Our Trainers

About Lorne and Chris

Lorne and Chris have worked together for many years as a team in setting up and running numerous curling and non-curling events. They have successfully co-coached teams at the Junior, Mixed, Women’s and Men’s levels, and have co-coached teams at Manitoba, Canadian and International events including the Europeans, the 2010 Olympics and 2015 Deaflympics and 2019 Canadian Winter Games. Co-Chairs of the WCT, MCT and DEKALB SuperSpiel, they offer the multiple skillsets needed to fulfill the role of coaching within a national high performance plan.

Chris’s education background and teaching experience has meshed nicely with their activities as coaches. She also has international experience through her work with the Canadian Grain Commission.

Lorne’s history in leadership roles as president of various organizations, including the Manitoba Curling Association in 2004 – 05, and more recently as Vice President of Business and Promotions with the 2008 Time Horton’s Brier in Winnipeg (the highest attended Brier in Manitoba in history), demonstrates his ability to set up and guide organizations in new directions.

Coach Training

NCCP Level 1 in 1987 (Chris) and 1991 (Lorne)
NCCP Level 2 in 1996
NCCP Level 3 in 1999
NCCP Level 4 in June 2008
Canadian Curling Association Level 1 Ice technician Course – Lorne in 2012
Own and run V1 Home and Dartfish software for video analysis
Experience operating the Curl-It game charting program

Coaching History

Chris began coaching as a teacher in 1979 working with both the High School boys and girls teams
1991 Lorne and Chris started a local junior program with 60 curlers ages 8 to12. This included developing the curriculum, organizing volunteers, instructing and running the program.
Coached various high school, pre-junior and junior teams
2015 - 2020 – offered school programs to students from Lowe Farm, Morris, Rosenort and St. Jean.
2015 Coaches of the year- awarded by Canadian Deaf Sport Association

High Performance Coaching

Coached the U18 men’s team at the Canadian Nationals 2017
Trained the Bergman team for 3 years at the Cargill Curling Training Centre for 3 years and Chris coached them to the Silver Medal at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alberta February 2019
Coached the World Deaf Men’s Curling Canadian 2017 team (unable to attend the world curling due to conflict with the U18 Canadians) The team won gold.
Men’s and Women’s coaches for the Canadian Deaf Curling teams in 2015. Chris coached the women’s team to a bronze medal and Lorne coached the men to a Silver medal at the World Deaflympics in Kanty-Mansyk, Russia (Both teams were from Manitoba)
Guest coaches for Winnipeg Cobras Volleyball team. Did mental training session with the team, coaches and parents. (April 2014) Team went on to win the Manitoba and the Canadian Championship held in Edmonton.
Chinese National Coaches from August 2011 to April 2013 –Coached China men in 2012 and 2013 Worlds finishing both years in 6th Place –getting 14 Olympic Points and a Trip to Sochi. In 2010 and 2011 worlds the team had finished in 9th and 11th place. Helped coach the Chinese women in 2012 worlds from Feb 15 to March 27-Record 3-8 lost 8 games on last rock.
Swiss National Coaches Sept 2009 to Nov 2011-trained Swiss Coaches under us including Thomas Lips who went on to Coach Mirjam Ott to a world Title and Thomas is now coaching the Russian women who won their first ever European championship in 2012

Training Swiss teams for the trials leading to the European Championship (worked with The Swiss team that won the 2014 World Women’s championship and Swiss men’s team that represented at the 2014 Olympics)
2010 European Mixed – Silver medal-Swiss
2010 World Mixed Doubles—Swiss
2010 World Women’s and 2010 World Men’s- Swiss
2010 Olympics – Bronze medal men-Swiss
2009 European Championship – Silver Medal Men and Silver Medal Women-Swiss
Training Swiss Olympic teams for Europeans and Olympics
World Junior Champions – 2002 Gold Medal
Canadian National Junior competition – 3 times (one gold medal, one bronze medal)
Provincial Junior competition – 10 times
Provincial Men’s competition – 5 times (finished top 4 and top 8)
Canadian National Mixed competition – Silver Medal
Provincial Mixed competition – 4 times
Provincial Senior Ladies competition – 3 times

High Performance Playing

Provincial Men’s - 7 times (3 as skip)
Provincial Mixed - 7 times (silver in 2000)
Senior Ladies Provincials – 3 times (once as skip)
Senior Men’s Provincials – 1 time
Competitive Superleague play – numerous years
In 2003 played in the Perth Masters playing among others, the Ralph Stockli team
Hosted and played exhibition games at clubs in Manitoba playing teams from Norway, Denmark and the Czech team on their way to the World’s

Organization in Curling

December 10, 2018 – The Cargill Curling Training Centre was named the National Training Centre for the Canadian Deaf Sports Association 2019 - 2023
Managers and instructors for the Cargill Curling Training Centre – opened in fall 2016 (individual, team and group instruction)
Responsible for 2 Rookie camps in Switzerland
Initiated and chaired the 1st annual DEKALB SuperSpiel in Morris, Manitoba. Co-Chairs of the 8th annual DEKALB SuperSpiel
Initiated and developed a junior program
Training of numerous students through school programs
Organized and instructed several novice and intermediate clinics
Assisted high performance curlers with technique

Lorne was Vice President of the 2008 Tim Hortons Brier responsible for Business and Promotions. Among other successes, was the highest attended Brier in Manitoba history and ran the most successful school program with over 10,000 students impacted. (Chris assisted in the school program.)
Lorne is a Past President of the Manitoba Curling Association and was instrumental in having paid positions created for regional curling directors in Manitoba as well as establishing the Curling Academy, a high school curling program towards graduating credits.
Chaired successful provincial ladies and mixed playdowns in our home community
Coordinated numerous zone playdowns
Held many positions at the local club level including President
Lorne Inducted into the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame in 2015

National Coaching Institute Tasks completed towards Level 4

National Coaching Certification Program

Task 1 – Metabolic Energy System Training – understanding the various energy systems and their role in curling
Task 2 – Strength Training for Elite Athletes – working with curlers in identifying their needs
Task 3 – Sport Specific Performance Factors - Not needed for curling
Task 4 – Nutrition for Optimal Performance - Used FitDay software to assist curling teams in their nutrition and energy needs for multiple game and days competition
Task 5 – Environmental Factors Effect on Performance - Considered all distractions and particularly looked at Jet Lag and its effects on performance
Task 6 – Recovery and Restoration: Principles and Methods – Planning for rest and recovery time and dealing with injury
Task 7 – Mental Skills for Coaches – The importance of the Coaches mental state in assisting athletes with their performance
Task 8 – Psychological Preparation of Elite Athletes – Use of imagery, relaxation, etc in preparing for competition and mental focus during competition

Task 9 – Practical Coaching: Advanced Skills Training – Used video analysis
Task 10 – Biochemical Analysis of Advanced Skills – Understand and effect positive changes on leg drive and release of rock
Task 11 – Practical Coaching – Advanced Strategy and Tactics – Coaching at a high performance level
Task 12 – Planning & Periodization – Develop a yearly plan for training and performance
Task 13 – Performance Analysis – Statistical analysis of a Winning Team
Task 14 – Running Training Camp – prepared a draft of a training camp program
Task 15 – Managing a Competitive Tour – Organized and ran the Southern Manitoba DEKALB superleague
Task 16 – Athlete Long Term Development – understanding the stages and needs of long term development