Congratulations are due to Margaret Pottie for her term in office as President of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club Ladies Branch for season 2017/18. Margaret has brought honour to her mother club Nairn Ladies C.C., as well as to Moray Province and Area 10.
Margaret has been a great ambassador for curling prior to this election as Ladies Branch President curling both at home and regularly at bonspiels abroad.
Margaret is very active in her mother club Nairn Ladies participated since 2010 in the “Northern County Lady Curlers” and over and above for the last number of years as a member of Royal Caledonian Curling Club Ladies Branch.
Margaret has had a challenging yet rewarding year as President and met many interesting people, she travelled to competitions, both home and abroad clocking up many thousands of road miles, not to mention air miles.
The summer months were not for time off they were for preparation and representing Ladies branch at various summer events approx.13 prior to the first under 21 slam at the end of September.
From here on it was a full diary between Ladies branch meetings, Board meetings and curling competitions anywhere in Scotland except Nairn!!!
The Henderson Bishop was an exceptional competition in 2018 held in Lanarkshire Ice Rink with an uninvited guest “The Beast from the East”, this proved a logistical nightmare for the local committee however they rose to every challenge and the event was a great success.
This was followed with the Junior Worlds in Aberdeen which proved very successful and Margaret had the honour of presenting the medals to all the teams.
Margaret then travelled to the World women’s championship in North Bay, Canada. It proved to be bitterly cold, in North Bay but brilliant sunshine and she received a very warm welcome from the Canadians. It was a great experience to be there to support the girls, and after a slow start they showed fine form by beating both the Olympic and Silver Medallists, Sweden and Korea and came close in the Canadian game.
The competition was won by Jennifer Jones and her Canadian team. Off ice Margaret spent time meeting with other spectators, officials and competitors. She felt the enthusiasm of Canadians for the sport of curling was enormous – many were just followers of the sport and not even curlers. Margaret brought home a wish that we could get more media coverage to enthuse our public.
Margaret was exceptionally busy right up to the Ladies AGM 2018 and if asked for a lasting thought she would say; We have a great sport it can be played by people of all ages and abilities or none, from any walk of life, it keeps you fit and active and has an excellent social side, creating lasting friendships.
It has many volunteers who give of their time willingly to promote the sport and encourage new curlers. In our elite teams we have great role models for them to follow and be inspired.