Trio steps up to keep curling board viable
A trio of new board members has stepped up to save the Yukon Curling Association as the sport's territorial governing body.
A trio of new board members has stepped up to save the Yukon Curling Association as the sport's territorial governing body.
Laura Eby, Jody Smallwood and Pat Molloy 鈥� all well-known names in the curling community 鈥� volunteered to stand on the board at a meeting held Monday evening in the Sport Yukon boardroom.
Two took on immediate roles 鈥� Eby will be director of community relations, while Molloy becomes director of championships.
"It's definitely a relief,鈥� said Linden Mattie, executive director of the Yukon Curling Association, crediting the existing board members for their work to keep the board at a legitimate number.
"I think it did get easier once the curling season started because the curling community is getting together at the club. I'm sure that helped.鈥�
Prior to Monday night, the three board members were president Ellen Johnson, secretary/treasurer Sheila Stockton and director Lauren Muir.
The board needs a minimum of six members to be recognized as a governing board within the Canadian Curling Association.
"We're very excited that people came forward to ensure that we had a viable board,鈥� said Johnson.
While each of the new board members are from Whitehorse, Johnson said the board is continuing to push for representation from the communities.
"When it's supposed to be a sport governing body of the territory, it's really nice,鈥� she explained.
"We previously had members from the communities. Part of the problem is their curling doesn't start until later in the year, so it's very hard to get somebody to come forward before curling starts, it seems.鈥�
The lack of board members was the critical issue that came forward at the association's annual general meeting last month.
Johnson said while the association now has enough members to form a viable board, they are always interested in more directors.
"If we have a few more, the load gets spread a little thinner,鈥� she said.
Now that the board has been formed, the association will get on to the business of the season.
"Now that we have enough board members, we can pretty much just move into regular operations,鈥� said Mattie.
Not only do the new members keep the board of directors intact, they also lighten the load on previous members.
"It just makes it a lot smoother,鈥� Mattie explained. "It lightens the load and it puts us in a position where we can have board members working on particular things.鈥�
Wade Scoffin is no longer on the board but will stay on in an ex-officio position as technical co-ordinator.
The Yukon Curling Association 鈥� formed in 1990 as an amalgamation of the Yukon Ladies Curling Association and the former Yukon Curling Association 鈥� also establishes and governs the rules and regulation for the sport within the territory.
The association governs curling for approximately 500 member curlers in the Yukon, providing funding and allowing entry to competitive curling bonspiels across the country.
Affiliated curling clubs include Atlin, Dawson City, Mayo, Teslin, Watson Lake and Whitehorse.
The Whitehorse Curling Club opened play Oct. 4 with different league action occurring weeknights.
The club hosts mixed league, super league, competitive, men's and women's leagues, and 鈥� new this year 鈥� a Learn to Curl division.
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