YORKTON - Craig Burkell was installed Tuesday as the newest life member of the Yorkton Curling Club.
In order to become a life member there are three criteria that must be met.
First you need to be at least 60 years of age.
“Our inductee has that covered. At 82 he continues to curl and is still a force to be reckoned with on the ice,” explained club president Bev Fuchs at the presentation ceremony.
Secondly, you must have been a club member for a minimum of 20 years.
“This particular curler has been a full-time club member since 1972 – that’s 50 years,” said Fuchs.
The third criteria is that they need to have held at least one leadership position within our organization – again our candidate has this covered.
“He was the office manager from 1981 – 1983. Our club was very hectic back in those days. There would be 96 teams in the Men’s Open Spiel, 64 in the Ladies Bonspiel and 64 teams entered in the Farmers with waiting lists. That is a lot of teams to keep track of and a lot of draws to make – all done manually with cardboard and stickpins,” said Fuchs.
“He has been the club president, served as bonspiel chairperson for many events, he and his wife were co-chairs for a provincial mixed championship and as a board member in the early 70’s he played a part in the decision to move the curling facility to the current location.
“These are only a few of the many contributions this gentleman and his family have made and continue to make to our club and the sport of curling.”
“It really is an honour,” said Burkell moments after the announcement.
Burkell said he has actually been involved with the local club for longer than noted.
“I started curling in 1954 in the old rink,” he said. “I was actually part of the club in the early ‘60s as well.”
He then took a few years off, only to return to the fold for the long haul.
So what keeps Burkell throwing – or now pushing rocks – all these years?
“It’s the fun and camaraderie,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing being around all the other curlers.”
Through the year’s interest in the sport has seemed to wane with the local bonspiel attracting far fewer teams than the 96 mentioned.
“Yes it has and I don’t know just what’s happened,” offered Burkell, looking back fondly on the heyday 1980s.
Burkell said back then the club was running two draws almost every night of the week and the UCT Club even having its own draw Saturday mornings.
That is not the case now, and Burkell said it likely relates to fewer curlers in the 20-to-40 age group which today seems to involved in other things.
It might also relate in-part to fewer farmers too.
“The smaller clubs, there are not as many rural people out there,” said Burkell. “... When I was growing up in the 50s the thing we looked forward to was curling.”
And it still is for Burkell who curls twice a week with the local seniors group. While enjoying the camaraderie as he always has, he notes he is still involved because of the push stick delivery now allowed, adding his knees would have him retired years ago if he still needed to get down in the hack.
As it is he has some shots still to make, he said.
Calvin Daniels
Calvin & Dixie Daniels <cdaniels@sasktel.net>
Craig Burkell was installed Tuesday as the newest life member of the Yorkton Curling Club.
In order to become a life member there are three criteria that must be met.
First you need to be at least 60 years of age.
“Our inductee has that covered. At 82 he continues to curl and is still a force to be reckoned with on the ice,” explained club president Bev Fuchs at the presentation ceremony.
Secondly, you must have been a club member for a minimum of 20 years.
“This particular curler has been a full-time club member since 1972 – that’s 50 years,” said Fuchs.
“The third criteria is that they need to have held at least one leadership position within our organization – again our candidate has this covered.
“He was the office manager from 1981 – 1983. Our club was very hectic back in those days. There would be 96 teams in the Men’s Open Spiel, 64 in the Ladies Bonspiel and 64 teams entered in the Farmers with waiting lists. That is a lot of teams to keep track of and a lot of draws to make – all done manually with cardboard and stickpins,” said Fuchs.
“He has been the club president, served as bonspiel chairperson for many events, he and his wife were co-chairs for a provincial mixed championship and as a board member in the early 70’s he played a part in the decision to move the curling facility to the current location.
“These are only a few of the many contributions this gentleman and his family have made and continue to make to our club and the sport of curling.”
“It really is an honour,” said Burkell moments after the announcement.
Burkell said he has actually been involved with the local club for longer than noted.
“I started curling in 1954 in the old rink,” he said. “I was actually part of the club in the early ‘60s as well.”
He then took a few years off, only to return to the fold for the long haul.
So what keeps Burkell throwing – or now pushing rocks – all these years?
“It’s the fun and camaraderie,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing being around all the other curlers.”
Through the years interest in the sport has seemed to wane with the local bonspiel attracting far fewer teams than the 96 mentioned.
“Yes it has and I don’t know just what’s happened,” offered Burkell, looking back fondly on the heyday 1980s.
Burkell said back then the club was running two draws almost every night of the week and the UCT Club even having its own draw Saturday mornings.
That is not the case now, and Burkell said it likely relates to fewer curlers in the 20-to-40 age group which today seems to involved in other things.
It might also relate in-part to fewer farmers too.
“The smaller clubs, there are not as many rural people out there,” said Burkell. “. . . When I was growing up in the 50s the thing we looked forward to was curling.”
And it still is for Burkell who curls twice a week with the local seniors group. While enjoying the camardarie as he always has, he notes he is still involved because of the push stick delivery now allowed, adding his knees would have him retired years ago if he still needed to get down in the hack.
As it is he has some shots still to make, he said.
