Welcome to the Madison Curling Club!

History of the Madison Curling Club

The roots of the Madison Curling Club date back to 1921, when some hearty University of Wisconsin Professors and Madisonians created a “sheet” of ice under the UW stadium bleachers at Camp Randall. These early curlers each had their own set of stones and therefore, uniform size and performance of the stones was virtually nonexistent.

The Madison Curling Club was organized in 1931 and a building was erected on the northeast corner of Burr Jones recreational field in Madison. The structure housed four sheets office and cost $6,000. Windows were placed on the sides of sheets one and four. Vents below the windows were opened and closed to help keep the “natural ice” from melting. On the east end of the building was a clubroom with a wood burning stove for heat. The toilet facility was a “one hole” outhouse. In 1949 the wood walls were replaced with concrete block, ice making equipment was installed and a large clubroom with a kitchen was built. Women curled at the club for the first time in 1950 within an organization called the Toories (disbanded in 1988). The clubroom was enlarged in 1958. In 1964, a women’s locker room was added and the men’s locker room was enlarged. Sixty-six years of curling at Burr Jones Field came to an end in 1997 when the building was demolished by the City of Madison.

The 1997-98 curling season was a new beginning for the Madison Curling Club with the completion of a $1,030,000 six sheet facility in the Village of McFarland. Our new facility contains men’s and women’s locker rooms, a kitchen with walk in cooler, exterior patio, TV lounge, clubroom and spectator viewing area to six sheets of ice.

Operating Structure of MCC

Board of Directors:
The Board of Directors is elected by the MCC membership and is responsible for all aspects of operation of MCC. There are nine voting members of the Board of Directors and each member serves a three year term. Three new representatives are elected each spring. In addition, there are a few nonvoting members of the Board of Directors, including the Secretary, Treasurer and immediate Past President. Any Madison Curling Club member may attend meetings of the Board of Directors. Meetings are held monthly.

Madison Curling Foundation:
This organization is the tax exempt fundraising arm of the Madison Curling Club. Membership of the MCF is composed of the members of the Madison Curling Club Board of Directors, both voting and nonvoting. They, in turn, elect the three member Madison Curling Foundation Board of Directors. Each MCF Director serves a three year term, with one being elected each year. The MCF Board of Directors then elects officers of the MCF. Officers need not be a member or director of MCF to serve. Donations to the Madison Curling Foundation are tax exempt and are generally used to promote the sport of curling.

Committees:
Operations of the Madison Curling Club are divided into committees, each headed by a member of the MCC Board of Directors. Committees are operated entirely by volunteers and your help is needed! Check the committee list in the directory or posted on the bulletin board at the club. If there is an area in which you are interested, please call the member in charge and volunteer your services.

Dues:
Dues are set by the Board of Directors each year. There is usually a significant discount for first and second year members, as well as students. There are special membership rates for seniors and social members. The dues deadline (beginning of November) is posted at the club each fall. The dues must be paid prior to any curling beginning after that date. You can mail your dues payment, give your dues payment to a member of the board, or drop it in the box outside the office door using the envelopes provided. If the dues are not received by the treasurer by the deadline, you will not curl. (In the mail doesn’t count!) Your team will play without you or forfeit the game.

Payment of dues entitles you to curl in league events as well as non-league events (at perhaps a small fee). Beer and soda are included with your membership. If you bring a regular visitor, please encourage them to make a donation for beverages they drink. Your membership also included membership in the United States Curling Association, a subscription to the USCA Curling News and a subscription to the Madison Curling Club newsletter, "Along the Hog Line".

Rules and Ratings

Rules:
Rules specific to curling events in the Madison Curling Club are published in the MCC Directory. Please become familiar with them. The general rules of the sport are governed by the United States Curling Association and the World Curling Federation. They are available upon request from a Board member.

The Rating or Points System:
We have a rating system, unique to our club, which is used to rate players and “even the playing field” in certain leagues and other events. Players are rated from one to twenty points. Brand new curlers are rated “1”. Certain curlers that can compete on the national level are rated “20”. In general, leads are rated 1-5, seconds 6-10, thirds 11-15, and skips 16-20, but there is not strict adherence. The Ratings Committee meets each spring to re-rate every curler. For some league events in the club, there is a point limit which teams must adhere to, thus having players of all abilities on each team.

2007-2008 Women's Ratings 2007-2008 Men's Ratings

Housekeeping

Lockers and Keys:
Lockers are available to MCC members for a small yearly fee. Find an empty locker, pay your fee and write your name on the locker list posted in the locker room on the bulletin board. Alternatively, you can share a locker with a teammate or other friend, or bring your equipment with you each time. Key cards to the club are available to members at least 21 years old for a small deposit fee.

Telephone:
The telephone is there for your convenience, but costs money. Many calls from McFarland to the Madison area are local long distance. Please place the requested donation in the jar on the kitchen counter next to the clubhouse phone.

Information:
There are several ways to find out about upcoming Madison Curling Club events:

· Ask your skip and teammates. They will either know about various events or know how to find out.

· There are several bulletin boards around the club for Men’s, Women’s, Mixed, Open, Senior and Junior events. Check these boards regularly for information and sign-up sheets.

· Sign-up posters and informational “table toppers” will keep you informed of up-coming events as well.

· A club Schedule of Events is published in the Directory each year showing bonspiels, club suppers, league events and other activities.

· "Along the Hog Line" is our club newsletter. It is published about six times per year. During the curling season it is distributed at the club to save on mailing costs. It will be mailed to you during the off-season.

· The Madison Curling Club membership directory is published as soon as possible each season. It has a wealth of information and history.

· Announcements are made during your league, usually before or after your game, by the shift coordinator. Please pay attention and ask questions.

Ice Reservations:
A Ice Reservation Book is posted near the telephone and can be consulted to determine when ice is available for practice, makeup games and recruiting. Open ice can be used at any time, except during private parties, interclub bonspiels or state or national playdowns. Write your name in the notebook for the date and time you desire for any makeup game or team practice. Please do not schedule yourself for individual practice. Just arrive and use any available open ice.

Club Rental:
The clubhouse, ice field or both areas can be rented by members for private parties at any time the club is not being used for leagues or other curling events. Please contact the Madison Curling Club rental agent for dates available and rates. The entire building is available for rental by members and non-members in the off season.