Both Curling and Tennis at TAM are thriving. But to keep on thriving, we need your input and your fresh ideas. Please consider volunteering to join the Tam Heather Curling and Tennis Club’s Board of Directors (BOD).

At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday September 28, 2026 (save the date), there are three Board of Director positions coming up for election. The normal term for a director is three years, after which an election must be called for that position.  The incumbent may or may not choose to run again, or the incumbent may have reached their maximum term of six consecutive years on the BOD and thus is no longer eligible to run for re-election. Another possibility is that a current Board member may choose to resign early from their current Board position and run for election for another available Board position.

At this year’s AGM, the three directors coming to the end of their terms of office are the:

• Vice President
• Tennis Liaison
• Director at Large

If you are interested in any of the above three Board positions or ANY Board position, please let us know by contacting David Muir, the Chair of the Nomination Committee and the current Past President (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

For your information, the full Tam Board of Directors currently consists of:

• President: Erwin Psotka, term expires in 2028
• Vice President: Don Richard, term expires this AGM
• Treasurer: Sandra Gay, term expires in 2027
• Secretary: Wayne Blasck, term expires in 2028
• Curling Liaison: Nancy Killey, term expires in 2027
• Tennis Liaison: Saravan Subramaniam, term expires this AGM
• House: Neil Finlayson, term expires in 2028
• Membership: Jackie Adams, term expires in 2027
• Director at Large: Dan Lang, term expires this AGM

On behalf of your Tam Heather Board of Directors

Wayne Black
Secretary

The management and coaching staff of Tam Heather Curling & Tennis Club would like to congratulate Bobbi Neville on successfully completing her COACH 2 (CP2) CERTIFICATION
Tennis Director Lionel Eli

On January 31st sixty-four Tam men and women they CAME
To play one another in curling their favourite winter GAME
The day started with coffee, pastries and TEA
And everyone picking up their program and paying their FEE

Details, rules and Draw Prizes were shared by Janet, Fred and CHRIS
Then Eric our Piper led us onto the ice so we would not MISS
Our day of curling to be held on the RINK
Then came the ceremony Here’s to the Piper and Good Curling then a shot of a Scotch DRINK

On to the many great throws and sweeps in end ONE
Which was followed by fifteen more ends and lots and lots of FUN
Cowbells ringing each time the women an end they would WIN
And curling rink bell would ring when the men won an end and put their rock on the PIN

Then came the Team Draw to the Button CONTEST
To see which team could do it the BEST
Lunch, chatting, drinking and draw prizes GALORE
But wait oh wait there was lots, lots MORE

Now came the Techno Broom Sweeper Challenge down the ICE
And sixteen curlers did it real NICE
Eight more ends of fun curling was now UNDERWAY
To end the on ice part of the DAY

Now more draw prizes, contest winner awards were handed OUT
And the curlers each time gave a big SHOUT
Then came a BIG photo with everyone smiling AWAY
Because they all had a great DAY

One with just men then just the women TOO
But still we waited to find out WHO
Would win the Men vs Women Challenge PRIZE
But alas it finally was announced it was the men, congratulations to the GUYS

The final challenge to do it all again next year was posed to the CROWD
A resounding loud YES was shouted out LOUD
So we look forward to seeing everyone back next YEAR
To have more fun and see who will win the Men vs Women Chalenge at Tam  with yet another CHEER !!!!

Hello Tam Fam,

This is a friendly reminder that the Tam Heather Swag Shop is officially open  — but orders must be placed by February 9, 2026.

All items are available to order online through the Spirit Wear store. Please see the attached flyer for product details and pricing, or head straight to the Tam Heather Swag Shop to place your order.

Order Deadline: February 9, 2026

This deadline ensures Eagle Beaver Sports has enough time to prepare and deliver all orders on schedule.

Online Tam Swag Shop - https://tam2026.itemorder.com/shop/home/

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone proudly wearing their new Tam swag! Thank you for your continued support and for helping us celebrate our partnership with Eagle Beaver Sports.

Let’s make Tam proud — don’t miss out and place your order today!

Download PDF

Hello Tam Fam, 

We wanted to share an exciting update from our Little Rocks program. Eight of our young curlers (ages 8–12) competed in a bonspiel this past weekend in Burlington, and they represented our club incredibly well. Lots of great shots were made, and the boys had a fantastic time throughout the event.

One team finished tied for 3rd place, and the other placed 6th—wonderful accomplishments for our developing curlers. Thank you to the many parents who travelled to support them; the cheering section was strong!

We’re also very excited to be hosting our own Little Rocks bonspiel on Saturday, March 7 this year. Prize donations are always welcome, with hot-ticket items including basketballs, soccer balls, Nerf guns, and Squishmallow stuffies. Financial contributions to support the program can be made anytime via e-transfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thank you for your continued support of our Little Rock curlers and their growing love of the game.

Coach Stacey

Hello Tam Heather Members,

Please use https://www.32auctions.com/TamU21Auction202601 to link to the Bantams Juniors Curling Online Silent Auction. The auction begins 9:00am January 19th and ends 9:00pm January 25th. Items can be previewed before the start of the auction. Additional items may be added during the auction.

Please note that 3rd party ads will pop up during the auction. They can be closed or ignored unless you are interested in the advertisement.

Once the final bids are received, I will contact the winners to arrange payment and delivery of the items.

Good luck and thank you in advance for your support of the U21 curlers!

Tam Heather’s U21 Curling Program invites the Tam Fam to an Online Silent Auction from 9am January 19^th to 9pm January 25^th, 2026.  Money raise will help our youth curlers with bonspiel and clinic registration fees, and subsidize purchases of team sweat-tops and jackets, as well as curling equipment such as shoes, brooms, broom pads/sleeves, etc.

A link will be provided later this week to access the Tam online auction on the 32auctions website.  You will need to create an account on the website to participate in the auction.

Using the free features on the 32auctions. website, the auction will showcase items donated by Tam members as well as by Goldline curling supplies, including the following:

• Pair of Toronto Raptors tickets (section 317, row 1) versus the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7:30pm.
• One-of-a-kind “Coastal Calm, Goose Cove Newfoundland” painting by artist and Tam member Glenn Fairley.
• Goldline Fiberlite Impact Curling Broom.
• Goldline Platinum Curling Gloves and Gift Certificate bundle.
• $100 Ultimate Dining Card to 14 restaurants including East Side Marios, Kelseys, Montana’s, Swiss Chalet, The Pickle Barrel.

If you would like to see how the auction works, please go to  https://www.32auctions.com/32auctionsDemo for a demo.

Note you will need to create an account on the 32auctions.com website to run the demo.  The account you created can also be used to access the Tam U21 online auction too.

Questions?  Please email the U21 curling program email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.

Thank you.
Patrick

Hi Tam Heather Curlers,

We’d like to send a friendly reminder to please avoid placing your knees or hands on the ice surface during delivery. Doing so can affect the pebble and create marks that make rocks behave unpredictably.

When ice is disturbed, it takes our Ice Techs extra time to repair these spots so everyone can enjoy quality ice. Nobody wants to lose a rock during a game because of a knee or handprint!

Following this simple guideline helps ensure great ice for everyone. Thank you all for your attention, cooperation, and understanding — it really makes a difference.

Happy curling!
Tam Heather Ice Team

Happy New Year!

Tam’s Bantam Junior Curling Program would like to wish you and yours all the best in 2026!

Before some updates on what’s been happening with the 29 youth curlers this season, I would like to give shout outs to the following people.

Volunteer coaches Chris Steers, Eryn Sone, Jason Montgomery, Kevin Gee, Lukas Younker-Koudys, Ryan McLellan, Tony Chin, William Thornes, and Yen Ho! Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work in teaching and inspiring our young curlers!

Outside bonspiel coordinator Andi Clark for her support in leading and encouraging parents and curlers to participate in external bonspiels!

Tam’s Toronto Curling Association (TCA) Interclub Bonspiel representative Ron Zoratto for organizing the teams for the 3-draw tournament and cheering them on!

Tam members Chris Rhynas, Colin MacDonald, Craig Riethmacher, Diane Fujita, Dianne Mathieu, Elaine Cook-Edney, Janet Forrester, John Elstone, Kathy and Jamie McGrath, Karen Smith, Margaret Ward, Val Nash, Vickie Gervais, and William Thornes for their generous donations in support of the bantam junior curling program!

And ice techs Brian, Ian, Joe, office team Jason, Hanadi, Tony, bartenders Karen, Karly, chefs Damiano, Neil and their kitchen staff, as well as the Tam Fam in general for all that you do to support bantam junior curling!
Now the updates…

The boys’ competitive team, skipped by Jayson Sone, continue to represent Tam at various events. Andi (Dante’s mom) provided the following update on Team Sone.

(L-R) Jayson Sone (skip), Ylan Lago (lead), Liam Beacock (vice), Dante Gee (second); photo courtesy of Junior Slam Series.

This season was all about growth, grit, and closing the gap. It's crazy to believe our competitive season is over. Our team poured everything into developing both the technical and mental sides of our game. Between working with our sports psychologist, training with coaches, and putting in extra solo practice during the week, we learned what it means to show up with intention.

We travelled across southern Ontario — sometimes three weekends a month — balancing bonspiels with homework in curling clubs, hotel rooms, and the car. That commitment shaped us far beyond the scoreboard.

And it paid off. We pushed our way into games against the top teams, breaking through the huge wall they put up to most of the other teams making playoffs in Port Perry's Slam Event proving that our hard work is moving us in the right direction.

Our game percentages were higher than last season and we’re proud of the progress, proud of the fight, and already excited for what next year will bring.

Besides our regular Sunday practices, which consisted of 30 minutes skills development followed by a 90-minute fun game, opportunities abound for more competitive play in various bonspiels and tournaments throughout the season. The following are some of the highlights.

The November 22nd Tam Youth Cash (Points) Spiel returned with a full 16 teams participating! Six of the teams were from Tam and the others were from Ayr, East York, Elmira, High Park, Kitchener-Waterloo, Newmarket, and Milton. New this year were competitive and noncompetitive divisions, with 6 and 10 teams in each division, respectively. Top 3 teams in each division received cash prizes based on the total number of points from the 2-game bonspiel. Congratulations to Tam’s Team Sone and to Milton’s Team Martin for winning the competitive and the noncompetitive division, respectively! Kudos to Tam’s Team Harris-Kitcher, Team Leneeuw and Team Hadden for placing, respectively, third in the competitive division, second and third in the noncompetitive division! Honourable mention to Tam’s Team Morales and Team Bates for good curling and sportsmanship throughout the day!

Team Sone: (L-R) Eryn Sone (coach), Jayson Sone (skip), Dante Gee (second/vice), Ylan Lago (lead/second); photo courtesy of Yen Ho.

First place competitive division winners: (L-R) Ylan, Dante, Jayson; photo courtesy of Yen Ho

Team Harris-Kitcher, third place competitive division winners: (L-R) Abigale Kitcher (lead), Laura Harris (second), William Pike (vice spare), Alan Curdie (skip spare); photo courtesy of Kristen Kitcher.

Team Leneeuw, second place noncompetitive division winners: (L-R) John-Paul Zoratto (vice), Ethan Olson (lead), Owen Montgomery (second), Ethan Leneeuw (skip); photo courtesy of Jason Leneeuw.

Ethan and JP are happy campers taking home some money! 😊

Team Hadden, third place noncompetitive division winners: (L-R) Paul Poirier (second spare), Charlotte Hadden (vice), Lucas Hadden (skip), Justin Wang (lead); photo courtesy of Michael Hadden.

Team Morales: (L-R) Owen Sondermeyer (second), Carlos Morales (skip), Kaylan Jin (vice), Norah Zakinthos (lead); photo courtesy of Lukas Younker-Koudys.

The not so serious😊…Team Bates: (L-R) Alexandra Wang (lead), Marnie Bates (skip), Cayleigh McLellan (vice), Aerilyn Papp (second); photo courtesy of David Bates

Instead of a raffle of donated items from Tam members, a (club approved) silent auction of some of the items was held. A total of $425 was raise at the bonspiel! All proceeds raised go to the bantam junior curling program to subsidize bonspiel entry fees and curling equipment for the youth curlers. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements of an online silent auction of other donated items including a pair of Toronto Raptors tickets!

Silent auction bid sheets from Tam Youth Cash Spiel; photo courtesy of Patrick Cheung. Shout outs to parent volunteers Debbie Oosting, Silvana Zoratto, and Yen Ho for their help in running a successful auction!

In addition to the November 22nd cash spiel, Tam Heather also hosted the first of three TCA Interclub U20 bonspiels on December 13th. The TCA spiels occur on 3 Saturdays at 3 different clubs during the curling season. Each team has 2 games on each day with scoring based on a points spiel format. Two Tam teams participated in this year’s tournament. Team Kitcher skipped by Abigail Kitcher with Lucas Hadden as vice, Cayleigh McLellan as second, and Charlotte Hadden as lead. And Team Zoratto as pictured below. After the first spiel, Team Kitcher sits at 1-win and 1-loss while Team Zoratto sits at 1-win and 1-tie. Good luck teams in the upcoming bonspiels in Oshawa and Dixie curling clubs!

TCA Interclub Team Zoratto: (L-R) Aerilyn Papp (second), John-Paul Zoratto (skip), Owen Montgomery (vice), Ethan Olson (lead); photo courtesy of Ron Zoratto.

Looking forward to upcoming Tam bantam junior events, including:

• Jan 31st Tam Women’s Teams vs Men’s Teams, draw to the button and sweeping challenge to celebrate curling day in Canada.
• Feb 8th Family Day curling with parents and grandparents.
• Feb 22nd Community Curling Clinic for new curlers.

Thank you for reading!

Best wishes, take care, be safe and good curling!!
Patrick.

The Women in Curling Summit still has some spots available.  The deadline for registration is December 28th.

This is an opportunity to join Jennifer Jones, Sherry Middaugh, Professor Heather Mair, and more, as the Women in Curling Summit brings together leaders, champions, coaches, and change-makers from across our sport!  Come ready to learn, share and grow in ways that truly matter. This is your chance to build confidence, sharpen your skills, and deepen your connection to curling.

Full-day and half-day options available.

You can view the full speaker line up & schedule at https://www.curling.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Schedule-WIC-Summit-Mississauga-2026.pdf

You can register before the December 28th deadline at https://curlingcanada.givecloud.co/2026-women-in-curling-summit-mississauga

Hi, curling friends: My wife Ruth is doing a Tupperware fundraiser for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation. Hope you can be a part of it!

ABOUT THE SANDRA SCHMIRLER FOUNDATION

Olympic champion curler Sandra Schmirler passed away in 2000 at the age of 36, but her legacy lives on in the Sandra Schmirler Foundation.

Since 2001, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation has raised funds to save the lives of babies born too soon, too small or too sick. The Foundation has raised more than $8 million for more than 100 hospitals, in every province and territory, to purchase life-saving equipment for thousands of premature and critically ill babies and their families. It is the only foundation that gives to Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).

But the work the Foundation does isn’t just about equipment and machines. The Sandra Schmirler Foundation has transformed the lives of thousands of families. Giving critically ill newborns the chance to grow up to be champions like Sandra is an important way the Sandra Schmirler Foundation ensures Sandra’s courage and character live on.

Each year at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts national women’s curling championship, a Sandra Schmirler Day is held to remember Sandra and to support the Sandra Schmirler Foundation with an all-day telethon during TSN’s coverage of the event.

In 2026, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is in Mississauga, Ont., and Sandra Schmirler Day is on Sun. Jan. 25, 2026.

ABOUT THE TUPPERWARE FUNDRAISER

Tupperware representative (and curling fan) Ruth Demirdjian Duench will be donating the sales commission she earns from Dec. 8, 2025 to Jan. 22, 2026 to the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, with a presentation planned for Sandra Schmirler Day on Jan. 25, 2026.

You can help to build Ruth’s sales commission in two ways:

If you are in the Toronto area, contact Ruth (647-282-4386 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to arrange a day and time to shop at her Tupperware office at 97 McCaul St. in downtown Toronto. Mention “Sandra Schmirler Foundation” when you are making your purchase!

If you are anywhere in Canada, visit www.ruthdd.ca or www.ruthdd.com, click on “Open Parties” and choose the Sandra Schmirler Foundation Party. A wide range of Tupperware products, from classic bowl sets to the newest items (such as Voila glass food storage containers and Big T tumblers), are available for purchase.

Hello Tam Curlers,

Beginning January 1st, 2026 changes will come into effect in the way curlers access the ice surface.

After January 1st, the ice surface will ONLY be accessible from the WEST STAIRS from the upper lounge leading to the ice. The EAST stairs to the lounge will be used for emergency exit, if required. No ice access will be permitted to the ice from the EAST stairs. The ice will, of course, still be accessible from the lower hallway opposite the change rooms.

This major change is the first step in Tams’ ‘Culture of Clean’ initiative in reducing the type and the amount of debris reaching the playing surface. In addition to this change in ice surface access, shoe cleaners will be placed in two locations. The first ‘Boot Boy’ cleaner will be right beside the West access door, to be used by every player, each time the ice is accessed. (Yes, this includes washroom breaks)

The second ‘Boot Boy’ will be adjacent to the ice access door in the lower hallway. We will require everyone going onto the ice using this door to use the cleaner every time the ice is accessed by every player. We realize these changes will take curlers a few seconds longer to get to the ice, but we are very optimistic that the quantity of debris will be significantly reduced, and ice cleanliness improved.

All Tam curlers are urged to become part of our “Culture of Clean” efforts by ensuring personal curling equipment is cleaned on a regular basis (broom heads and grippers washed and/or replaced), and clothing checked for flaking or shedding. By adopting the initiatives above, we can all, with minimal effort, ensure our curling ice is as clean and debris free as possible, leading to greater enjoyment of our great sport here at Tam Heather.

Thanks for your co-operation!

Your Board of Directors, Curling Committee, and Tam Management team.