Jill Aitchison - Coordinator -- At Large

Jill considers herself a “lucky duck” that she stumbled into curling about 6 years ago.  A friend kept insisting curling was the greatest thing even so to appease him, Jill went to watch.  And the journey began…. a month-long intro league at Frogtown was followed by Jill being ‘adopted’ by some very persuasive Carin Lassies at St Paul.  With a mere few months of curling experience, Jill agreed to play the Big Spiel on a “Franken-Team”.  The four strangers met in the lobby at the St Paul Curling Club for the first time 15 minutes before their first draw.  Jill was hooked – the game intrigued and challenged her, the community was welcoming, and folks were fun.  The Kool-Aid had been drunk.  Jill is a proud member of the Frogtown Curling Club (where her teammates still include two folks from that first fateful Big Spiel). She has been involved as an Learn to Curl instructor, League Crier, and has been the Curling Coach/Coordinator for outdoor curling at a local country club. 

Jill is such a fan of the sport of curling that she quit her corporate career and started her own business - Curling Connections.  Her company provides iceless curling equipment, events, and teambuilding in a way that is portable (can be played on any flat surface indoors or out) and accessible (persons of all ages and physical abilities can play).

A few of her fondest memories include: the amazing inaugural Aurora Spiel when the Frogtown Club was packed with amazing women curlers of all ages and abilities; getting shellacked at a recent Big Spiel by a team of juniors whose cumulative age was less than hers, and the incredible energy and positiveness that permeated the inaugural Pride Spiel at Frogtown.

Jill joined TCCA as a way to give back to the curling community that has given her so much.  Plus, she heard that her take-out skills will automatically increase just by being in close proximity to the other board members.  She looks forward to helping TCCA continue its mission of supporting the member clubs, local curlers and the curling community.