House Call: A new age for team building

Picture it. You arrive at the curling club, partial team in tow. Excitement crackles in the air as old friends come together for another curling season. Except, you have a problem. Your team is one player short. You approach the line for registration. As you move closer to the front of the line you begin to grow nervous; how will you find another player? Will the new player fit in with your team? Important questions indeed… Here are some simple ideas to make sure you don’t end up a player short this season.
It was handshakes all around for Team Sweden after their Page playoff 1-2 victory over Scotland on Friday. (Photo, CCA/Michael Burns)

“It is important to make sure the new member will get along with you and your teammates in order for your team to gel, whether it’s a recreational team or a competitive team.” (Team Sweden celebrates a win in the Page 1-2 playoff game at the 2013 Men’s World Curling Championship. Photo, CCA/Michael Burns)

First, it is important to let the league organizer or club manager know you’re short a player, what position is open, and how serious or recreational your team is. The league organizer or club manager may be able to connect you with single players looking for teams. But don’t rely on the league organizer or club manager alone to find you a player. They will do their best to match-make for teams but ultimately you are responsible for finding a team. There are several things you can do, beyond notifying the league organizer, to help find yourself a player. As we all know, the age of the Internet is upon us. Why not take advantage of social networking platforms to advertise the open space on your team? You can start with your Facebook account. Update your status or create an ad to mention your curling team is looking for a player. Don’t forget to note league times and dates, curling club location, gender required (men’s league, mixed league, open league, women’s league, seniors league), position open (skip, third, second, lead), and how competitive or recreational your team intends to be. You may also wish to ask your friends on Facebook to repost the ad on their pages to see if one of their friends might be interested. You could also try tweeting about your open position. Provide the same information mentioned in your Facebook advertisement. Besides Facebook and Twitter, you can advertise on a classified ad site such as Kijiji or Craigslist. Also check to see if there are any other local classified ad sites for your area. Perhaps your curling club even has a section on its website. All you need to do is ask. If you live in a small town, advertising on Kijiji or Craigslist may not be as effective. You might try posting a typed and photocopied advertisement at local establishments featuring community bulletin boards. Try coffee shops, grocery stores, recreation centres, or retail stores. This is a good way to get your need for a teammate out to the greater population without hiring an airplane to sky-write your needs. Remember to check back with your league coordinator and/or club manager occasionally to see if they’ve found any prospects for you. Keep in mind the first person you find does not necessarily have to be your new player. It is important to make sure the new member will get along with you and your teammates in order for your team to gel, whether it’s a recreational team or a competitive team. You may wish to host a team practice or trial game instead of signing them up right away. By using a number of methods to find a player instead of relying solely on the league organizer or club manager, you better your chances of finding a new teammate who will fit in and stay with you for the long run.
Team Nova Scotia skip Mary-Anne Arsenault third Kim Kelly, second Colleen Jones, lead Jen Bxterduring the sceond draw at the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, February 16-24, Kingston Onatrio, The Canadian Womans Curling Championship (Photo Andrew Klaver)

Team Nova Scotia skip Mary-Anne Arsenault third Kim Kelly, second Colleen Jones, lead Jen Bxterduring the sceond draw at the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, February 16-24, Kingston Onatrio, The Canadian Womans Curling Championship (Photo Andrew Klaver)