Two New Teams

No we haven't increased the numbers back to 10 teams. As mentioned in yesterday's report, we had a wee problem with two teams playing the wrong opponent.
We don't know exactly how it happened, and it probably doesn't matter.  The easy way to rectify the situation, without redrafting the whole draw is simply to re-number two teams.
So from now on Team 6 will be Bert McKay's team and Team 8 will be Jimmy Begg's.
The "Rinks for Season 2012-13" page has been amended and a fresh copy of the teams will be posted on the notice board.

Opening Night and Challenge League Report

First outing on the ice for the new Gangrels season was last night and it was good to report some very close games and some not so close.

Honorary President Jim Watson threw the first stone with his usual aplomb. Unfortunately, your correspondent made a mess of recording this properly with his new camera so we can't publish a photo of it.

Here, though, is the full club eagerly awaiting their first game.

So now to the results.  There were good wins for David Gray and Ronnie Wilson over David Hope and Jimmy Niblock respectively. Jimmy Begg beat Steell McFadzean and the last game was a draw between the teams of Bert McKay and Scott Thomson.  The updated table can be found here.

However, Scott was meant to play Jimmy, and Steell was meant to play Bert. (I knew the new draw would cause problems). Watch this space for yet another new draw to try to work out a solution.

Our meal afterwards was first class and  very well received by all. Passion Caterers are the new Ice Rink caterers and they are to be commended on their efforts so far. Let's make every endeavour to use them as much as possible.

President David has sent a report on last week's Challenge League Game.

"On Tuesday evening a rink of Gangrels set foot on the ice for the first game of the Challenge League. The rink comprises of Russell Boyd (Skip) David Hope, Peter Galloway and Ken Ross. We were up against Andrew Baird from Crosshill Curling Club and we had a close game. Unfortunately the score did not reflect the closeness of the game where most ends could have gone either way. The end score for the evening was 11 – 6 to the Crosshill rink. We will endeavour to do better in our next game."

Thanks, David for the report.  Can I remind all skips representing Gangrels in outside competitions that it would be very helpful to have a report emailed to me afterwards.

Amended Team Lists and Club Fixtures

The amended team sheets, reserve lists and fixtures are now shown. These have been slightly changed from Bob's email after further discussions, with Charlie Jack and Alan Brown swapping places with Francis McCrossin and Austin Thomson.
David, Bob and the committee are very grateful to everyone for their cooperation and look forward to Gangrels opening game and meal on 1st October.

New Season Practice Ice

Two sheets of practice ice have been booked, prior to the start of the season.
The first is on Wednesday 19th September at 7.15 and the second is on Thursday 20th at 8.30.

There was a request for this ice at the AGM so please make use of the facility.

Club Fixtures now complete

Your new Match Secretary has been working hard and the Points, Pairs, Kirkbride Rosebowl and Frame Salver draws have now been finalised.

Please click on the link at the right hand side of the page or use this link here.

The Matches and Open Competitions Page has now been amended to show the teams who will represent the club.  Once more details of dates are available, we'll incorporate these where possible.

Teams for Next Season, Incentive for New Reserves

Your Committee has not been idle in this glorious (?) summer. A meeting was held at the start of this week and the new teams were chosen for our Monday night games next season.  These are detailed below.
Ken Ross has volunteered to take over as Match Secretary since David is now our President, and we wish him well in his new post.  Teams for matches and open competitions have still to be finalised so that page on the website has not yet been amended.
As mentioned last year, and particularly at the AGM, we are concerned that the club numbers are reducing. We still are able to field 10 teams but the number of reserves has shrunk to 7.
In an attempt to attract new members to the club, it was decided that for this season only, we shall offer new members a package of only paying the club membership fee of £30. If they are already members of Ayr Ice Rink then that would be the only financial commitment. They would not make a contribution to club funds for ice fees but they would revert to the normal reserve terms in their second season.
Please think seriously about anyone who you think could be invited to join us. We need to address this now or the club structure may have to be looked at in the near future.

Next year's teams are as follows and the new dates for our club games are shown here or on the page link on the right. So you have plenty of time to organise diaries before September. The draws for the Kirkbride Rosebowl, Frame Salver, Points and Pairs Competitions will be announced in due course.

	Rinks for the Season 2012-2013
	Rink 1		Rink 2		Rink 3
	D Hope		D Gray		R Wilson
	G Hay		G Hodge		R Peat
	R Morrison		B Grassom		P Reynolds
	J Henry		B Cherry		D Cattanach
	Rink 4		Rink 5		Rink 6
	J Niblock		S Thomson		F McCrossin
	G Neil		A Brown		R Penny
	W Scott		I Ruthven		A Thomson
	R Boyd		E Mutter		P Galloway
	Rink 7		Rink 8		Rink 9
	J Begg		C Jack		S McFadzean
	E Lawrence		C Naismith		P Kennedy
	K Ross		R Charters		F Watson
	B Henderson		D Moulds		H Peters
	Rink 10		Reserves
	B McKay		Russell Boyd		D Kidd
	J Dunlop		S Gow		J Nelson
	A Hastie		B Inglis		D Scott
	G Watson				J Sharp

Your Curler Issue 8

Here is the link for Issue No 8 of the Your Curler Magazine. Something to have a look at over the summer months.