The Gold Shield Award
This award is given in recognition of volunteers who have made a significant contribution to club operations, league play and the quality of the club experience. This year, we had 3 recipients.
The VCC has put youth development and the keystone of its strategic plan, and the time required to deliver these programs calls for many hours from dedicated volunteers. Al Thomson has been actively involved in coaching the junior program, has assisted with the junior bonspiel, helped coach the high school league, and was instrumental in organizing the revitalized Greater Victoria High School Curling Championships.
You can’t curl without the right equipment. The other co-recipients of the award, Sharon Kelly and Margo Pajunen, who along with Ron Pajunen took over the volunteer management of the proshop and turned it into one of the key features of the club, well stocked with grippers, shoes and brooms, so that our curlers could be safer and play better. Their work not only benefited members of the VCC, but also curlers from regional clubs, rental groups, and visitors participating in club-hosted bonspiels and playdowns.
U18 Champions Recognized
Tyler Tardi of Langley is no stranger to curling success, having won the Canadian Junior Championships this past year along with his third Sterling Middleton. However in the inaugural 2017 U18 Curling Championships, he needed a new front end as his regular squad had aged out of the category. He turned to Victoria and the duo of Scott Gray and Derek Chandler. Along with Bob Coulombe, who co-coached the team with Paul Tardi, the new parts fit just right, the squad won the British Columbia U18, and brought home the bronze in the Canadian Championships. Congratulations to everyone involved in this success!
