I’ve pledged to do a better job of keeping you all informed about curling, sharing my love of the sport and, I hope, enticing some of you to join me on the ice – whether you’ve never thrown a stone or you’re an international champion.

It’s a big weekend for curling in Colorado: The MACA – Mid America Curling Association – playdowns are being held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the new Denver Curling Club in Golden.

Winners of the event will represent the region (Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas – and probably soon New Mexico!) at the U.S. Club National Championships in March.

Yes, if we win this weekend, we get a weeklong trip to Fargo! Why didn’t I take up beach volleyball?

I’ll try to keep the blog updated over the weekend, but I need to hit the hay. I drove up here to Lakewood after I got off work this morning. It’s nearly 3 a.m. and I have team practice in 51/2 hours.

But I wanted to let you know that the playdowns – men’s and women’s – are open to the public. And there’s no admission fee.

We have a large warm room at the Denver Curling Club and TVs that show the action in the house at both ends of the ice sheet.

There’ll be two or three games underway during each draw, so plenty of action.

And there will always be someone around to answer your questions if you want to know more about the sport, scoring, strategy, terminology, etc. (You can scroll down through my blog posts for tips, too.)

The Denver Curling Center is at 14100 W. 7th Ave. in Golden (80401) – right off 6th (near C470) at the Indiana exit. You can see the club from the highway – we’re tucked in the neighborhood near the Stevinson Toyota dealership.

Friday’s games are at 10:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Saturday’s games are at 10:45 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Sunday’s games are at 8:30 a.m. and, if necessary, at 1 p.m.

We’re playing for some of the marbles. We’ll play for all the marbles in Fargo. (Or, you might think we’ve simply lost our marbles.)

Good curling!

If you have questions about curling or want to send my team encouragement, comment below or email me at dena.rosenberry@gazettedev.gazette.com or follow/message me via Twitter @djrosenberry.

at the Madison Curling Club in Madison, Wis.. (Christian Murdock, The Gazette)

Christian murdock

US Curling team member Jessica Schultz throws the rock during Team USA’s loss to Sweden Saturday, February 15, 2014. USA dropped to 1-6 in competition at the Sochi Olympic Games. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

MARK REIS