for everyone.
On Wedensday we opened the club season officially with the opening bonspiel, the Morrison Trophy. Our first match to be held in the National Curling Academy. It is a bit unusual to go right after the entrance along the corridor and into the small changing rooms at the end to get ready to play. There are lockers and then through the doors into the Academy itself. It is bright and colder than the main rink. It took us a little time to get onto the correct rink as there are no notices and start playing. We were one person short till Duncan MacKenzie appeared to play in place of his dad. The ice itself is fast and still drawing and everyone took a while to get used to it but it was much easier to play well in such conditions and in the end we managed seven ends. We look forward to coming back.
Successful club Try Curling night
On Wednesday the 30th of August we had four guests come along to try our sport at the Peak, with the club coach Norman Ainslie leading the activities on the night. The guests were supported by the club members who had invited them and their progress was such that two ends were played as a game to show them what it was like to play a proper game. They were all keen to continue with learning the sport.
Summer Golf event organised by Graeme was a success.
We had our golf day on the 27th August, mostly in beautiful sunshine. We had a great day with a total of 8 golfers in 2 groups, Graeme Anderson, Jim Kerr, Iain Gwynne, Bob Turner in one group, Jim Marshall, Rory MacKenzie, Derrick Douglas and guest, Les Nimmo in the other. We had a stableford competition along with closest to the pin on the 10th and longest drive on 18th.
Results were: Stableford, 1st Graeme with 40 points, 2nd Les with 39 points, 3rd Iain with 34 points. Closest to the pin was Graeme and the Longest drive Iain.