District curling programs focus on youngsters

The three sheets of ice and coloured rocks make for a different sort of classroom, but the kids are just as eager to learn.
Like a teacher would educate in school, curling instructor Candy Teeple educates the children on the rules, methods, and techniques of the game.
“Who can tell me one rule?” she asked the group of four- to six-year-olds on Friday at the Stratton Curling Club.
Eight eager hands shot into the air as each named a rule of the rink, like no running on the ice and paying attention so as not to get hit with a moving rock.
Okay, these may not be the rules of the game of curling, but it’s a start for the youngsters.
“The club has been running for a long time, but this year two of us took a kids’ curling course that helped us make up sessions so that we could teach the kids the rules, etiquette, delivery and release, and sweeping methods,” noted Teeple.
More than 60 kids are registered for the program, with three different levels running—the Little Rockers (aged four-six), the Junior Rockers (aged seven-10), and the Elite League (aged 11-13).
“The program is just awesome for the kids,” Teeple stressed.
Several of the “Little Rockers” agreed, noting they are enjoying curling.
“I like that there is no running and no jumping,” said six-year-old Jeremy Haw. “And you learn more than you learn from soccer.”
“I like throwing the rocks,” added Chandler Borger, four, while his sister, Mykenzie, said she liked sweeping the best.
Teeple indicated the kids’ curling program has been getting better and better, especially thanks to some funding from the Northwestern Health Unit.
“We received a proposal from the Northwestern Health Unit’s ‘Healthy Living Partnership’ stating we could apply for a grant up to $1,000 to promote healthy living in our community,” she explained.
“I thought this would be a great way to get these new ‘edge’ gliders [step on sliders].
“I applied and they approved our application—these sliders have been a godsend,” Teeple added.
Before the new gliders, children started out the year by putting duct tape on their shoes.
“It was not only a pain, but teaching them the two-gripper sweep was pretty difficult,” said Teeple.
Now, they have no more worries about duct tape and they can teach all the youngsters—even the “Little Rockers”—the proper way to slide.
“The kids seem to love them,” she added. “And I would like to thank the Northwestern Health Unit for giving us this chance to bring kids out in the community without much cost to them, and they can participate in a great sport.”
Teeple added six extender sticks also were purchased for people to use who’ve had injuries that have kept them from coming back to curling.
“Young or old can use these sticks,” she remarked, adding they also got packages they can supply the schools in our community with to teach curling either in the gym or at the rink.
“Hopefully, we will get some new curlers from all this great stuff we’ve got,” Teeple stressed. “Everyone is welcome.”
Curling instructor Dave Hughes also said the kids’ curling program in Emo is going strong, with about 30 participants registered from Grades 4-8.
“It’s going well—the kids are learning and advancing,” he enthused, noting the children learn by playing the game.
“We’re putting them in games and we’re trying to work with them during the game to work on their skills,” Hughes explained.
“And we’re doing training modules before we start the game—just little things to help them in the areas they need help in.”
He also said the children are enjoying the program.
“We have some older kids, who are hockey players, and they like it,” he remarked. “It’s a little more social and a little more enjoyable than hockey in some ways.
“But they’re having a good time with it.”
And Hughes believes the recent interest in the sport will continue on.
“This is the second year back at it,” he explained, noting the curling rink in Emo had not been operating for several years before that.
“I think the numbers will stay roughly the same probably throughout next year. The thing we’re going to gain is next year . . . we’re going to have curlers who know more about curling,” he added.
“So it’s just going to get better and better as years go on.”
Hughes stressed all community curling programs are focusing on kids because that’s where the future of the sport is.
When he was a kid, the only reason he went to a curling rink was to watch his parents curl. There were no programs for children.
“Now, pretty much every club that I know of is focused big time on kids to get the curling back because that’s where it’s going to come from in the future,” Hughes said.