CurlTech: Curling School



	ABOUT US

CurlTech Mission

CurlTech researches and documents curling's best practices and delivers the information via the web site, curling clinics, program implementation and club consultation. Through a small staff and a diverse group of volunteers, the company shares all types of curling information for the betterment of the sport of curling.

CurlTech is an American, non-profit corporation. A curling company. It was founded in 1990 by a group of competitive curlers after a club member asked for a manual to help him with his curling. Steve Reid, a fairly new curler at the time, was interested in becoming an Olympian in the sport of curling. He asked our group to send him the exact, step-by-step documentation of how to properly throw and sweep a curling rock. Of course, this did not exist. Thank you, Steve for jump starting the curling manual and web site. Because of his prompting, our group started an ongoing process of documenting the proper methods, procedures, strategies and concepts used in curling. These same curlers wanted to share curling best practices and information - free to the world. One of the goals was to increase overall curling awareness, growth potential and skill proficiency. CurlTech operates only in the interests of the sport of curling. Our mission is to develop and document curling methods, procedures and strategies for use by all curlers from novice to expert level. Our staff constantly researches and participates in all aspects of curling. CurlTech can offer the latest curling information, systems and procedures in an effort to further the sport.

The delivery vehicle for CurlTech is the The Curling School, an online training and information source. The Curling School can be found online at www.curlingschool.com.

CurlTech Staff

Grayland Cousins
Managing Director

Grayland is a life-long curler with fifty years of curling experience. After a career as a corporate executive in operations, systems, and training, he left the corporate world to own and operate his own business. He has a business degree from Wittenberg University.

Specialty: Program development, training and development, skills analysis, team systems

Club membership history: Brae Burn-Newton, MA, Wilmette-Wilmette, IL, Indian Hill-Winnetka, IL, Ak Sar Ben-Omaha, NE, Broomstones-Wayland, MA, Nashua-Nashua, NH

Home Club: Nashua Curling Club, Nashua, NH

Elizabeth Cousins
Program Director

Elizabeth is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the curling school. In addition, she is the main support person for the Junior and Competitive Development Programs. Elizabeth started curling as a "rink rat" at the Broomstones Curling Club in Wayland, MA. She has a 2021 degree in psychology from the University of New Hampshire. She has come through the CurlTech Junior and Competitive Development Programs as a participant and successfully implemented those programs at another club. Elizabeth is a member of the US National Team (currently Team Bear, formerly Team Sinclair) and has eight national appearances and three medals.

Specialty: Program implementation, program support

Club membership history: Broomstones-Wayland, MA, Nashua-Nashua, NH

Home Club: Nashua Curling Club, Nashua, NH

CurlTech Philosophy

We believe there is a best way to do everything. Our staff members are constantly researching new and reviewing existing methods to create effective and efficient ways to curl, from the delivery and sweeping to strategy and equipment. We enter our staff into social bonspiels as well as top ranked competitive tournaments to research firsthand what works and what does not.

We do not teach gimmicks or one-off concepts. We document and teach the best practices in the curling world. There are lots of instructors teaching new ideas. Before a new idea or concept makes it into a CurlTech document, it must work. This is measured only by performance whether at the club level or at the Olympic level.

The goal of the organization is to provide the foundation of skills and knowledge to all curlers who want it. By providing the base skills and knowledge, each curler can then decide how far they want to go. This is based on the curler's commitment to their own goals. By providing the base to all curlers, their level of commitment will define their level of success. From the one-night per-week social curler to the aspiring Olympian, a solid base will allow all to have fun and succeed.

About www.curlingschool.com

The web site is the main information delivery vehicle for CurlTech. Whether you're a non-curler, a brand-new curler, or a seasoned veteran, The Curling School, at www.curlingschool.com, has information that will help you learn about the game and improve your skills. The Curling School utilizes a director and a small staff with a wide variety of skills to develop methods to teach curlers at all levels. Our methods (best practices) will allow new curlers to enjoy social curling faster and will develop today's aspiring Olympians into tomorrow's Olympic champions.

Listed below are the specific skills that the CurlTech staff members bring to the table:

Systems development (methods and procedures)
Professional training
Top-ranked national curlers
Ice making
National level officiating
National level coaching

This broad set of skills allows The Curling School to develop and document the latest curling methods and procedures.

About the Content

CurlTech provides information in two categories:

Reference Material which is free to the public via the website.
Program Material which is located on the secure section of the site. Contact CurlTech to discuss programs available for your club.

The website contains the most comprehensive collection of curling related material in the world. Decades of first-hand research along with annual updates makes this continuously improving manual an important tool to your curling knowledge and development.

Each section contains lots of information. At the beginning of each section, we have oversimplified the content into a few key bullet points.

Video Support

Several videos are available throughout the web site to assist with the detailed content. The videos are not step by step instructional videos but are designed to provide the visual support to the detailed material.

The following support videos are available:

Coming Soon:

Teaching the delivery to new and young curlers using the 1-2-3 method
Playing Skip's Call - A Curling Game of Strategy and Tactics
Line of delivery coaching tool
Advanced delivery troubleshooting

Integrated Program Structure

CurlTech programs are designed to be part of an integrated system. The program goal is to educate, train and develop curlers of all ages. The result is a well-trained system of curlers that can show results at all levels of play. From the life-long league players to next Olympians, the program structure will provide a solid foundation for curling growth, enjoyment AND performance.

The following integrated programs are designed to flow in the following order:

Junior Program.
Junior Bonspiel Structure.
Competitive Development Program.
Hand-off to the national competitive programs run by the NGBs.
Learn to Curl programs.
Ongoing club training and support.
"Next Level" clinics.
Strategy Clinics.

Content Revisions and Updates

CurlTech was founded in 1990. First printed version of the material - November of 1992.
Revised September 1996
Revised and published on the internet in October 1999
Revised December 2001, March 2003
Complete revision September 2006
Revised September 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014
Complete revision January, 2015
Updated January, 2018
Complete revision and site design March, 2021
Revised August, 2022