Curling Away the Winter Blues

Contributed

Does your News Year's list of resolutions include trying new things? How about getting more exercise or meeting new people? Bang out all of these goals with Experience Curling - an introductory course and competition brought to you by the folks from the French Creek Curling Club.

CONTINUING JAN. 4

As we well know, Erie winters can be long and arduous. With below freezing temperatures, poor driving conditions, and Vitamin D deficiencies, it's easy to develop a little bit of cabin fever. French Creek Curling Club offers a way for people to get out of the house and try something new through their Experience Curling classes and curling leagues.

French Creek Curling Club is a volunteer-run organization that began in 2016 in the Meadville area, later expanding to Erie. The club replicates a true curling experience with a full sheet of ice and the same 42-pound granite stones used in the Winter Olympics. Curling leagues and Experience Curling classes take place at the LECOM Sports Park from October through April.

Adam Reese, president and Grand National Curling Club representative described the classes as a combination of teaching and playing. "We spend about half of the time going through the basics about how you would deliver a stone, what sweeping does, and the general rules of the game, but then we want to carve out plenty of time to be able to play because we think that's really where the fun is."

Those who wish to continue curling on a regular basis can buy a membership with the club to substitute in leagues or buy a league of their own. Learning to curl or joining a league with French Creek Curling Club doesn't require any special equipment and can be played regardless of athletic ability. "We've had members in their seventies play through a league and I think our youngest league member at the moment is 16, so it's a really wide variety," Reese said.

Reese describes the social aspect of curling as his favorite part. "It's not cutthroat, right?" Reese said, "You're trying to do the best that you can. Your opponent is trying to do the best they can. And when somebody makes a good shot, you're going to cheer for them. And they're going to cheer for you when you make a good shot. And then afterwards, we have some social time off the ice." 

6:30 to 8:30 p.m. // LECOM Sports Park, 8159 Oliver Rd. // $30 // For tickets and info: tickets.eriereader.com or eriecurling.com