In an email recieved by the blog this morning is seems a few questions have been answered for the up coming season.
1. Joe Rea will remain has Head coach for the up coming season
2. Jim Armstrong will remain OUT of the Team Canada line up
3. New faces will be added to the selection will NO old or expereinced faces being added
A mass email went out a day or so ago to a few players and this is how it read:
I
am sending this letter to inform you that we are moving forward with a group of
8-12 players for the 2012-2013 season.
The
current list of potential candidates, as of May 2012, includes; Darryl
Neighbour, Ina Forrest, Sonja Gaudet, Jack Smart, Anne Hibberd, Dennis
Thiessen, Benoit Lessard, Mark Ideson, Mike Munro, Joanne MacDonald, Darwin
Bender and Frank LaBounty.
As
we get closer to 2014, there is an expectation by our funding partners that we
will reduce the athlete pool in which they invest, therefore the
candidates list will be shortened as our season progresses and as our budget
allows, (note - our National Team Program funding was reduced by 15% for the
coming season).
Our
primary focus will be to groom the strongest positional candidates for
selection to the 2013 National Team. This will be accomplished through training
camps, domestic competitions, and workshops. We do not want to disrupt your
provincial teams’ activities; however there may be occasional scheduling
overlap with one of your athletes.
We
will continue to circulate relevant skills development information from our
Coaching Staff and IST to you.
Team
Saskatchewan, will be invited to a fall training camp, as winners of the
Canadian Wheelchair Championships.
Good
luck in your 2012/2013 season and stay in touch with us to let us know how you
are doing!
Joe
Rea
Head Coach
19 comments:
Oh give me a break!
Darryl has been in and out of hospital since he got home.
Mike Munro was never even at nationals and never seen most of the year! What a crock of SHI()(
Lessard was not impressive but Carl was and he does not make it. WOW
And what about the few expereinced players which should be looked at like Daw, Austgarden, Cormack - who is kissing whos ass?
And if you think anyone of these guys has a chance if Armstrong has his time overturned shake your heads.
And Please REA keeps his job ----
This program is a kiss a little ass and your in.... WOW
The Program is in need of a shakeup. I agree that some of these choices are surprising, and some of the omissions are also odd.
I would have thought that the result from last season's World Championships suggests there are voids in the Program, and there is a need to revisit every aspect of it.
Remember, prior to Armstrong's inclusion in this Program, there was only one "accidental" win in Torino, and not even a medal finish before or after.
It seems the Program is rudderless, and Joe and the staff have had a comfortable ride on Jim's coattails, but if and when he returns, funding will continue to erode, and results will not improve.
It has been said that funding is a result of performance, and it seems funding will continue to diminish.
SO WHO DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED?
DAW, AUSTGARTEN AND CORMACK HAVE HAD THEIR OPPORTUNITY, AND DON'T SEEM TO BE IN ANYONE'S PLANS, AND HAVE NOT BEEN FOR OVER THREE YEARS....
QUEBEC COMPLETELY SELF DESTRUCTED (AGAIN) AT NATIONALS....SASKATCHEWAN GETS A LOOK. BRUNO IS RETIRED. MANITOBA...WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON THERE.....
MIKE WAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED, AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ARMSTRONG LAST SEASON (AS WAS MARK).
THE FEMALE FACTOR SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO STAY INTACT.
MY GUESS IS THAT INA IS SAFE, JIM WILL BE WHEN THROUGH THE RIDICULOUS TAMOXIFEN ISSUE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS AVAILABLE. DON'T HANG DARRYL FOR HEALTH ISSUES IN MAY, WHEN HE DOES NOT NEED TO BE ON THE ICE UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
JACK AND ANN...PERHAPS A BIT OF A STRETCH...THEY HAD THEIR SHOT IN SCOTLAND AND KOREA, AND DOUBT IT DID ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THEIR POSITION....
DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHO IS REALLY MISSING, AND I AM SURE THEY CAN STILL LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN AS NECESSARY.
I would like to preface my comments by saying I have met and ourled against all those selected with the exception of Ina. They all seemed to be decent people. My comments are not aimed at any one of them personally but the "process".
Lets start with what appears to be "rule #3". Frank has been a pool selectee for many years and never advancing beyond the first or second cut. He is selected and Carl from Quebec is over looked....give me a break.
I agree with the first poster with regard to Mike Munro. It doesn't matter if u curl 100%, 100% of the time if there is no committment what value are u.
The process is a sham and a slap in the face to wheelchair curling in Canada. If the selectors are not totally embarrassed, they bloody well should be.
Frank LaBounty? Of course, long time friend of Joe's. I am surprised that Whitney was not convinced to come out of retirement as well.
As for Mike Munroe, I think we have to give the organizers a little leeway in the odd "subjective" assessment and pick. Remember, the Program has had huge success these past few years....more than any other Program in the World.
I am sure they are still working on a moving target, with names coming and going until the end of 2013.
For any of Team Quebec, they look good, but never close at the end....perhaps a coaching issue?
Like him or not, Joe has amassed quite a success story.
Have to agree with Bruce. What are the standards here? They choose someone to the pool like Dennis Thiessen who took a gold medal team down to 6th place? What a joke. Chris Sobkowicz at least had his team medal each year & then he gets dumped for the effort. I don't think we can expect any new medals at the worlds for quite some time now.
Ok, 2 comments here:
1. Torino was no accident and should NEVER be over looked as anything than a great accomplishment by those which won. That is just disrespectful.
If you look at it that way you should review the Vancouver tapes and how close Korea came to winning
2. As for guys like Daw, Cormack and Ausgarden. You need to look at it in a different way. It is not about who has had there chance it is about who could or may make a difference. If you think those guys had there chance well them so did gGuadet, Smart, Hibberd and the list goes on.
I know right now that someone like Daw if everything he appears to be is real could make a difference. He has expereince, he has knowledge, and he is still young, he can play and his list goes on.
The only real reason why DAW does not play to is becuase him and Joe did not get along. The only reason. He has helped this sport come a long way and now I here is heading over seas to coach teams.
We know he coached Korea and it made difference.
Austgarden can make a difference as well, he only does not play becuase of Jim.
Look at the names in the list and tell me REALLY if they all make sense, HONESTLY!
Joe IS still coaching, so Daw ill remain out.
Austgarten was one of the last cuts last time around, but don't think he has improved his game since.
Cormack blew up last time around, and his throwing style will not be endorsed or allowed now.
Canada has been the team to beat for the past years, and now, it seems they are beatable.
Own The Podium pays for results, and results are not coming now.
Cut the whole team, and place everyone on an even footing, allowing/forcing present members to "re-win" their spot. The argument of the Team winning, and doesn't need to be changed is now gone. I doubt Sonja would survive in a full tryout today. Darryl could well be on the bubble as well.
BUT who can skip?
If Armstrong remains out for the next season, the whole team (except, perhaps for Ina. UNLESS she is brainwashed, as well), should be a wide open talent call.
It is hard to imagine how the Program could become SO dependent on one person that it falls from first to seventh.
I wonder if the 15% cut from OTP is just the start of further cuts.
I also wonder if Joe and Wendy accepted pay cuts?
I think a lot of you bloggers have no idea of TEAM. You cannot just throw a bunch of people together and have a competitive group. Most of the players that are no longer on the Team Canada, are not because of there personality no idea of getting along with other players ect.
The group picked is not what I would pick , but it appears everyone thinks that I hope they cycle new people in during the year as I think we have the chance to dominate again even without Jim .
What I am trying to say is you can shoot perfect but if your a arse and disruptive to the team they don't want you .
Should Jim remain out for the full season, I think this COULD be very healthy for the Program. Let's assume they take a dozen players and allow them to "mix and match" for intra-squad games. Without Jim causing an advantage (if you play with him, the broom is in the right place, and the game makes sense....thus, if you play with him, you should be looking good), all twelve players could and should be fairly evaluated in a more level playing field.
I cannot believe we have not heard much from the staff regarding the coming season.
Looks like a domestic year, something like when there was tryouts in 2008.
I would suggest, that until Jim returns, this should be a wide open opportunity.
Okay,
If Joe remains coach, then everything remains as is. He in inherited Armstrong which took him from an everyday national coach to a mastermind.
If Jim's appeal is unsuccessful, then I expect Joe to complete his contract, grabbing the perks, and resign .
The only way he will stay on is if Jim is back in time for Sochi.
Judging from the pool, with the exception of a couple, it looks pretty average. It is time the national champions represent Canada internationally. You will have instant chemistry and it will motivate the program to spread the resources around encouraging greater participation in the sport. I find it hard to believe they can't find better talent than people like Labounty to represent team Canada.
I can't believe that the wheelchair curling isn't serious about using all the talent in Canada. For that matter, it's suppose to be a team sport, while are individual players being picked? No team chemistry can seriously develope enough to make a different at the World's. Bring on the true National team. The team that won the Nationals should be the team going to the World's. A team that can now win the Canadian Nationals is truely a competitive team no matter where you stick them. Here or over seas. The National's winners should be representing Canada, just like in the Mens and Ladies. Who ever decides these things at the Canadain curling Association WAKE UP. Natiobal championships means national team. Send the right team. Time to let a true team do our talking at the World Championships.
We are back to the same tiring point...there are NOT enough players in Canada to spread the talent provincially, and then have the National winner represent Canada in the Worlds. Too much of everyone's every day budget relies on international success.
Thus a select team is a better option. However, let the Select Team be challenged by the National Winner.
WHEN this happens, and without Jim, I do feel that it could be a competitive challenge very quickly, then the National Winner can be Team Canada.
Remember, though that Ottawa LOVES the concept that their hand picked coaches can DEVELOP winners....it is great for job and program security.......
Sorry, this has been beaten up......there is NOT enough talent in provinces to allow the national winner to represent us internationally, when we HAVE to depend on OTP and Sport Canada handouts for even our National championship existence.
That said, a 3 - 6 worlds result does nothing to enhance our presence either. I suspect that Saskatchewan could have single important theme that has ve won three games in Korea.
Joe...where is you magic touch without Big Jim?
The largest single point that has been shown this past season is that the staff of our program have been so busy patting themselves on the back for their success in the past three years that they have forgotten the Program, probably without them, still has to continue without Jim.
Let's get serious about succession.
I assume,if Jim's appeal is successful, he will be back in the group of twelve?
I also heard the Chris Sobkiwicz has also been named to the group.
If so, even without Darryl, the team looks like it will strengthen.
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