This was by far, my most successful curling season ever.  Now the pessimist in me says, “and may well be for a long time,” but I hope not.  Upon reflection, I won (or was in) a final each month of the season.  There was some burnout in January, but I think I know what that was and how to combat it for next year.   As skip, the secret is:  it’s all in the hats.  Trust me.

October:  I started the curling season with a win in the All-American, an event sponsored by the USWCA.  I had been trying for that for nine years.  And, I had to throw the winning takeout to do it!  (Michelle MacEnroe, skip; Heather Swiercz, vice; Rachel Ryan/Brenda Card, second; Pam Jones, lead)

November:  Paul and I then went to Philly with the Palazzolis where we won the Harvest Bonspiel.  Probably my best overall curling performance of the year, if you looked at shooting percentages.  Paul estimated I shot well over 85% the entire weekend.

December:  As vice, won a club women’s league in the playoff game with an amazing call for a triple raise to the 4′, which the skip executed.  (Nancy Owens,skip; Michelle MacEnroe, vice; Erin Clark, second; Pam Jones, lead)

January:  This was a mixed bag.  We (Michelle MacEnroe, skip; Laura Jacon, vice; Ylva Cortright, second; Liz Nolan, lead) got to the finals of the D event of the Empire State Bonspiel in Rochester but I blew three takeouts so we were runners-up.  Yet we still got hardware AND a trophy: the Schenectady Stone!  The next weekend, we (Bill Morehouse, skip; Donna Caleo, vice; Bob Risley, second; Michelle MacEnroe, lead; Paul MacEnroe, fifth) won the in-house Club Mixed Championship.  Gotta love lead. 

February:  This was a biggie!!  Kayuta Lake had its Winterfest the first weekend and as lead, won that event.  Trust me, it’s incredibly silly and doesn’t really say a whole lot about how you curl, but it’s still a W!  Went to the Norfolk Mixed over Valentine’s Day and won the B event as skip throwing third rocks (no matter what the GNCC record says).  I don’t think we played any complete games except the one we lost.  As lead for Utica 1, finished as runner up in the “B” finals in the Cobb Mixed Invitational.

March:  Won the “C” event in our in-house ladies championship.  One bad game put us in the “C”.  Ah well. (Michelle MacEnroe, skip; Susan Williams, vice; Heather Shaw, second; Erika Bareiss, lead)  On a side note, I did win my game of the closing in-house bonspiel - which is a “points” event - with 12 points.  Paul won his first game with 11.75.  (We lost the third game.)  Before I say “neener,” I’ll remind myself of what Dave P. said to me once:  apparently I had a better third in my game (Paul) than Paul had in his game (me). 

April:  Somehow won the “D” event at the Plainfield Bonsqueal, with some fantastic comebacks and team efforts!  (Michelle MacEnroe, skip; Michael Swiercz, vice; Paul MacEnroe, second; Heather Swiercz, lead)