That can be an issue for people with mobility difficulties, taking those who might otherwise love to play the sport and forcing them to the sidelines.
That’s where stick curling comes in.
Played standing with a specially designed stick with a implement designed to hold a curling handle at one end, it’s a version of the sport that finds itself growing in popularity, Moose Jaw included.
There is currently a stick curling league that meets every Tuesday and Thursday at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, with some mornings seeing six sheets of ice in action.
“It lets a lot of people curl who would otherwise be on the sidelines,” said league organizer Gord Stewart.
The format sees two-person teams – one throwing, one acting as skip – with no sweeping between the hog lines. Players throw six rocks an end, alternating throwing and skipping.
“So you get to try both sides of the game, and you get to throw 36 rocks instead of 16,” Stewart said. “And then a lot of people don’t get a chance to look at the game from a skip’s point of view, when you get a chance to do that you have to look a little more into the strategy.”
Games include a three-rock rule for all rocks in the house, making for a game with plenty of shot-making. Contests are quick, too: games are six ends and take around an hour and a half to play.
Then there’s the social aspect of it all. After each draw, players gather for coffee and cookies and talk about the game that was.
The league just finished their most recent square on Thursday but will be starting up again in the new year. And with a new set of games, organizers are hoping to see lots of new faces.
“We’re always looking for new curlers, too,” Stewart said. “All anyone has to do is phone the rink and talk to [curling manager] Rhonda [Wenarchuk] and she’ll get you set up… If someone wants to come out, we’ll fit them in. We have six sheets on Tuesday and three sheets on Thursday and we have room in both for players.”
Players looking for a more competitive experience can hone their skills in the league before taking part in the SaskCurl Stick Curling provincials running Mar. 13-15 at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.
For more information, contact Rhonda Wenarchuk at 306-624-2048.
