Youth curlers hit the ice in Neepawa
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Submitted photo. Youth curlers, aged 5 to 7 on the ice with their instructors.
Submitted
Neepawa Curling Club
The Neepawa Curling Club is humming on Wednesdays at 4:30, with activity and the sound of youth curlers aged 8 and up. Similar to last year, the session is run by volunteers familiar with the game of curling. Through fun drills and games, the children are taught curling etiquette, safety on the ice, proper form on delivery and sweeping techniques, game strategy and of course rules of the game.
Twenty-four children from Neepawa and surrounding communities signed up for this year’s Learn to Curl/Skills Enhancement, that’s up two from last year. We have kids returning from last year’s session as well nine kids trying it out for the first time. During these eight weeks, we are working with the kids in the hopes that they come out of it feeling confident enough to enter a few of the local youth bonspiels in the area.
We are very excited to announce that due to high interest and inquiries from parents, an eight week session for youth aged 5 to 7 opened up on Mondays. This 45 minute lesson is run by parent volunteers familiar with the sport and is designed to safely introduce curling to young participants. Here, they are taught etiquette of the game, safety on the ice, proper form on delivery and sweeping techniques as well as rules of the game. Fifteen children are enrolled for this session.
This session level includes children that have never tried curling but are familiar with it, perhaps simply because one or both of their parents curl or curled when they were younger, they’ve seen it on TV or because it’s another ice sport they’d like to try. Whatever the reason, we are happy to have them at the rink!
We realize how busy everyone’s lives are and how important it is to encourage your child if they show an interest for a healthy active lifestyle so we thank all parents who make the time to run their kids from one activity to another and for allowing them to try this wonderful sport.
Maybe we will see you, the parent, back out on the ice or trying curling for the first time alongside your child!
Seeing new faces trying out the sport is what these sessions are all about. Curling is a relatively low-cost sport to get outfitted for. Participants need clean indoor shoes, a gripper and slider or curling shoes (which can be rented), a good quality broom and comfortable stretchy, warm clothing. Once you have a broom and curling shoes, you have that for as long as you want to curl. Signing up as a spare during a league night of curling is a great way to get into the sport and could eventually get you a spot on a team or keep you coming back, because spares are always needed.
Youth bonspiels require an entry of a team of four, but individual entries are welcome and the organizer may be able to help you find a team. For youth curlers, typically, the entry fees are anywhere from $20 to $60 for a team. January to March are the busiest times of the season for bonspiels. Check your local curling rink bulletin boards for posters, curling rink web pages or the Neepawa Curling Club Facebook page for updates or to make inquiries.
The Neepawa Youth Bonspiel is being held on Sunday, Jan. 22 and is always a great, fun day of curling. Enter as team or individual, if you don’t have a team– We want you there! Don’t think you are “good enough”? Don’t worry, ages and years of experience are taken into account. Please call Jeff Cook at 841-3309 to enter or to inquire.
