By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — Newbies and veteran curlers alike had the opportunity to learn from the pros at a clinic held in Davidson last weekend.

A total of 22 people registered for the two-hour adult clinic, held the evening of Jan. 22 at the Communiplex curling rink.

While social leagues are growing and more people in their 20s and 30s are taking up the sport, organizers are still working to grow the sport, said Susan Lang, development and market manager for CURLSASK.

“If we don’t do this, we’re not going to have a sport in 20 years,” she said, adding that longtime players were also finding the clinics beneficial.

Lang was one of three instructors leading on Friday night, along with Travis Brown and 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion Amber Holland.

“Everybody was really eager to try something new,” said Lang. “We try to keep these low-key . . . People strive to improve, but it’s not boot camp.”

The clinic focused on basic skills like sliding, throwing and brushing. Participants were divided up into three groups based on experience level.

For newer curlers, Lang said the sliding is often the most challenging part, although those who have skated or skied in the past may pick it up more quickly.

“The flexibility that’s involved in curling is deceptive,” she said, “as is the requirement for good balance.”

Lang said it can be daunting for new Canadians who haven’t spent time on ice surfaces before, adding, “Not everyone’s a skater, skiier, snowboarder-type of person.”

With that in mind, instructors have developed exercises to help develop that flexibility and balance, as well as prop rocks that can be used in training.

“We saw a big improvement in an hour and a half tonight,” said Lang. “We sort of strip it down to the bare basics . . . We want people to succeed.”

CURLSASK offers clinics targeted at different age groups. Lang said they have found that adults are less likely to take lessons, so organizers seek to make it as comfortable as possible.

For the full story, please see the Feb. 1 edition of The Davidson Leader.

By Joel van der Veen

DAVIDSON — There was plenty of skill on display as eight teams converged in Davidson last weekend for a senior boys basketball tournament.

The Raiders hosted teams from the towns of Southey, Langham, Coronach, Porcupine Plain, Herbert and Biggar over the weekend of Jan. 15 and 16.

Also competing in the tournament was the senior boys team from Frontier Collegiate Institute (FCI) in Cranberry Portage, Man., whose players travelled eight hours on a school bus from northern Manitoba to Davidson.

The Raiders faced some tough competition from familiar challengers, but ultimately prevailed, defeating the Biggar Blazers 72-66 on Saturday night.

“The whole group of them played really well,” said Davidson coach Kim Rettger. “It’s always nice to win your home tournament, especially for the Grade 12s.”

Davidson played its first game on Friday evening, easily defeating the Langham Vikings with a score of 77-36.

Rettger said all of his players had plenty of time on the court, giving them a chance to prepare for a stronger challenge on Saturday.

The next morning the Raiders took on the Herbert Laurels in the A-side final, struggling at first but later pulling ahead with a 72-62 win.

Meanwhile, the Coronach Colts — who won gold at the 1A provincials last year — were defeated by the Biggar Blazers, who combined an aggressive offence with strong defence.

Rettger said he was surprised at Biggar’s performance, noting that the team has several skilled shooters on its roster and a high level of accuracy.

Davidson met Biggar in the championship game. The Blazers took a commanding lead in the first quarter, but the Raiders narrowed the gap to 10 points by the game’s midway point.

A switch from a zone defence to a man-to-man defence brought Davidson within two points of taking the lead by the end of the third quarter.

Huck Rettger scored a total of 38 points in the final, 29 of which were scored during the second half. For his efforts he was recognized as Davidson’s player of the game.

The Raiders had secured a small lead in the closing minutes when the coach sent out Kieran Boehm, who picked up a couple of rebounds and turned them into successful layups. This gave the team a comfortable 72-66 lead at the final buzzer.

For the full story, please see the Jan. 25 edition of The Davidson Leader.