Potomac Curling Club
Encyclopedia
Potomac Curling Club is a curling
club started in 1961 and currently curling in Laurel, Maryland
. Operating out of the National Capital Curling Center, a dedicated curling ice facility at the Gardens Ice House operated under a long-term lease since 2002, the group maintains four lanes of dedicated curling ice, the only dedicated curling ice in the Washington, D.C.
, area. The club operates during the main curling season (October to April), although social events for the membership occur during the summer.
The club has approximately 200 members across the D.C. metropolitan
area, and sponsors Open Houses and "Learn-to-curl" training sessions open to the public, as well as nightly leagues for its membership and a series of tournaments, called bonspiels, through the winter season.
Potomac hosted the 2004 United States Senior Woman's Bonspiel, the 2005 United States Curling Association
Mixed National Championship, the 2010 Eastern Regional Qualifiers for the United States Men's Curling Championship, and a visit by the 2011 Scots Woman's US tour, and will be hosting the 2012 Rotary International Curling World Championships.
As one of the dedicated ice curling facilities in the Grand National Curling Club
(GNCC), the PCC regularly hosts GNCC events, and participates with three other area curling clubs (Chesapeake, Philadelphia, and Plainfield curling clubs) in a rotating contest, the MACA.
In 2000, with assistance from the World Curling Federation, the state of Maryland (the $250,000 grant from the state later became the subject of attack ads in an election campaign) and a long-term lease from Prince George's County, the club constructed the National Capital Curling Center, attached to the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland. The facility, the first dedicated curling facility built in the US since 1974, was finished and moved into in 2002, just in time for the 2002 Olympics and the increase in exposure the coverage of that event brought. An Open House held that February attracted 700 visitors and allowed the club to double its membership.
The 2006 Olympic Season open house brought over 1000 visitors and an additional 90 member increase.
The Southern Comfort Bonspiel – Held in October, this Open Bonspiel kicks off the curling season for the club
Potomac Junior Bonspiel – Held in November, this Junior (under 21) tournament pits several up and coming Junior curlers, curling clinics for coaches are held as well
The BIG Spiel – Held in December, this is the PCC's annual internal bonspiel
The Chesapeake Potomac Invitational Bonspiel – An Interclub bonspiel between the PCC and members of the Chesapeake Curling Club
The Cherry Blossom Bonspiel – The capstone event of the PCC Season, this 32 team Open tournament attracts teams from across the nation, and is timed to coincide with the National Cherry Blossom Festival
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
club started in 1961 and currently curling in Laurel, Maryland
Laurel, Maryland
Laurel is a city in northern Prince George's County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County, Maryland, United States, located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Incorporated in 1870, the city maintains a historic district including its Main Street...
. Operating out of the National Capital Curling Center, a dedicated curling ice facility at the Gardens Ice House operated under a long-term lease since 2002, the group maintains four lanes of dedicated curling ice, the only dedicated curling ice in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, area. The club operates during the main curling season (October to April), although social events for the membership occur during the summer.
The club has approximately 200 members across the D.C. metropolitan
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area, and sponsors Open Houses and "Learn-to-curl" training sessions open to the public, as well as nightly leagues for its membership and a series of tournaments, called bonspiels, through the winter season.
Potomac hosted the 2004 United States Senior Woman's Bonspiel, the 2005 United States Curling Association
United States Curling Association
The United States Curling Association is the national governing body of the sport of curling in the United States. The goal of the USCA is to grow the sport of curling in the United States and win medals in competitions both domestic and abroad. Curling’s recent popularity has swelled the USCA to...
Mixed National Championship, the 2010 Eastern Regional Qualifiers for the United States Men's Curling Championship, and a visit by the 2011 Scots Woman's US tour, and will be hosting the 2012 Rotary International Curling World Championships.
As one of the dedicated ice curling facilities in the Grand National Curling Club
Grand National Curling Club
The Grand National Curling Club, also known as the GNCC, is the union of curling clubs in New England and the Mid-Atlantic of the United States. It was established in 1867...
(GNCC), the PCC regularly hosts GNCC events, and participates with three other area curling clubs (Chesapeake, Philadelphia, and Plainfield curling clubs) in a rotating contest, the MACA.
History
The PCC was begun in 1961 by six Canadians stationed in the DC Metro area as part of the embassy staff. Curling first on rented hockey ice in College Park and then Silver Spring, Maryland, the club expanded to approximately 50 members. In 1967, the club lost its ice when the facility it used closed, and the club was dark until 1970, when Montgomery County opened the first of its ice rinks. Ultimately, the club settled at Cabin John Regional Park, where it remained until the end of 2001.In 2000, with assistance from the World Curling Federation, the state of Maryland (the $250,000 grant from the state later became the subject of attack ads in an election campaign) and a long-term lease from Prince George's County, the club constructed the National Capital Curling Center, attached to the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland. The facility, the first dedicated curling facility built in the US since 1974, was finished and moved into in 2002, just in time for the 2002 Olympics and the increase in exposure the coverage of that event brought. An Open House held that February attracted 700 visitors and allowed the club to double its membership.
The 2006 Olympic Season open house brought over 1000 visitors and an additional 90 member increase.
Annual events
National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington...