CHESTERMERE – The Chestermere Curling Club Junior curling league, which will officially start up for the season on Jan. 8, only has a couple spots left for any youth in the community who might want to learn about the sport.
The junior program, which is volunteer-run by longtime curling club member Marla Forth, has seen a spike in numbers over the past couple of seasons. Forth said that she believes the popularity has stemmed from Canada’s success in curling at the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.
“I think the Olympics really brought the sport to the forefront of people’s minds,” she said. “I’ve been busy since the talk of the Olympics before they even happened, last year and now this year too.”
Forth said that she also thinks having the program begin in January, when kids are feeling like they need to get out and do something or even just try something different in the new year, has helped increase the numbers as well.
Forth and the junior curlers meet on Sundays at the Chestermere Recreation Centre. She offers beginner sessions, which run from 2:30 until 4:00 p.m., as well as intermediate sessions for those with curling experience, which run from 4:00 until 5:30 p.m.
The beginner session is for younger players, who are at least seven years of age or older, who have one year of experience or no experience at all.
The intermediate session is for those aged nine to 18, with one year of experience or more.
“We always start the year off with a curling clinic where we will have some on-ice and some off- ice instruction,” Forth said. “We will be touching on all the basics of curling, such as delivery, sweeping, rules, strategy, and etiquette.
“It will be a great review for those with curling experience and a great introduction for those with no curling experience.”
After the initial clinic, they will do a half hour of drills, and then everyone picks teams and plays a couple ends for the remaining hours.
At the end of the year, the curlers participate in a fun bonspiel, and see how they rate amongst themselves. Beginners play against beginners and intermediates play against intermediates, and Forth said that they are always a good way to wrap up the season and see how much they have all improved.
She said that she likes doing the junior program in Chestermere because the young curlers are always so keen to learn, and because it is rewarding to see them get better at the sport.
“I get to see how much they appreciate the game and how much they can learn,” she said. “It is such a joy to see them catch on and do well, and have fun while doing it.
“They really enjoy it, and I love the sport so I love to see others enjoying it. It’s quite rewarding for me every year.”
Forth also started a new learn to curl league this season for adults, which almost filled right up as well. She said that she expected to get around four teams, but she got seven. All of them are brand new curlers, and range in age from their late 20’s to their 40’s. They curl on Sunday evenings.
“I think they were too scared to join the regular leagues because they had never curled before,” she said. “Now they might join the regular leagues next year because they know what they’re doing.
“In fact, they might know the rules better than most of our current members. They’re all so keen and they’ve been having a lot of fun.”
The cost to become a member of the junior program comes with the purchase of a CRCA Membership, which is $65.00.
If a family already has a current membership, then junior curling is free.
First year curlers must bring a helmet, and all curlers should have gloves, stretchy and warm pants, and should wear layers. Very clean indoor shoes or runners that have good grip on the ice are required (no plastic soles.) Curling brooms and sliders are provided.
Email Marla at forths@telus.net to ask about registration or to check for availability.
Any Chestermere Intermediate Junior Curlers interested in participating in the Bow Valley (Indus) Youth Bonspiel should contact Marla to form teams as soon as possible. The bonspiel will run on Saturday Jan. 14 for those 14 and under, and on Sunday Jan.15 for those 17 and under.
