5-year and Under


Successful Five Year and Under Bonspiels were held in each region of the USWCA. The East Region held an Open Event in Schenectady and a Women's Event in Ardsley. In the Central Region Detroit held an Open and Exmoor hosted a Women's Event. Wisconsin's 5 & Under was an Open Challenge and in West I - St. Paul held a Women's Event with Grafton in West II's Event an Open.

The results reported for this season are:

East: Schenectady Curling Club
  • Winners 5 & Under Open Event: Charles Brown, Mike Stefanik, Richard Gonyeau and Scott Brennan
East: Ardsley Curling Club
  • Winners 5 & Under Women's Event: Green Mountain CC: Tish Orr, Meg O'Donnell, Connie Dollinger and Blythe Leonard
Central: Exmoor Curling Club
  • Winners 5 & Under Women's Event: Detroit CC: Linda Duby, Jennifer Parmenter, Deb Freedlander and Pamela Sabara

Wisconsin: Portage Curling Club

  • Winners 5 & Under Open Event: Madison CC: Steve Day, Josh Koehler, Zach Miller and Paul Ryan
West I: St. Paul Curling Club
  • Winners 5 & Under Women's Event: St Paul CC: Adrienne La Pointe, Mary Jane Krantz, Anne Flis and Amy Anderson
 
These popular bonspiels began in the GNCC. The first Women's Challenge event was held at Norfolk, CT in 1991 and was an official GNCC event. In 1993 the USWCA adopted the plan for a Women's Challenge to be held in each region/area of the United States. This event has become so popular that the USWCA now sponsors an Open Five Year and Under Bonspiel along with the Five Year and Under Women's Challenge.
 
There are traveling award plaques for the winning rinks in each event. Special pins are presented to winners and runners-up in four events. Participants must have five years or less curling experience. The goal of these events is to give newer curlers a chance to participate in bonspiels, meet other new curlers and play positions they normally wouldn't play. It is felt that the curlers will feel less concern about attending regular bonspiels after they have played against others with the same experience.
 
All Curlers with five or less years experience are eligible to participate. membership in the USWCA is not necessary, but in order to host one of the events, the host club must be a member. The Women's Challenge is made up of women's teams, but the new Open Event may have teams made up of any combination. Team members do not have to all belong to the same curling club.
 
An Eligibility Form must accompany the Event Entry. The Eligibility Form must be signed by a Curling Club Officer, and verifies that each team member meets the criteria for under five years of curling.

Winners from 2008-2009:


Schenectady Curling Club








Green Mountain Curling Club






Detroit Curling Club







Madison Curling Club






St. Paul Curling Club








These events have become so popular that the USWCA now sponsors an Open 5-year & Under Bonspiel along with the 5-Year & Under Women's Challenge. This is a terrific opportunity for newer curlers to experience a bonspiel along with other club's participants with similar skill levels. A beautiful traveling plaque is provided by the USWCA for the winning rink in each bonspiel, and special pins are presented to winners and runners-up in all four events.

All curlers with five or less years experience are eligible to participate. Membership in the USWCA is not necessary but in order to host one of the events the host club must be a member. The Women's Challenge is made up of women's teams but the new Open event may have teams made up of any combination. Composite teams are acceptable.

For more information and guidelines, please contact the 5-year & Under Chair Liz Abeltin at: whimbrel@aol.com

And - any club interested in hosting one of these events next season or in the future should let their USWCA Representative know or contact Liz directly.