Super League win for TCOO

Team curl one out started their 2012 Super league campaign of with a commanding performance on Friday night against Rupert ‘Robbie’ Dick. The team had to draft in another world class second as Dave Morton was again absent due to him no being allowed out after dark. Young Cameron McNay stepped up to the plate and showed potential that might see him take up a permanent slot in the super league. While most of the national amateur teams were in Inverness playing for big cash prizes, the team thought it best to stay at home and put in some good practice away from the media spotlight.

With the usual top end for team curl one out arriving at the rink in familiar fashion, (after the bell) it was guns blazing from the word go. The format for the League is that of skins and it was a right skinning from the off. The team were on the steel from the start and easily picked up the 4 point in the first with an easy steal. In the second it was again the front end of Edwards & McNay that got the guards up early and got round first, the Dick couldn’t make a run back with his last and another 4 points were on the board. The 3^rd and 4^th ends were both carried over meaning the 5^th was worth a massive 28 points, again it was textbook from the young athletes forcing Robbie to play a runback for yet another carry over. The sweepers were earning their corn for Robbie as they managed to sweep the strike past the long guard but it clipped the tight guard just, 36 – 0 after 5.

The score line was obviously beginning to grate with Robbie and he began to wake up in end 6, a difficult angle raise double was nailed by Gracie with his last but left Robbie sitting one by a matter of mm! Robbie played a difficult draw through a tight port to fully hit the 4 foot and get the granny off. End 7 and not much to say but Gracie missed a relatively easy double to take the skin, Score 36-26.

Final end and all to play for, even though team curl one out had been all over the opposition throughout it was a tense finale. In the end up Gracie was forced to draw for the single and go to a draw shot for the game. Gracie played his draw tight as usual and ended up on the tee-line about 6 inch’s from the pin. Robbie was a little over enthusiastic and called the sweepers on early, the farmers pounded it all the way to the top of 12. They looked up and watched as it cursed past the tee and out of the four. Win for the goodies 54 – 26.

Thanks to Cammy for playing and showing us old ones how it’s done.

Cammy getting squashed by Gracie

Summer training camp video release

You may have asked yourselves what do member of ‘Team curl one out’ get up to during the summer months and how have they prepared for a hard season? Well over the next few weeks we will enlighten you on some of the training techniques used by the team to prepare and get them selves in shape.

Starting at Lead: Kenny Edwards

Kenny spend 4 weeks at a warm weather training camp in America and as you can see from the picture below he had a great time in San Francisco.

Kenny taking time out from the sun on Fishermans warf

Behind bars like he should be at Alcatraz Island

Following this he then moved south to LA and on through Death Valley for a stunt which the team and media had set up. The stunt is called the ‘bullet dive’ and only highly trained athletes can perform such a dangerous stunt. (Kids please don’t try in the bath at home, Logan……that includes you!)

Next to give you an insight of his training schedule & techniques will be second David Morton.

New Photos up...

Please check out the Photos section for some snaps from the weekend!!

Robbo displaying techniques that got him in the team.

Curloneout lift trophy!!

edwards drops one

Team curloneout have lifted there first and probably only silverware of the season by winning the Dumfries Lions Trophy for the second year running.  The weekend got off to a bad start right away as the team had another injury blow dealt to them when second Davie Morton was ruled out of action with a severe bout of the Gary Glitters.  Favourite substitute Scottie 'Big Boy' Hamilton was unable to slide into the team at short notice so an SOS was put out and Top Castle Douglas curler Davie McMikan answered the plea at the eleventh hour.  Davie a close friend of the team was brought in due to his excellent accuracy and speed with the pint glass.  Disaster almost struck before the first game of the weekend when Skip Duncan Gracie was almost rendered unconscious in the car from a Kenny Edwards fart.  It was touch and go for a while  but brave Gracie managed to battle through the pain barrier.  The first game of the weekend was but to bed early and the team on 11-1.  Game 2 was up against the Dumfries ladies team ( Sisters of Mercy) and Duncan and Kenny decided the best form of attack was to soften them up pre game with some old music on the team wireless.  Some may say this was dirty tactics but all is fair in love and war and after a couple of songs by ABBA the Sisters were under the command of sweet talker Kenny.  After a shaky start from the team which was not helped by Gracie's requirement to leave for his work halfway through the game the team ground out a convincing result and won 15-1.  Saturday morning saw team curloneout top of the schenkel and would be playing a good Graham Sloan team who were close behind in second spot.  The Game got off to a good start and the 1st end was well set up by Kenny the gimp and Davie the Farmer. which left Robbo a couple of nose hits to lay 2.  Sloanie was teased into a tricky double with a loose shot (unsurprisingly) from Gracie.  Fortunately Sloany Jammed on a cheeky 12ft biter and left gracie an easy draw for 3.  Gracie showed no fear and flicked the button for 3.  The good play continued untill end 5.  At the start of end 5 the team were 9-3 up and cruising.  Holding the brush after playing his two stones, Kenny Edwards had what can only be described as a mental breakdown and decided that instead of hitting for home he would "Mix it up".  This played right into sloans hands and he couldn't believe his luck when he got back into the game with a nice 2.  Edwards received a swift kick in from the boys and after taking his anti lunacy pills got back into the right frame-set for the 7th and last end.  Unfortunately third Scott Robertson decided the last end was the time to play like a 90 year old pensioner and after a couple of hugely entertaining misses left sloan lying 3 when Gracie came to play.  Gracie still fuming with edwards's replapse in the 7th ended up with a teaser to win the end but was dangerous as it could of gifted sloan a 4 and a peel.  Bravely Gracie chucked it up the wing and lost a 3 but took the game 9-8.   The win set up a 'Final' against local superstar Jim Hogg -  'Dog'.  It was a close game and some nice play in the second saw a steal of 2 which put the team on the front foot and made it difficult for the hogg dog to get back into the game.  The Team went onto the last end 1 up with last stone and the game was won with a couple of big rips from Davie McMiken cleaned up the end and left Gracie an open house when he came to play.  With Jim Hogg - Dog leaving his last freeze attempt short the game and trophy was won, Gracie rubbed salt into the wounds by slipping a third rock into the button for a 3 final score 8-4.  

Champs 2011

A couple of special mentions are in order...  Firstly to Davie McMikan who slipped straigh into the team without any issues and played very well in all 4 matches.  Davie's good performance has put him up to first reserve and any more poor excuses from David Morton may see him promoted to full time Second.  Davie's unique sweeping tecnique is clearly grafted from sweeping the byre but it proved pivotal in managing the tough dumfries ice.  Also a special mention goes to David Owen, Claire Sloan, Daddy Owen and Derek Purdie who took an 8 ender in there game against Graham Sloan.  Dave had to rip a triple to lift it and played it perfectly!! Well done.

Daves 8

On the Ice

Team curl one out have taken the chance to defend there Dumfries Lions Title this weekend, The team opened up with a convincing 11-1 win over the Cairns CC. It was a late decision to enter and defend the title said Scott Robertson. It was great to see Kenny back on the ice and his experience shone through and we picked up a convincing win. The game was delayed slightly while Kenny curled one out before the game which we were glad about  as he nearly killed Duncan with his flatulence in the drive over.

Next up is the ladies at 5pm……report to follow.

Team get new HQ

New HQ

Team curl one out must apologies for the shortage of reports over the last couple of weeks. The team have been experiencing some technical problems at team HQ as a result we have had to pull out of our current deal and sign up with our new official partner and hydration facilitator the ‘Black Bull’.

The view from the bar

Speaking on the new deal Kenny Edwards said “We have unfortunately been forced to strike a new deal for the 2011/2012 season, this was something we didn’t expect to happen but with the lack of ‘Clunge’, access to Internet and hot bar maids the change had to be made”. With all the issues behind us we should be able to move forward and get a few training sessions in before the Scottish comes around.

New Training Techniques..

Top technology at team HQ.

With the competitive season fast approaching, Team Curloneout have been undertaking some serious training using video analysis techniques.

After a 5 minute practice at Lockerbie Icerink, the team headed to Team HQ (M.A.C.C) to start their gruelling training session.

The purpose of using video analysis is to ensure the teams’ hand to mouth co-ordination is second to none for the start of the season. Any flaws can be picked up and corrected. The equipment used is basically a video camera on a tri-pod and a stick with a piece of string hanging from it. Sounds like a Del Boy invention from the garden shed but other sports swear by it and back this up with great results.

Skip Duncan Gracie said , ‘’To continually perform at a high level and meet the elite standards set by our fans and sponsors we need to be using the best training methods at least once every couple of months. The equipment we have been using today was supplied to us by Belhaven and is the best in the business.  It will not only help improve our hydration skills but in the long term will save us money on ‘spillage’. After a long session the consumption of a pint may sometimes only be 90% due to ‘imbalance’ or ‘legless’, so after this training session  100% consumption will hoped to be achieved at all times.’’

‘Boabby’ the bar man added… ‘’These lads are on the top of their game right in time for the start of their season, I am proud to say that we have some exceptional athletes using our facilities and soon these boys will be in the same league as the dart, snooker and domino players who train here.’’  

"Chug" of the day goes to Second David Morton with this textbook example of how its done.  Well done David, perhaps this photo can inspire many curlers to achieve perfection.