Ottawa and District Senior League

April 25, 2025

ODSL's successful fundraising effort to support the 2025 Canadian Senior Championships

Hello ODSL curlers.

We just wanted to pass along to all of you how successful our fundraising efforts were in aid of the 2025 Senior Men’s and Women’s National Championships. The total raised so far is $1,494.50, which exceeded both our goal and our most optimistic expectations.

All 20 teams in the Winter League pitched in, along with two more Fall League teams and some very generous individuals.

Outstanding! A big 'thank you' to everyone for their contributions.

As was mentioned in our original solicitation email, the Championship organizers have indicated that our league would be appropriately recognized for our support. In that regard, if there is anyone in our league with some experience as a graphic artist who might be able to help with the design of a logo, please do let us know.

Team Van Ryckeghem, Rob and Bill

p.s. An email to kick off organizing the 2025 ODSL Fall season will be heading your way next week. Stay tuned for that one.

April 15, 2025

ODSL - helping sponsor the 2025 Senior Men’s and Women’s National Championships

Hello ODSL curlers.

The 2025 Senior Men’s and Women’s National Championships is being hosted by The Ottawa Hunt Club the week of November 29 to December 6. The club is undertaking fundraising efforts to offset shortfalls as the title sponsor has dropped its funding/support for this event.

The ODSL has played here at the Hunt since it was formed in 1999. The league was created in part to provide a place for senior curlers in Ottawa to continue to play at high levels and we have seen many teams play here and vie for and win this very championship. It’s been suggested that it would be a great gesture that, as a league, we help sponsor this event. A contribution of $50 per team would be quite generous. The Championship organizers have indicated that our league would be appropriately recognized for our support.

We have checked with the league coordinators Rob and Bill. They have confirmed that, for those Winter League teams wishing to contribute, we can provide that amount from your team’s end-of-year prize money payout, or you can give it to Rob directly on Thursday. For Fall League teams wishing to contribute, an e-transfer to Rob would work best.

Team reps please send a note to Rob to indicate your preference and/or arrange your contribution.

Thanks,

Ron Knight (on behalf of Team Van Ryckeghem)

March 26, 2025

ODSL 50/50 to support Ontario Team Lewis

Hello ODSL curlers.

To support Team Ontario in their quest to win the National Masters Championships in the Soo next week, we'll be holding a 50/50 fundraising draw on Thursday. The entire team - Brian Lewis, Dave Stanley, Graham Sinclair and Mike Johansen - will be in the house, playing the 9:30 game as yet another step in their preparations for the event.

Tickets for the 50/50 will be $10 each. They will be on sale by Rob between 11am and noon, to allow all players from both the early and late draws to participate. You may buy more than one. The winning ticket will be drawn at noon. We hope you all support this initiative, as the team's pursuit of the championship is at least partially self-funded. If your entire team wants to go in on tickets and would like to pay with end-of-season winnings, we can do that.

Bill and Rob

December 29, 2024

ODSL Winter League 2025 fees and details

Hello ODSL Winter curlers and spares. Hope you've been enjoying the holidays.

We have 20 teams for the Winter.

The roster/contact list has been posted on the 'Members Only' page of the website.

Here are the last details you'll need for our season start on Thursday the 9th.

Entry Fees

The Winter League fee will be $960 per team, for 15 games, divided as follows:

$660 per team for Ice Rental fees
1. Hunt Club teams have already paid their ice fees.
2. teams which include individual Hunt Club members should adjust their overall payment accordingly.
$300 from all teams for the prize fund, which will total $6000.
numerous teams have roll-over credits from the Fall League to be applied. Those amounts are shown on the Fall final standings document.
per-win dollar values for each game will be included when the schedule is posted.
if you have any questions about the amount owing, please feel free to ask for confirmation.

Payments

Payments are due on the first Thursday of play, but will be happily accepted beforehand.
One payment per team please, by e-transfer or cheque.
1. If paying by e-transfer, make your payment to odsl@bell.net or rkan@bell.net
2. If paying by cheque, make it payable to “Rob Kanasy”.

Looking for an additional team

Team Owen Evans is interested in playing and would be our 21st team, but we need a 22nd team to have this be possible.

Therefore, if you know of any senior teams interested in joining the league, please let them know that we have a spot available.

In addition, I'd be happy to collect individual names to assist in forming a team of 'orphans'. Let me know ASAP if there are any current spares or other interested individuals you know who would be interested in this opportunity.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays and see you all on the 9th.

Rob and Bill

December 12, 2024

ODSL - Canvass for Winter League 2025 entries

Hello ODSL curlers. It's time to start organizing the Winter League. Here are the details we know so far:

We'll start January 9th.
There will be no bye weeks.
Ice will be available until April 17 (15 games in total).
We'll continue with a ladder format and an even number of teams.
We are not asking for entry fees at this time; they'll be payable in January.
Anticipate an amount in the ballpark of last year's $920/team (Note: no ice fees for OHC members).

Please let me know by December 21 whether your team is IN for the Winter or will PASS.

If you're IN for the Winter, let me know:

your line-up (same as the Fall, or your mix-and-match new list of players).
whether you want to roll over your Fall winnings against your Winter fees.

For individuals, let me know if you're looking for a team or wish to be listed as a spare.

Please feel free to share this invite with seniors (50+) who you feel would be interested in entering a team or as individuals, because we have the capacity to add beyond last year's 20 Winter League teams. .

Rob and Bill

December 11, 2024

ODSL - No boots in the curling lounge

Hello ODSL curlers. Below is the message Bill sent out to the Hunt Club curling membership in light of the onset of winter.

Rob

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Bill Duck <bduck@ottawahuntclub.org>
Date: Tue, Dec 10, 2024 at 10:20 AM
Subject: No boots in the curling lounge

Good morning everyone!

Winter is upon us, which means an increase of salt & grit out on the roads, and sidewalks. We ask that you please remove your outdoor shoes before entering the curling rink. This is to maintain the quality and cleanliness of our ice as salt & grit are designed to melt ice.

You can leave your shoes in the locker rooms or in the shoe rack outside the curling lounge. Please note that shoes are required in the Willie Park Lounge and other areas of the club – we recommend bringing a pair of shoes to wear indoors.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Curling Team

October 9, 2024

ODSL starts tomorrow

Hello ODSL Fall League curlers. Hope everyone is ready for the start of play tomorrow.

Schedule

The schedule for week 1 was posted on the 'Fall' page of the web-site a month ago, but as a reminder, here are the 9:30 Thursday games:

new team Owen Evans faces defending champion Dave Johnston
Brown vs. Soucy
Lemenchick vs. Cassidy
Long vs. Cochrane
Lewis vs. Thomsen
Hall vs. McBride

All other teams play at noon.

Game Start
Although the early draw is listed as starting at 9:30, the ice will be ready beforehand, so please begin early if your teams are ready and the scoreboard numbers are down.

Remember that no end may commence after 11:25, unless you are tied. If so, play an extra end to determine a winner.
The same is true for the noon draw. Please don't hesitate to begin play if your sheet has been prepared and is ready to go. For this draw, no end may commence after 1:55. Again, if it's a tie, play an extra end.

Please record your game result on the scoresheet in the curling lounge. The league web-site will be updated - usually each Thursday night or Friday morning - with standings and the next week's match-ups.

Team Members, Spares, etc.

The Roster document on the 'Members Only' page of the website also contains names and contact info for a number of folks who are available to spare.

Entry Fees / Payments
18 teams have already paid their fees in full. Thanks very much.

For the 6 teams remaining, the Fall League fee of $700 per team is due tomorrow.

Bear in mind that it is divided as follows:

$260 from all teams for the prize fund, which will total $6240.
$440 per team for Ice Rental fees:
teams which are entirely made up of Hunt Club members (e.g. Duck) have already paid their ice fee.
teams which include individual players who are Hunt Club members (e.g. Team Soucy with Mike Grinnell) should adjust their ice fee accordingly.

Payment can be made by e-transfer or in person by cheque. Please, no cash.

One payment per team
If paying by e-transfer, make your payment to this address - odsl@bell.net
If paying by cheque, make it payable to “Rob Kanasy”.

Have fun and good curling this season.

Rob and Bill

September 10, 2024

ODSL Fall League - ice, fees, payments, schedule, teams, brush heads, etc.

Hello ODSL Fall League curlers. We're one month away from Week 1 of play this fall. Here are the details you'll need for our season start on Thursday, October 10th.

Ice

Bill started the refrigeration plant today.

Teams

We have 24 teams confirmed, including a new team entry from Owen Evans as well as numerous new or returning players. Welcome to all.

24 teams means the usual full 6-game early and late draws each Thursday, at 9:30 and noon respectively.

Web-Site - https://ottawacurling.wixsite.com/ottawaseniorleague

The web-site has been updated with the Fall team rosters on the 'Members Only' page.

The list also includes folks looking for a team and those willing to spare.

Please let me know if you have changes to report.

Schedule

The schedule for Week 1, including per-win dollar values for every game, has been posted on the 'Fall' page of the web-site.

Entry Fees / Payments
The Fall League fee will be $700 per team for 10 games (Oct. 10 to Dec. 19, with a week off Nov. 21), divided as follows:

$260 from all teams for the prize fund, which will total $6240.
$440 per team for Ice Rental fees:
teams which are entirely made up of Hunt Club members (e.g. Johnston, Duck, Cassidy) have already paid their ice fee.
teams which include individual players who are Hunt Club members (e.g. Team Long with Andre Lalonde) should adjust their ice fee accordingly.

Payment can be made between now and Oct. 10th by e-transfer or in person on the 10th by cheque. Please, no cash.

One payment per team
If paying by e-transfer, make your payment to this address - odsl@bell.net
If paying by cheque, make it payable to “Rob Kanasy”.

Brush Heads Reminder

As we're a rental league at Hunt Club, we need to be mindful not to damage the ice for further club play Thursday after we have finished our draws. Accordingly, brush heads that have incorporated waterproofing agents or HardLine heads with plastic inserts should not be used, as they scrape more than polish the pebble. If in doubt about your brush head, please ask Bill.

Game Start
Although the early draw is listed as starting at 9:30, the ice will be ready beforehand, so please begin early if your teams are ready and the scoreboard numbers are down. Remember that no end may commence after 11:25, unless you are tied. If so, play an extra end to determine a winner.

The same is true for the noon draw. Please don't hesitate to begin play if your sheet has been prepared and is ready to go. For this draw, no end may commence after 1:55. Again, if it's a tie, play an extra end.

Deliberate slow play to achieve victory will not be tolerated.

Club Policy
Hunt Club has a “no cash” policy. Refreshment purchases at the bar will be Debit or Credit (or Member Chit) only. Remember as well that all prices always include the gratuity.

Enjoy the rest of the good weather and see you all a month from now.

Rob

July 24, 2024

ODSL plans for Fall 2024 - team confirmations needed by July 31

Hello ODSL curlers. We're now closer to our first game in October than we are to our winter finale last April, and enquiries about the upcoming Fall League are arriving daily, so it's time to ask for team commitments for the 2024 Fall League.

Our plan is to once again have 24 teams with full six-sheet draws Thursdays at 9:30 and noon. Bill has mapped out the Hunt Club calendar and our first game is tentatively slotted in for October 10. There is likely to be one week off (November 21), so we're looking at a 10 game ladder running through to December 19.

It's now time for last year's existing 24 Fall League teams/skips to confirm whether their teams are IN or OUT for this coming Fall. Please let me know by Wednesday, July 31, and please also include your 2024 line-up (CC'ing them with your reply is easiest). We're not asking for entry fees at this time; they'll be payable in October.

There is serious interest that's already been expressed by new teams or folks looking for teams hoping to join in the Fall. Please confirm with your player details, also by the 31st.

Once we've received all of your confirmations - they'll be listed on the home page - we'll be able to let everyone know where they stand. Note that in December we'll canvass separately for the Winter League, where there is room to expand from last year's 20 teams up to 24.

Cheers,

Rob and Bill

November 23, 2022
Update

Hello ODSL curlers. Quick update.

The club has asked that we use the curling lounge for our post-game socializing going forward, due to holiday activities in the main lounge. Bonus: the curling lounge is warmer now too.
The club has also asked that we remind players about the dress code: https://ottawahuntclub.org/guest-information/
- Specifically:
  - No ‘T’ shirts.
  - Shirts with a collar.
  - Shirts tucked in.
  - Jeans are ok, no rips.
  - No hats in the warm areas.
  - Shoes must be worn; not just socks.

Good curling tomorrow.
Rob and Bill

November 9, 2022

Game time policy - quick update

Hello ODSL curlers. There have been a few queries recently about the game time policy, so a quick update seems in order.

Early draw

First rocks should be sliding by 9:30am.

Early starts are ok!

No end should commence once the digital clock in the rink reaches 11:25am UNLESS:

the game is tied. If so, play a full end to break the tie.

Late draw

Ice is ready when the hacks are back in and the NUMBERS are down

We ask that you stay in the lounge until the ice is ready.

If your sheet is still occupied due to an extra end in an early draw game, please feel free to use whichever sheet is free and ready for play.

First rocks should be sliding by noon

Early starts are ok!

No end should commence once the digital clock in the rink reaches 1:55pm UNLESS:

the game is tied. If so, play a full end to break the tie.

your game start was slightly delayed. If so, add the time that skips agreed at the beginning of the game to compensate.

The draw sheet also highlights the end of game times. Given these generous time limits, all games should be able to play 8 ends if necessary. And no team should ever 'slow-walk' to a victory.

Rob and Bill