Episodes

Ken Pomeroy joins the podcast to talk analytics in curling. He is the founder of KenPom.com, which revolutionized the way we analyze college basketball. Ken is also a curler and has started applying some of his analytics to the curling world at DoubleTakeout.com. In this episode, we dive into how Ken got into the game and how analytics can change the way we play and think about curling. DoubleTakeout.com Ken Pomeroy on Twitter Ep55: Cultivating Curling Calculations w/ Gerry Geurts

This episode is all about building new dedicated curling facilities. We talk with Alan Hannah, who is working to build a new curling center in Glasgow, Scotland. Also, Liza Beres and Matt Gamboa of Hollywood Curling discuss the efforts to bring dedicated ice to Los Angeles. Glasgow Ice Centre Southern California Curling Center

We welcome CurlingZone’s Gerry Geurts to the show to discuss the impact COVID-19 will have on the upcoming season, changes to curling’s ratings systems and ways competitive curling tours can help promote the growth of the sport. Jonathan also has an update for us on Scottish Curling’s selection system for the World Curling Championships.

We are joined by Adriana Camarena—a writer, rule of law consultant, anti-police brutality activist and member of Mexico’s national curling team—for a much-needed discussion on how curling can be more inclusive, the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against racism in the United States. Unsettlers.org Justice for Luis Góngora Pat

In this episode we discuss: COVID-19’s impact on the business of curling; the World Curling Tour’s new ranking system; Scotland and Russia’s new methods for selecting their World Championship representatives; the Worlds as just an Olympic qualifier; the impact this might eventually have on the Brier and Scotties. Links How would Canada’s Scotties and Brier fields look using other countries’ formats?

The changes in curling in the United States and in high-level curling can be told through the story of John Shuster. His Olympic triumph vindicated his team and legitimized USA curling. This is the story of the changes in Shuster’s sport, his team and himself that led to that moment. Links: Shuster’s interview after beating Canada in the round robin

Jamie Danbrook joins us to talk about his curling career and his current gig as an ice maker. He’s played at junior worlds with Brett Gallant and the Brier with Brad Gushue. Now he makes ice in Nova Scotia and for the World Curling Federation. Jamie has made ice all over the world and faced some pretty difficult ice builds. We also get all science-y on you about the impact water quality and weather has on curling ice.

Non-curling topics: “This is fine,” how we’re staying sane and shows we’re binge watching. Curling topics: The 2020 World Championships are officially canceled. We discuss how this will affect team selection and the Olympics. Special Guest: Stephanie Thompson, a Registered Kinesiologist and the second on Team Wasylkiw, talks about staying fit even while sheltering in place, catering your routine specifically for curling, simple things new curlers can do to improve mobility and much, much more....

We interrupt your regular existential dread to bring you some things that don’t matter. We talk the cancelation of all things curling, team changes and how we’re coping with quarantine. We need to keep podcasting to stay sane, so please send us topics you’d like us to cover to rocksacrossthepond@gmail.com.

We discuss arena curling strategies (as in U.S. arena curling clubs), trends from the Scotties and Brier and worldwide national championships before previewing women’s worlds. Get a team-by-team breakdown including how this year’s tournament will impact the race for Olympic points.

A division in Polish Curling came to a head in February 2020 when the WCF suspended the Polish Curling Association. We look into the reasons likely at the root of the suspension and are joined by Marcin Madej of the Polish Federation of Curling Clubs. Marcin provides insight into the history of curling in Poland, the division between his organization and the PCA and how the sport can move forward in his country. Links: WCF Statement Polish Curling Association Polish Federation of Curling Clubs...

We start by recapping the many national curling championships that just completed, including Scotland, Switzerland, Japan and the US. We finish off by discussing the recent hire of Jeff Plush as the new CEO of USA Curling, hear from some people who know him better than we do and talk about what his success will look like if you’re a club curler.

Jonathan and Ryan preview the upcoming championships for the USA, Scotland, Switzerland and Japan (plus we spend about 30 seconds on Sweden). Will any young up-and-coming teams claim titles? Why is it so important that Japan is missing out on this year’s Men’s World Championship? Why doesn’t Jonathan like Tim Horton’s? We attempt to answer these questions and more! For more on the USA Curling National Championships, check out Ep44 with the 12th End Sports Network’s Joe Calabrese. Click here for...

Jonathan recaps his recent curling trip to Lativa and we are joined by Joe Calabrese from 12th End Sports Network. Joe tells us about the birth of TESN’s webcasts and how their coverage of USA Curling Nationals has grown in the nine years they’ve been doing them. We also preview what to look for on the ice and on the broadcast at the upcoming championships.

We return from our holiday break to discuss a number of curling topics. We look at curling’s rankings system, why it can be tougher for European teams to earn points, an important facility closure, the difference in how clubs are set up in Europe vs. North America and we get Jonathan’s perspective on Curling Canada’s High Performance Consultant Program.

Adriana Camarena, the skip of Mexico’s women’s team, joins us ahead of Mexico’s trip to the 2020 World Qualification Event in Lohja, Finland. We discuss her start with the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, how she became a part of Curling Mexico, her experience at the 2019 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship & 2019 America’s Challenge and how curling can continue to grow in the Americas Zone. We even have some news about the 2020 WQE field. Links from this episode: The Mexico Women’s T...

Bobby Torres from the Curling Club at Penn State joins us to discuss his recent Growth of Curling Survey. It’s a fascinating look at how real curlers feel curling clubs can improve. We talk about learn-to-curl opportunities, marketing to the next generation and the unorthodox ways his club is attracting new members. Also, Jonathan and Ryan settle-up on their bad beer bet with the Game of Stones podcast.

It’s a double episode! Scott Graham from Game of Stones joins Jonathan to recap the European Championships, debate the broom fiasco and determine the losers of the Bad Beer Bet. But first we talk to Craig Nicko from Craig’s Curling Shoes about crafting crazy custom curling kicks.

It’s a crossover episode! Scott from Game of Stones joins Ryan to preview the men’s side of the draw. We break down what’s at stake in this event and go over each team in the A flight as well as a B flight that is full of very solid teams. Check out the Game of Stones podcast to hear Jonathan preview the women’s side of the draw with Sean.

Jonathan regales us with tales from the 2019 World Mixed Curling Championships, including the thrilling finishes to the Gold and Bronze Medal games, how the Nigeria and Kosovo teams came to be and whether or not he’s now motivated to return. We also discuss the difference in the World Curling Tour between now and 20 years ago and we give Jonathan the opportunity to respond to all the mean things we said about him while he was away.

Toronto curler and Hong Kong men’s skip Jason Chang joins the show to help us preview the 2019 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships. We discuss how he came to represent Hong Kong, the growth of curling in the region and sort out the favorites and sleeper picks for this year’s tournament, taking place Nov. 2-9 in Shenzhen, China.

We have two special guest hosts this episode: Ontario-turned-England curler Rob Retchless and English junior curler Felix Price. Rob talks changing affiliations to England, Ontario’s curling scene and prioritizing life and family over curling. You may remember Felix from our etiquette episode. He’s back to help Ryan make fun of Jonathan, preview the World Mixed Curling Championship and talk about licking rocks.

We take you around the curling world in interviews with Trevor Gau of Triangle Curling Club, Joël Retornaz of Team Italy and J.D. Lind of Team Japan. Find out how Triangle went from curling on hockey ice to their own dedicated facility and the get a taste of the state of the sport in Italy and Japan. Thank you to Trevor, Joël, J.D. and the folks behind the scenes at Curling Night in America, including Terry Davis, Rick Patzke and Price Atkinson for helping make this possible.

A spoiler-free batch of interviews from the taping of Curling Night in America in Raleigh, including USA Curling CEO Rick Patzke, Cory Christensen and Sarah Anderson of Team Sinclair and John Landsteiner of Team Shuster. Topics include gearing up for the 2019-20 season, mixing in mixed doubles to an already crowded season and the role TV plays in growing the game in America.