ABOUT THE EYCA

The Edmonton Youth Curling Association (EYCA) is a Not-for-Profit Society that was founded in 2017.  The EYCA's principal objective is to promote the growth and development of youth curling in the Edmonton area.  We achieve this objective by providing the infrastructure and means whereby Edmonton area junior curlers are provided programming opportunities to participate in the sport of curling.

As the EYCA continues to grow in the years ahead, our hope is to expand our programming activities to include Bonspiels, Player and Coach Development Clinics, Scholarship Programs, and School Outreach Programs.

Our success and ability to offer such programming opportunities will depend upon the support of our volunteers, parents, junior program coordinators, curling clubs, curling associations, and sponsors.  

To learn more about the EYCA please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@eyca.ca

HISTORY OF THE EYCA

The long list of people associated with developing an organization like the EYCA stretches back several years. At the very least, it goes back to those many hands and volunteers who generously donated their time and efforts toward creating a city-wide Junior Interclub Program that at first included the Crestwood, Ellerslie, Sherwood Park, and Thistle curling clubs, and eventually grew to include the Beaumont, Leduc, Shamrock, and St. Albert curling clubs.

Given both the successes and challenges experienced by this Junior Interclub Program, a Steering Committee was struck in April of 2017 to explore the viability of starting up a city-wide junior curling association along the lines of what the Calgary Youth Curling Association (CYCA) has been offering to their junior curlers for the last three decades.

This "EYCA Steering Committee" was composed of the following people: Greg Empey (NACA), Dana Ferguson (Saville), Cara Haubrich (Sherwood Park), Beth Iskiw (Ellerslie), Chris McTavish (Shamrock), Heather Nedohin (Sherwood Park), and Shannon Orsini (NACCS).

Working closely with the CYCA, the EYCA Steering Committee was able to put together a logistical plan for success and financial sustainability. The EYCA Steering Committee approached the N.A.C.C.S. with its plan and the N.A.C.C.S. generously agreed to support the EYCA during its start-up years as the EYCA works toward financial self-sustainability in the years ahead.

In July of 2017, following the lead of the CYCA, the EYCA Steering Committee hired an "EYCA Administrator" to principally organize, co-ordinate, and administer the operational activities of the EYCA. After reviewing a number of strong applications, the Steering Committee was pleased to welcome Candace Young to its team as the EYCA Administrator for the 2017-18 curling season. Our current Administrator is Linda Smith.

Once the groundwork for success had been fully prepared by the Steering Committee, the EYCA is now governed by a Board of Directors and operated by an Administrator, with a network of assistance from parents, volunteers, curling clubs, junior program coordinators, curling associations, and sponsors.

To learn more about the EYCA please do not hesitate to contact us at admin@eyca.ca