My Personal Curling Goals

I'm sitting here with the music cranked up HIGH, in fact I think the windows are rattling or maybe shaking. Alot of it is what I listen to when working out, to get me thru the toughest part of the cardio, that blasted stair climber.

I'm lucky in that I get to curl with some really great people. Andy in particular seems to dial in on what I'm thinking even before I know what I'm thinking. For example I had sort of been thinking about getting to the US Nationals - sort of - Andy verbalized it ! That prompted me to actually try and figure out what other goals I had hiding that I'd only given a brief passing thought to - curling goals mind you-

Oh geeesh here I go, I'm actually going to do this aren't I - UGH !!!!!

In my mind if you are really going to put down in words, your goals, then you should really reach for the stars and not the basement. I've lived in a basement, I grew up in a basement, I'm not going back only up. So while some of this is far fetched (ohhhhh here comes Bon Jovi !) none of it is impossible. Maybe improbable, but all attainable if I work hard enough. Some is a near term this coming season type goal, some long term and some eventually.

(Geesh I think I'm actually shaking)

My Curling Goals - by Dan

I want to get to the US Nationals, this coming season, but I don't want to just show up I want to win at least 50% of the games or more. I want people to notice the TEXANS ! That we played very competitively, played with gusto, and gave them a major game.

I want to be known across the USA, in the curling clubs, as a team or a club that sends a high calibre group to bonspiels, so high we get personally invited. Other clubs WANT us in their spiels because we are competitive, because we uphold the curling traditions, the etiquette that is so important to this game. They also want to hear us say Y'all !

I want to WIN a spiel this season in the US and then win one in Canada ! Then go for 100 Bonspiel Wins ! YEAH !!!

(and since I am reaching for the stars...)

I'd like to be known in Canada ! That's right, I'd like the home of curling (not the birthplace) to know who we are, to also want us in their spiels and seek us out. Impossible ? Well difficult to be sure, after all there are about 2 million curlers in Canada. But they know who Pete Fenson is, so why not ME and why not our club ?

I want to curl against the Swedish Women's Olympic Gold Medal Winners ! Team Norberg, I want to clank glasses with Anna and Eva, give them all a big kiss and a hug and thank them them for the great games and great visibility they have given our game.

Then go out for dinner and drinks.

Whatever.

I want to meet Colleen Jones, Jennifer Jones, Ferby, Middaugh and Kevin Martin. Notice I started with the women.....

I want to do the camps, the time, throw the stones, the travel and whatever else is necessary to try and reach these goals and I want to drag my club with me. I want to share any and all these goals that I actually reach with the rest of my club, with the Houston club and hopefully with the San Antonio and Austin clubs if they form. After all it's the Curling Community that is so important, so unlike any other sport.

That's it.

I'm feeling pretty naked at this point, I've never done anything like this before, I think I feel like hiding somewhere.


Dan