24 Jun 2009 – The NZ Curling Association newsletter for June includes the appointment of National Selectors, a new Auckland Liaison Officer role, an update on NZ tournament and NZ representative team eligibility, and a reminder of the Curlers' Court.

Clubs must advise candidates for the Curlers' Court by 10 July.

Executive Contacts

My Lord

Dick McArthur has been reappointed as My Lord. However, as Br Dick is presently recovering from a serious injury and may not be in a position to fulfill the role of My Lord at a Curlers' Court if one is held in 2009, Br Jack Davis has been appointed as Acting My Lord.

National Selectors

In a change from past practices, the Executive has appointed three sets of selectors, so that (more or less) each national team has its selectors. The Executive has also decided that where practicable, a person who is seeking to be considered for selection to a NZ team cannot also be a selector of that team and conversely, a person who is a selector for a NZ team cannot offer himself or herself for selection in that team.

The following appointments have been made for the 2009/10 international season (essentially covering the period from 1 June 2009 until 31 May 2010):

NZ Juniors (Under 21):	John Allen, Peter Becker, Mervyn Jamieson
NZ "Open", Mixed Doubles:	John Allen, Mervyn Jamieson, Richard Morgan
NZ Seniors:	Darren Carson, Sharon Morrison, Mervyn Jamieson

Auckland Liaison Officer

The Executive has established a new position in an endeavour to develop a better working relationship with the Auckland Curling fraternity which is seen as a major growth area in terms of participant numbers and facilities.

As reported in the NZCA's previous Newsletter, Auckland Curling has been successful in gaining Waitakere City Council support for the establishment of a dedicated indoor curling facility – there is a lot of work to do and time to pass before the new curling rink becomes a reality but the latest development (City Council approval) is a big fillip to the sport of curling both in Auckland and in New Zealand.

Auckland already has the largest Club membership and taking into account that issue and the distance factor from Central Otago where the NZCA Executive is based, the Executive wants to make sure that good lines of communication between Auckland and the Executive are established, maintained, and improved.

The roles of the proposed Auckland Liaison Officer has yet to be defined in detail by the Executive but the fundamental role will be to act a first point of contact for each of the Auckland Clubs and the Executive so as to ensure that issues of concern can be positively and expeditiously addressed by each party.

The Executive has invited the Auckland Clubs to make a recommendation as to a suitable appointee to the position; the Auckland Clubs will also be asked to provide some input to the roles of the Liaison Officer so that the position can be mutually beneficial to the region and the NZCA, for the ongoing benefit of curling in New Zealand.

NZCA Tournaments

A reminder to all proposed participants in the forthcoming NZ tournaments – NZ Mixed Open at Naseby on 6-7-8 June; NZ Nationals at Dunedin on 2-3-4-5 July; NZ Mixed Doubles at Naseby on 2-3-4 October:

for these NZCA tournaments, each participant must be either a "full" member of a Curling Club affiliated to the NZCA (and the Club must pay a subscription to the NZCA on each player’s behalf) or pay an annual tournament licence fee which covers each calendar year. The tournament licence fee for 2009 has been set at $30 and is in addition to the actual tournament entry fee.

NZCA Representative Teams

A requirement for eligibility for team selection is that each participant must be either a "full" member of a Curling Club affiliated to the NZCA (and the Club must pay a subscription to the NZCA on each player's behalf) or pay an annual tournament licence fee which covers each calendar year. As set out in the previous item, the tournament licence fee for 2009 has been set at $30.

This requirement applies to persons seeking to be considered for the following NZ rep teams:

• Men's National
• Women's National
• Men's Under 21
• Women's Under 21
• Men's Seniors
• Women's Seniors
• Mixed Doubles

Curlers' Court

In the event that a bonspiel is not called in 2009, it is proposed to hold a Curlers' Court on Thursday 30 July 2009 – the Executive has decided that Clubs will be required to advise the names of the candidates to be conducted through the Court by Friday 10 July 2009.

Should there be insufficient numbers of candidates, then the proposed Court will not be proceeded with.