| REGISTRATION UPDATE Season registration and team compositions have now been finalized. We are pleased to report that this year we will have 42 teams in 6 divisions, and 185 members including 5th players. We are excited to welcome 16 new members to the league and expect to have a healthy spares list of roughly 20 people to begin the season. SEASON FEES This is a reminder that full season registration fees must be paid by Thursday, September 19. Payment can be made in person by card, cash, or cheque at the pre-season meet and greet on September 19 (see below), or by e-transfer to [email protected] if you cannot attend the event. PRE-SEASON MEET AND GREET (WITH PIZZA!) ON SEPTEMBER 19 The pre-season meet and greet will take place on Thursday, September 19 from 5:30-8:30pm at the Ottawa Curling Club (440 O’Connor St.). This annual event is an opportunity for you to reconnect with your team and league members, meet our new members, and strategize for the upcoming season! This year we are holding it at the Ottawa Curling Club to allow new members and spares to familiarize themselves with the club ahead of the season (we’ll even be doing some tours!). But most importantly, complementary pizza will be served and the cash bar will be open! SEASON OPENING, SCHEDULE AND BYE REQUESTS League games will start on Sunday, October 6. Members of the executive will be on hand on opening day to chat or answer any questions you might have. We will have the season calendar and list of divisions available by the meet and greet on September 19. The detailed schedule for Round 1 will follow shortly thereafter. Round 1 league games will run October 6 through December 1st, with games every Sunday (except Thanksgiving weekend) and one Saturday (October 19). Should you need to make a bye request for Round 1, skips must contact the Drawmaster by noon on September 20 at [email protected]. NOTE: Skips should limit requests to ONE bye. Any further requests may or may not be accommodated. For fairness to all teams, you cannot request “all 3pm games” or “no 5pm games”, etc. BEGINNER / REFRESHER CLINIC: OCTOBER 5 If you are new or relatively new to curling (or just in need of a refresher after the summer break), you are strongly encouraged to register for the pre-season Beginner / Refresher Clinic taking place on Saturday, October 5 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Ottawa Curling Club. The clinic will be led by experienced league members and include off-ice and on-ice instruction. There is a registration cost of $10. Some equipment may be available but you are best to bring your own. To register, please send an email to [email protected]. The deadline to register for the Beginner / Refresher Clinic is Monday, September 30. SAVE THE DATE: DRAG BINGO – OCTOBER 19 Our first Saturday social event of the season is scheduled for October 19, after regular league games. We will be holding a drag bingo night hosted by recently crowned Ms. Capital Pride, Vera! Save the date for a night of fun -details to follow in the coming weeks. INTERMEDIATE CLINIC / DROP-IN CURLING: NOVEMBER 16 The Lisa Weagle Academy will once again run our Intermediate ON-ICE clinic on Saturday, November 16, from 2:00 – 4:30, followed by a “drop-in” fun curling game for anyone and everyone. Save the date and stay tuned for details! NATIONALS PLAYDOWNS We will be holding playdowns for our Nationals team entry to the Canadian Pride Curling Championships, taking place in Edmonton in April 2025.Teams will need to declare their intent to compete for the Nationals and pay a $100 entry fee, by 7pm on Thursday, September 19. Playdowns will occur over a few Saturdays in November with the final games to determine “Ottawa 1” on Sunday, December 22. If interested, send your declaration of intent along with your team roster to [email protected] by September 19. NAME TAGS As in past years, the league will be providing all new members with a metallic Rainbow Rockers name tag that you can choose to wear when you play. If you are a returning member and would like a replacement name tag for a fee of $15, please send an email to [email protected] by September 19. EQUIPMENT League members are responsible for having their own equipment to play (i.e., curling broom, curling shoes or slider, gripper, etc.). If you’re looking to find a new home for some of your old equipment, or are a new curler looking to buy used equipment, we invite you to take advantage of the RRCL “Buy/Sell” spreadsheet that can be accessed from the RRCL website. OVER THE RAINBOW BONSPIEL: JANUARY 23-26, 2025 The OTRB website, with details on the bonspiel, has launched and is available here. Registration will open at 12:00 noon on Saturday, October 5. Information can also be found by following OTRB social media at Facebook and Instagram. Please bookmark us and follow along for information updates during the fall. REMINDER: RRCL STRATEGIC PLAN REVIEW A reminder that we are still seeking members’ feedback on the draft 2024-2027 RRCL Strategic Plan. It’s the first strategic plan for the RRCL and it charts where the league will focus in the coming three years. Members were sent an email with information and a link to the draft plan on August 28. A copy of the plan can be found here. Feedback is being received up to September 25 and can be emailed to [email protected]. Feel free to discuss it with executive members during the meet and greet on September 19 or opening day on October 6. Good curling everyone – see you on the ice soon! |