Championship Success Secures First 10 Olympic Athlete Slots for Team GB
Rhona Martin, Head Women’s Coach for British Curling and Dave Ramsay, Team Coach for British Curling joined the group at their conference at Crieff Hydro Hotel.
Thanks to Scotland’s performances at the recent World Curling Championships, Team GB has now secured ten out of the approximately fifty athlete quote places expected for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Scotland has been nominated by British Curling to secure ranking points on behalf of Team GB for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi for both men’s and women’s curling teams.
Photo: CCA Michael Burns
The first five slots were secured by the dynamic team of Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Claire Hamilton (supported by Lauren Grey and coaches Rhona Martin and David Hay), who are only the second Scottish female team to be crowned world champions. In leading the team to victory, Eve Muirhead receives the additional honour of being the youngest ever skip to win the Championship.
Photo: CCA Michael Burns
Photo: WCF / Richard Gray
Not to be outdone, the Scottish men’s curling team of Tom Brewster, David Murdoch, Scott Andrews, Michael Goodfellow and Greg Drummond, secured a further five places with their own World Championship bronze medal win.
The athletes who will take up the ten slots can originate from any home nation and will be nominated to the British Olympic Association by British Curling in due course. A hearty congratulations to both teams, and we wish them all the very best for Team GB selection, and of course, every success at the forthcoming Games.
Naturally, good coaching (and good coaches) play a vital role for athletes of all levels. After much work, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club has been awarded UKCC (UK Coaching Certificate) endorsement for the level 2 Technical Coach Qualification, making it the first Scottish led sport to receive this accolade. This accreditation focuses strongly on continuous improvement of coach education and will serve to enhance levels of expertise and performance within the sport.
The Coach Education Team of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club recently hosted a conference at Crieff Hydro, and naturally, we were delighted to be of service for their event. Attending the conference were among the very best of Scotland’s Head and top Team coaches to motivate and inspire tutors and assessors, who gathered to focus on how coaching standards and quality are to be maintained into the future.
Lynne MacKenzie, National Coaching Officer for The Royal Caledonian Curling Club said:
“With coaches and assessors travelling from across Scotland to attend, it was important for us to find a central venue which was easy for everyone to get to. To make our time as productive as possible when we gather, the conference room needs to be comfortable and well equipped. With lots to get through on the day, it’s vital that our conference is well organised, and timings run smoothly on the day. As a residential conference, restful accommodation, excellent cuisine and a good range of relaxing leisure pursuits are equally important during down time. Crieff Hydro was an ideal choice.”
Photo: WCF / Richard Gray
