COLLINS: Linda, I am hurt

The promotional literature suggests that this will be a day of networking, professional and personal and a list of curling-focused sessions to strengthen your game. And it’s shaping up to be all those things.

I’m sorry if I seem to be making it sound like a commercial but it kind of is. Improvement, whether it’s improvement in yourself or a larger group, is important, and because sports are evolving so quickly it’s hard to keep up. Events like this should occur in every sport to provide a focus for growth and a positive experience. This event should have been held before the WNBA imploded with its handling of the Caitlin Clark story.

Rachel Homan, arguably the best curler in the world now that Jennifer Jones has stepped back, will be the keynote speaker. Rachel is a terrific leader. And she will have much to offer. I don’t think their record is a coincidence. The hard work they put in is why their record is so good. With every member of her rink capable of being a skip, it takes an outstanding leader to be successful leading a group of a-plus personalities for such a long time.

Jennifer Jones has that ability, so does Anna Hasselborg from Sweden. Kamloops’ Corryn Brown is well on her way to getting there. She and her rink will have lots to say, I’m sure, on the perseverance required to climb the ladder.

And what do you think Catharine Pendrel will have to say about getting yourself ready to become one of the best cyclists in the world?

Not enough yet to keep you entertained? Let me continue.

Former B.C. Champion Allison McInnis will be here, we’ll hear from sports nutritionist Eva Mortenson, International official Dianne Barker, who can shed some light on where we’re going in the future, and Kim Dennis, a longtime curler from the coast. She’ll talk about some of the value-added opportunities to promote the sport’s image and make curling attractive to people of any age.

The cost for this event is not exorbitant, there will be some food, hopefully pre-approved by Eva, and opportunities to ask questions of some of the best in the business. Takeaway value should be huge. Deadline for registration is September 5.

Contact Brenda Nordin or Linda Bolton if there are any questions.

In the headline to today’s comment, I said “Linda, I’m hurt.’

Linda Bolton is one of the event organizers. She and I have been acquaintances for many years, I’m only hurt because it’s a women’s event. It’s the type of event that we need to have more frequently, for a variety of sports open to all. These conferences aren’t anything new, but when they do happen, they are extremely beneficial, not just for specialized sports, but for everyone. They are certainly more focused than conventions of days gone by.

We can’t all be a Rock Star, but we can get better at making our own journey more enjoyable, whether we are curlers or not. We will hear a lot about dedication and hard work but also about the need for a balanced life. For women especially, curling competitively while trying to raise a family is a task only the very brave can undertake. We’ll hear from some of those brave souls September 20.

I don’t normally plug things like this, but I am a champion of the tremendous growth of women in sport. And I am so tired of trying to make sense of all the death and destruction going on, so it’s nice to have a chance to talk about something positive and worthwhile for a change.

This fills both those boxes.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by Doug Collins

COLLINS: Linda, I am hurt

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