Meeting Date:
Saturday, April 24, 2004
WSCA Board of Directors Meeting
April 24, 2004 Portage Curling Club
(Portage , WI)
Members Meeting called to order at 9:30 am by President Mark Swandby. No items were presented. Membership meeting closed
1 Roll Call was taken with club updates from those represented.
The following clubs were represented:
Appleton, Arlington, Blackhawk, Centerville, Clintonville, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Kettle Moraine, La Crosse, Madison, Marshfield, Medford, Milwaukee, Pardeeville, Portage, Racine, Rice Lake, Tri-City, Waukesha, Wauwatosa
The following clubs were absent: number in () represents consecutive meetings missed
Alpine (2), Galesville (22), Loch Wissota (9), Lodi (3), Poynette (1), Stevens Point (1), Superior (2), Waupaca (2), Wausau (1)
+Appleton – new ice bed, net increase in members
+Arlington – new lighting, bed problems – looking at mats, increase in members
Centerville – new curtain, energy decrease, $11,000 profit on Jr. Nationals, ice advertising, membership flat
+Clintonville – new ceiling made compressor more efficient, remodeled upstairs, renewed vigor, net increase
-Eau Claire – lost 40 members but financially they are good, update that Mike Peplinske’s kidney problem has recurred
+Green Bay – replacing club house cost $350,000, membership up slightly
Kettle Moraine – new website kmcurlingclub.com, even membership
LaCrosse – discussed new plans possibly joint with Oktoberfest and/or Riverfest
+Madison – membership 40 up, plans for Open Championship, Korbel spiel netted $2,000
Marshfield – 900 kids came through the school program
Medford – talked about mat system replacement
+Milwaukee – new condenser reduced compressor load, 62 new net 35 members up, Country club has cancelled lease
+Pardeeville – new ice equipment, slight increase in membership
+Portage – new club house, new website, High School and Jr big focus with 501c3, 60 kids on Saturday
+Racine – net gain of 21, Racine Young Professional outing was successful, spent $30,000 in new equipment
+Rice Lake – went no smoking, small net membership increase, Summer Spiel Aug 22
+Stevens Point (reported by MHartman) – minor increase in membership,
-Tri City – small reduction but financially good
Waukesha – no report
-Wauwatosa – new rocks, slight decline in membership
Blackhawk – membership flat, lease extended, big jr program increase, and new rock inserts
Note +, <space>, -, represent unofficial membership increase, no change, decrease
Agenda changes
Hall of Fame Nominations
Report of Financial Committee
International Optimist report
Wisconsin issues for USCA Strategic Plan
Election of Officers
2 Minutes of 9/27/2003 meeting were presented. – One correction to previous minutes = Judy Maier’s name was misspelled
Motion by CDaley to accept with correction, 2nd Russell - passed
3 Treasurer’s Report – Dunlop
Financials
Discussions of net income and Playdown expenses vs revenue
State dues are remaining $1.50 / member
Motion to accept Russell, 2nd CMcMahon - passed
4 USCA Directors Reports
A) Swandby
Elected President of USCA effective May 1
Part of agenda is to implement the new structure
Committee members need not be USCA directors
Playdown Format summary
USCA Open Championship
Leads to worlds
Olympic qualifier this year
Not regional – open qualifying - must be US Citizen
USCA National Championships
Patches (Bucky and participation) and Pins as previous Nationals
Regional in nature – must be dues paying/league playing in same club
No citizenship or age requirement
Motion to keep champion selection process for USCA National Championships the same as it had been CMcMahaon, 2nd Willburg
Format the same as previous
Payments to clubs for reserving ice times/days tabled until fall
Comparison of Open Championship to NCAA Basketball Championships
Motion passed
Review of USCA Strategic Plan moved to later
USCA Budget “variance”
USCA paid to put on ICE2003. Expected net cost was $37,000 but actual net cost was $157,000. This was the major factor in a USCA projected end of fiscal year loss of $90,000. The TV ratings were good (better than Hockey), but the USCA cannot absorb another loss of this magnitude. The USCA Board passed a resolution mandating positive-balance fiscal year expenditures until the net worth of the organization is rebuilt.
USCA paid membership is up approx 500-1,000
10 new clubs
B) Maier
Championship Site Report
Site Bid forms are available
Reimbursement $250/day for Men/women up to a total of $1,000 $500 total for Sr.’s and Wheelchair
Discussion of amounts not being enough
Resources required to host discussed
Youth Curling camps
Goal of ice for championships is 4x4 (24 second ice with 4 ft of curl)
Pin Program discussion
Grass roots
Training
Youth curling
Merchandise items available (as modeled by Swandby)
C) Packard – as above
5 President’s Report – Swandby
Curling looks healthy – membership has gone up
6 Chairman’s Reports
A) High School – Joel Callum
Program exists but could be stronger – most focus is on Jr’s not High School
There is a South Conference, North Conference and a few independents
This year the championships had 6 girls teams and 10 boys teams
B) Optimist – Swandby
Championships in British Columbia
US Girls won the gold and the boys qualified but did not medal
Discussion of committee chaired by Delaney to better integrate the Jr’s and H S programs
C) Directory – O’Neill
Directory will be earlier next year. Book is all in Word but will be done via the website
D) By-Laws - Russell
No report
E) Playdowns – Roe
Men’s 15 teams played down (up from 14)
Craig Brown team was champion
Godfrey Team qualified out of 2nd chance
Next year’s districts Jan 14-16 and Sate Jan 21-23 leading to National Championships
Sr Men’s
Godfrey Team won Nationals and won the Silver Medal at Worlds
Roe to chair eligibility committee
Motion that WSCA supports removal of seedings from Midwest Regions for site determination CMcMahon 2nd Sompii 13 yes, 2no, 5 abstention motion carries USCA reps will take motion to meeting
Women’s Patti Lank team won WI Playdowns in Clintonville then won Nationals, lost in Bronze game at worlds
F) Mixed – Janusiak
Eight teams signed up one team dropped due to injury
Discussion of ice time coordination and responsibilities of Playdown chair
Reiterated that the Playdown rotation schedule be reviewed and communicated with clubs
G) Seniors – Dushek
State will be in Green Bay next year Jan 21-23, 2004
National Seniors was in Chicago with 88 teams in 3 divisions
Oldest curler was 88 years old
Average age of participants was 65
EJ Stern won Open Division
Next year at curl Mesabi
State Badger Senior Women hosted by Poynette
5 Columbia County clubs have a Sr Day League that has been successful
H) Rules – Maskel (absent discussion by Swandby)
Discussion of stick and slide – should a curler be able to do both
7 WSCA’s input into USCA Strategic Planning - Swandby
A) Current plan
Grow Sport and increase # of sheets of ice
Improve member relations
Sustain competitive success
Effective and efficient governance and management
B) Brainstorming
Keep dues stable
Make dues progressive
Growth goal should continue to be #1
More attention to Jr programs
8 Hall of Fame Nominations
A) discussion that the board rec’d a resubmission of nominations for Curling Hall of Fame from the Superior Curling Club of Corky Bradshaw and Gene Ovesen. Both had been submitted previously by the WSCA and were not selected to the Hall of Fame. The WSCA president will respond to Toni Kari cc to Bud Somerville that the WSCA has already submitted these candidates. If they wish to pursue it further there are other avenues available to them.
9 Financial Committee report – CDaley
A) Website discussion by O’Neill outlining goal, plans and costs
B) Motion to proceed with plan CMcMahon, 2nd Williamson – passed
10 Changes in USCA Governance
A) Board size reduction
B) Representation changes based on paid membership (Wi has about 29-30% of USCA members)
C) Committees will now have non-USCA director members allowing flexibility and participation
11 Reimbursement for updates/engraving for State Championship trophies
Motion to reimburse winners for getting their names engraved on Jr trophies CDaley 2nd Sompii – passed
12 Wisconsin State Bonspiel
Discussion of continuing event – it was cancelled last year
Consensus is to continue it
Clintonville will host 2004/5
13 Elections – Russell
A) WSCA Officers
Nomination Committee presented slate of officers
President – Christine Daley
Vice President – Jim O’Neill
VP Championships – Jeremy Roe
Secretary – Phil Janusiak
Treasurer – Greg Dunlop
No nominations from the floor
Move to close nominations and record unanimous approval Russell, 2nd CMcMahon – passed
B) Executive Committee
Nomination Committee presented Executive Committee
Past two WSCA Presidents – Swandby and CMcmahon
Current WSCA officers
No nominations from the floor
Move to close nominations and record unanimous approval Russell, 2nd CDaley – passed
C) USCA Representatives
Nomination Committee presented
Jay Packard – 3 year term
No nominations from the floor
Move to close nominations and record unanimous approval Russell, 2nd CMcMahon – passed
14 Presentation of Presidents Pins - Russell
15 Next Meeting Scheduled for September 25th, 2004 at Portage Curling Club
15 Motion to adjourn O’Neill, 2nd Russell passed
Portage Curling Club