About us

The United States Women's Curling Association

The Heart of Curling!   Membership in the United States Curling Association has evolved in three ways over its 60-year history. The Central/Wisconsin region is where the USWCA was founded in 1947. Of those five clubs, Appleton, Wauwatosa and Exmoor are still faithful members of the USWCA. The majority of our member clubs joined the USWCA when the women of those clubs organized their own leagues because no curling existed for them. Most of our Grand National and Central clubs fall under this category. Many of our clubs in the Minnesota/ Western Regions also are USWCA members as a result of women curlers banding together to create their own special curling experiences. Examples of these are the Arden Hills Cairn Lassies and the St. Paul Bonnie Spielers in Minnesota, the Fairbanks Golden Heart Ladies in Alaska and the Grafton Heathers in North Dakota. The second evolution in women's curling begun when curlers of all abilities in clubs large and small just wanted to come together in friendship and the USWCA offered not only its National Bonspiels and the United States Women's Championship, but also intra-club events and International Tours. Still, most were members of organized women's curling within their own club. The advent of Olympic Curling did change some inner-club women's organizations, however, the USWCA continued to prosper and most clubs maintained their membership in the USWCA, enjoying its many benefits. The Mission of the United States Women's Curling Association is: To develop, nurture and promote the sport of curling among today's women and all youth. Our positioning statement "The Heart of Curling" supports that Mission. Presently, the USWCA is welcoming the newest curling clubs across the land with women members from all walks of life who want to enjoy the sport in different ways. Some are women who have recently taken up the sport in established curling clubs that are already members of the USWCA. A growing number are new curlers in newly organized clubs. Our history is impressive and we are proud of it. After 60 years, membership in the United States Women's Curling Association remains the "The Heart of Curling!" The United States Women's Curling Association Current Officers: 2009-2010 President Nancy Seitz, Cleveland Skating Club Shaker Heights, OH 44120 President@USWCA.org 1st Vice President Maureen Guay, Arden Hills Cairn Lassies Savage, MN 55378 VP1@uswca.org 2nd Vice President Bridget Matzke, Madison Curling Club Sun Prairie, WI VP2@USWCA.org Secretary Mary Ann Hulme, Cleveland Skating Club Shaker Heights, OH 44120  Secretary@USWCA.org Treasurer Carolyn MacLeod, Broomstones Curling Club  Westbourough, MA  01582 Treasurer@USWCA.org

Message from our new President Nancy Seitz Since 1947, the United States Women's Curling Association has served curlers and promoted the growth of their sport across the country.  As I take my place as the 63rd  president of this remarkable organization, I am awed by the dedication and determination that has preceded me and I am inspired by the sense of purpose that invigorates the USWCA today.  Women with the enthusiasm  to share their time and talents have built successful programs over the years and are today expanding their services to support curlers in more ways for the future. In order to achieve our mission to develop, nurture and promote the sport of curling among today's women and youth, USWCA reaches out to new and member clubs with information, youth equipment and junior bonspiels. Programs like the Women's Five and Under - fun regional events exclusively designed for those who have been curling for less than 5 years - and the All American Competition have lately expanded to include mixed events that serve our newer male members and allow smaller clubs greater event participation.  While we have long served our members with the four day USWCA National Women's Bonspiel each February and the National Senior Women's Bonspiel in late fall, this year sees the launch of a new initiative aimed at serving women who have come to the sport as fans of elite level Olympic curling. With a passion to improve skills, build expertise and compete at an advanced level, these women have inspired the creation of the USWCA Women's Curling Circuit.  This new cash prize event supports existing Women's Bonspiels at individual clubs by using those events as the forum for an annual season- long competition.   Carrying on the tradition of sponsoring curling events remains a priority for this all volunteer organization, but other opportunities are available through our Women's Curling Development Fund. This philanthropic arm of the USWCA channels grant dollars to young individuals and teams who apply for funds to travel, compete and attend classes.  Providing opportunities for curlers is our mission, but programs don't thrive if only a few people know about them. Key to our success in the 21st century hinges on good communication and we are working to keep people informed on all levels.  Our members' representatives continue to post on bulletin boards and send stamped envelopes by US mail, and personal phone calls remain very much alive although email has become our most common contact tool. Maintaining  our mutually beneficial relationship with the USCA and regional curling organizations serves everyone through the exchange of information and ideas; and contributing to the  Curling News is a valuable way of reaching our constituency.  But making sure our member and prospective clubs know about the opportunities we offer as well as spreading the good news of curling to casual inquiries, demands an interactive website and a responsive team of people assuring its accuracy and timely updates. Several years have gone into making the new www.uswca.org website and I hope you will check it out and find out more about the work we do.  When I discovered curling, I found much more than ice and rocks and brooms. I found  a world of friends. These are committed devotees, dedicated teachers  and passionate competitors whose interest in the sport extends to its traditions of good sportsmanship, to its unique blend of athletics, strategy and camaraderie and to its embrace of players young or old, experienced or new to the game, highly skilled or working on the basics. How could you not fall in love with this game and these people?  As I take up the gavel that called women to their work on behalf of curling in 1950, I  look forward to helping USWCA give back to the sport that earned a place in my heart. Indeed, as our mission says,  USWCA is the Heart of Curling!