Curling Season
Posted on 12. Apr, 2009 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in Personal
Curling season is now officially over and we’re feeling kind of sad. Big thanks to our friend/neighbour who encouraged us to join this year and big thanks to our teammates for sharing with us an unsuccessful but extremely pleasurable curling season!
Although neither Cameron nor I came from curling families, we fell into curling culture and now feel like we belong at curling rinks.
Our history with curling
Cameron, although active, is not much for “sports.” He played hockey for a few years as a child, but it didn’t go over well. And there were other experiments into athleticism, which didn’t really take.
But, as a preteen, Cameron became transfixed with watching the sport of curling on TV.
Eventually, in his mid-twenties, Cameron decided to try the sport first-hand for the first time. He wanted to rope me into it, too. About five years ago (before we started this adventure we’re on), he got all excited and said, “We should join curling! It’ll be so fun! We can be on the same team and, and, and, um, will you please just join curling with me?”
Cameron is a calm and serious person. So when I see his eyes sparkle with enthusiasm, I can’t crush his bubble, even though I was thinking, “Curling..? Sigh.”
And so we bought brooms and retro curling shoes and we learned how to play.
The game of curling
For anyone who doesn’t understand curling, it’s actually an amazingly fun game.
You can think of curling as a live-action chess game. The goal is a lot like chess, you have to play your pieces (rocks) in a certain way to win, right? You’re trying to block the other person’s move and get points, just like chess.
So, just like chess, while the other person/team is playing their turn, you’re thinking about your next move. BUT, you know how in chess you decide on what your move is going to be and you just pick up your piece and move it there? Easy, right?
Well, in curling, once you’ve decided what your move should be, then you have to execute your move. It’s like you’re throwing your rook across a giant chess board and hoping that it lands in the right square.
No, your rook/rock doesn’t always land in the right square. And if you’re me, you’re just happy if your rook lands somewhere on the giant chess board and doesn’t fall off the table onto the floor.
That’s curling as I see it, anyway.
I recommend curling. It’s fun.
Don’t knock it ’til you try it!
Steven Fisher
Apr 12th, 2009
I have wanted to try curling for a couple years now. It’s such a fascinating game to watch, I imagine it must be fun to play.
CWJ
Apr 12th, 2009
I always thought curling was hilarious, but then I think almost all sports are. Tell you one thing, though, Laura-Jane…you get mega-points on your Canadian Karma Chart for this sort of thing…
Meg
Apr 12th, 2009
Oh my goodness! My husband and I tried curling for the first time with our university alumni chapter at the Rochester (NY) Curling Club last Saturday. We had a blast!!! We are thinking of joining next year (we are hoping that they have a beginner’s or Intro-night that we can play on). I think that it is awesome that you and Cam are playing in PEI!
Happy Easter to you both!
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Apr 12th, 2009
@Steven – You must try it! The way we got roped into it originally was through a cheap Parks and Rec program. Many clubs offer free or very cheap lessons for complete newbies, because they want to get you hooked. If you’re ever interested, simply call a curling club near you and tell them that you’re new and you’d like to try it out…. They’ll tell you what options there are.
@CWJ- It is hilarious. But in a good way! I like the concept of the Canadian Karma Chart. I think we’re doing OK on it.. We live in a snowy climate, there’s the curling…and I do like a lot of Canadian music. I don’t drink beer, but I do say “eh” a little too often, I think.
@Meg – Isn’t it fun?! You must join, if your schedule allows.. And happy Easter to you! I suppose I should have written an Easter post!! But we aren’t doing anything Eastery. We haven’t left the house in a long time and we don’t even have any Easter candy or chocolates!
Rain
Apr 12th, 2009
Sounds like fun. I always wanted to try curling as a sport, but I don’t think I have the knees for it unfortunately! I enjoy watching it, although I fell asleep watching the Briars and woke up petrified hearing one of the curlers yelling “hhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd”!
Amanda
Apr 12th, 2009
Laura-Jane, love the curling video. There’s not much in the way of curling on Pender but it looks like a blast. I cannot believe how much snow you still have in your first picture there!
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Apr 12th, 2009
@Rain – In our area some older curlers or people with bad knees do “stick curling,” which means that they don’t have to bend at all, they just walk out of the hack with a modified curling broom, so who knows… When you get here I may sick the curling hounds on you! Sounds like you grew up in a curling family if you were falling asleep to the sweet sounds of curling competitions! When we’re curling, Cameron yells really loud. It scares me. My brushing partner and I find his loud yelling distracting! Lol. But we love his enthusiasm.
@Amanda – No, I wouldn’t imagine that Pender would have a curling rink. Lots of other neat stuff there that we don’t have, though! Re: the snow, I have to admit that that photo is a few months old. We still have a bit of snow, but not as much as shown above (thankfully!)
Rain
Apr 13th, 2009
Interesting! I really didn’t know about the stick curling, that’s cool. That’s funny about Cameron scaring y’all with his screaming, thanks for the giggle.
christy
Apr 13th, 2009
this post was awesome!!!! i had never heard of curling until the olympics a few yrs ago. nick became obsessed with it b/c he thought all the girls were cute (a winter version of beach volleyball for viewers?). LOL.
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Apr 13th, 2009
Tsk, tsk, Nick, typical… Hehe. Good thing is that I now know some of Nick’s good habits from reading your blog, so he’s off the hook. :P
Andy Collier
Apr 14th, 2009
How come your video doesn’t show where yourstone ended up??
Andy Collier
Apr 14th, 2009
You were in our backyard in the first photo!
warren
Apr 14th, 2009
I am such a fair weather athlete…I couldn’t handle your cold sports! But still, thanks for the info on curling. It does look like a lot of fun!
Phil
Apr 14th, 2009
Yes, curling! I had the chance to experience this a few months ago myself (living just across the border from a few neighborhood clubs); about 50 folks from my church rented out some sheets, grabbed some brooms, and had a blast. If able, all should find a way to do this (most rinks will probably offer some Intro to Curling lessons). At the very least, it’s a surprisingly fun Olympic sport to watch.
A highly recommended activity/sport….(wait for it)….Curling ROCKS!!
Gary Gray
Apr 15th, 2009
Hi L-J
Wow! what a response. Used to curl but not able to any more since the stroke.
Loved the video, great form! Oh and the delivery was awesome as well.
Too bad you clipped it before we got to see how it ended up on the chess board eh.
Well I just happen to have a video to compliment yours to show just what could have happened at the other end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE8rntTdlo0
A world championship curler in the making eh ;o)
Smiles :o)
Gary
Naomi
Apr 15th, 2009
That does look fun! I’ve never understood curling until your explanation. That sliding move looks cool, and the broom is quite intriguing!
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Apr 15th, 2009
@Andy – DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO ASK??????????? Lol
@Andy – That photo was taken in Crapaud, as you obviously know! Cameron got to play on a team that was representing our club (Montague) in the Dominion. Their team came in third or fourth (can’t recall which at the moment). Cameron was quite exhausted after that tournament. He loved it, though. I was pleased that the tournament was in Crapaud because we’d never been to that part of the Island. It’s really nice out that way. So are you REALLY close to Crapaud? I know you’re in Emyvale, but I don’t have a concept of where that actually IS.
@Warren – But fair weather sports aren’t always easy either… You can handle the bee stings!
@Phil – Yes indeed, Phil, it does rock! Hehe. It sounds like you really enjoyed yourself with your church group. I tell ya, just give a curling club a call…. :) Hope you’re doing well…
@Gary – Let’s just pretend that my shot would have ended up like the one in your video.. Yes, let’s go with that.. :)
@Naomi – Glad I shed some light on it. It is intriguing!
Natalie
Apr 15th, 2009
Curling is big around here, and my hubby has work friends who love it and are telling us to try it. We shall see! I do think it sounds like fun.
Laura-Jane - Whimfield
Apr 19th, 2009
As you can tell, I recommend it, too! :)