Amanda Opitz - President

Amanda is originally from Helena, but spent the better part of the past two decades living elsewhere. In 2019, she and her husband, Micah, wisened up and moved back to Helena to be closer to family and friends. In the dark depths of the pandemic, a bright shining light appeared in the form of the Last Chance Curling Club. Amanda, Micah and their friend Kallie formed the Rock Lobsters team and joined during the Club's inaugural session in Jan. 2021. Recently, they welcomed Quinn who has rounded out the team nicely thanks to that innate ability all midwesterners seem to have when it comes to ice-sports. What drew Amanda to this sport initially was a very compelling speech on curling that Kallie presented in a high school speech and debate class (seriously!), and what has kept her coming back is the "spirit of curling." The competition is fun, but the comradery is even better. When not curling, Amanda loves to romp around in Montana's beautiful wild places with her husband, son and naughty cattle dog, Annabelle.  

Todd Myse - Vice President

Todd is from "The Motherland" (aka Wisconsin). He was born in Appleton and went to college in Eau Claire. During his undergrad studies in geology, he started to visit The West and fell in love with the mountains. He moved out to Vermont to attend graduate school and found work in the area after his studies which brought him to New Hampshire. After about 11 years out East, he moved out to Montana in 2010. He enjoys live music, camping, hiking, backpacking, fishing, and many winter activities. In 2019, he was talking to a friend that was on the Copper City Curling Club Board. He mentioned the Club had just purchased two more sets of curling stones and were expanding their League Teams. Todd asked some friends in Helena if they wanted to form a team and try out this sport of curling. They were interested! Everyone was immediately hooked and fell in love with the sport and the curling community. The love of the sport and the community prompted many folks to bring a Club to Helena. Todd is extremely proud to be a part of that group and looks forward to bringing more curling opportunities and excitement to Helena. Good Curling!

Jordan Tollefson - Treasurer

Growing up in the frozen tundra, I learned to appreciate winter at a young age. Like every good North Dakota kid, I started playing hockey at age 3, shortly after I figured out that walking concept. Coincidently, my first real job was to spend countless hours with a broom sweeping lint off of giant rolls of carpet at the Carpet Garage. However it wasn’t until my mid-thirties, when I really got into “curling shape”, that I decided to put my affinity for ice and my mad sweeping skills to the test and take up the sport of curling. Along with a few other good friends, we decided to form a curling team in 2019 and curl in the Copper City Curling Club league in Butte, MT. After many harrowing Sunday night winter drives, we moved our center of curling operations back to Helena and started the Last Chance Curling Club in the winter of 2020. The rest is history…

Jason Danielson - Secretary

Jason is a Minnesota native and moved to Montana in 2000 after graduating from the University of North Dakota. Jason had no curling experience until the inaugural season of 2020. After enjoying league and appreciating our amazing curling community, he wanted to support the club and contribute to its mission! Outside of curling, Jason enjoys spending time with his family and all outdoor activities, including trail running, skiing, and mountain biking. He also enjoys local craft beer, wine, and artisan coffee!

Andy Welch

Andy was born and raised in Boise, ID in a family that enjoyed all things outdoors including camping, fishing, and skiing. Andy moved to the Big Sky state to attend Carroll College and has yet to find a reason to leave. When Andy first played around on ice, he was like a fish out of water. When one of his good friends asked if he wanted to join a curling league in Butte, he said, “Why not. Might as well give it a shot.” Through the thrills and spills he fell in love with the game of curling and the comradery that came with it. Andy is thrilled to serve on the LCCC board and to help build the curling community in Helena. 

Jeff Plaggemeyer

Jeff was born and raised in Helena, and after seeing what else was out there he returned in 2009. Jeffdecided to try curling out with a few friends after one went to a LCCC Learn to Curl in early 2021. His team, Broom Thugs-n-Harmony, have since played every league session (winning back to back Golden Brooms) and a handful of bonspiels (2022 Butte Bonspiel champions). Jeff now joins the board after volunteering for Learn to Curl events and helping out on the Outreach and Education Committee. YEP.

Barry Bollenbacher

Barry was born in the Mid-west and attended Michigan State University Forestry School and graduated with a BS in Forestry. He migrated to Montana 50 years ago and worked for the USDA Forest Service in various locations in Montana for 45 years and is now retired. Bary and his spouse Chris have 8 kids between them. One granddaughter and another on the way. Barry has enjoyed all things outdoors but especially camping throughout Montana and western Canada. Barry played hockey growing up and in college but changed to curling 14 years ago playing at the Missoula Curling Club. Barry served on their Board for 10 years and served as Board President for 6 years. Curling is his most beloved sport and he has participated in 30+ Bonspiels over the years including many in Canada curing with Seniors there. He is super excited to be part of the Last Chance Curling Club and furthering the Chess on Ice activities at LCCC!!
 

Ryan Wendel

Bio coming soon...

Neil Sauter

Curling is Neil's favorite sport.  As a kid growing up in Michigan, he used to enjoy watching curling on the Canadian Broadcast Channel.  When he got married in 2008, his wife rented out a curling facility as a wedding present, and Neil decided that living near a curling facility was an essential aspect of where he wanted to live.  Helena having The last chance curling club is what convinced Neil to move to here in 2022.  After years of curling on dedicated ice, He is looking forward to helping the club grow and eventually have a facility of our own.