Curling Clinic sees curlers hurry hard to try the sport

It was a packed house at the Swift Current Curling Club yesterday as people got acquainted with stones, brooms, and slides.

Folks of all ages took the opportunity to try out the sport under the stewardship of the club's members. Taking to the sheets in a large group, they practiced how to step on the ice and slide safely, all the sweeping, hurrying, and curling skills used in the sport. 

The 'Curling Clinic' served not only as a chance to learn how to curl but also as a chance for members to help polish their teaching skills.

Aryn Thibault, a junior ice tech with the Swift Current Curling Club, had a blast showing the ropes to the gathered beginners.

Aryn Thibault, junior ice tech, curling club member. 

"It's a lot of fun," said Thibault. "It's always a fun time to get out here. It's just nice to get your head out of everything else in life and just a fun way to do that."

With the Curling Clinics, which happen twice a year at this scale, the goal is to give people an 'in' to the sport. They can experience what the game has to offer with friends and family or come in and meet folks who share the same interest. Curling as a sport can be easy to get in to if you have someone to play on a team with.

For Thibault, these open sessions are a great way to draw in new memberships for the club.

"It's not a huge town here, so it's hard to get people out here," said Thibault. "But today, with all the people we had, it was a lot of fun. Helping kids learn what you've learned for several years and just watching them improve over time is really cool."

For the smaller children who attend, some as young as four years old, the parents enjoy seeing them take an interest in something that can bloom into a lifelong passion. 

Dalyn Schwab brought out her six-year-old and her four-year-old to the event and had a blast watching her kids enjoy curling stones. 

Dalyn Shwab, with her six-year-old who is holding her youngest daughter. Her four-year-old was tired, and declined to participate in the interview or photos. 

"They absolutely loved it," said Schwab. "My four-year-old did well until donut break; then she was kind of done. My six-year-old participated the whole time and did really well. I was very impressed." 

Schwab says she plans to bring the kids back on Sundays, so they can continue to enjoy the sports.

You can check out the curling club's website here for more information.