Some of the area’s youngest curlers took to the pebbled ice in St. Paul on Feb. 1 for the annual Junior Curling Bonspiel.
A total of 16 teams were entered into the draw, with youth curlers – as young as nine years old – making up two divisions of play, and Jr. High School curlers making up the third. According to event organizer Crystal St. Arnault, the event is supposed to be a positive experience for everyone involved.
“It’s a fun day for all the kids,” she said. “Every kid will go home with a prize today.”
Modified rules were being used, with the younger curlers playing four-end games, and the Jr. High students playing six-end games. Two points were awarded for winning an end, four points for a win, and one point for a tie.
The young curlers in St. Paul meet on Wednesdays to work on their skills, but Sunday’s tournament gave them a rare chance to get competitive.
“They always just want to play games. They like the competition,” St. Arnault said. “But it’s also the skill that we’re trying to teach them, and the etiquette on the ice. From the beginning of the year until now, they’ve come a long way.”
Mallaig curling coach Yvette Webster was there with one of her teams, and she said that when it comes to teaching the sport to youngsters, it’s best to start from square one.
“Just your basic skills – how to slide out of the hack, how to hold the broom properly, sweeping, and then the weight, of course,” she said. “The kids just learn one year after the other. My curlers here that have been doing it for three years, you can see big improvements.”
When asked about which aspects of the sport the beginning curlers enjoy, Webster’s young team had plenty of answers to offer up. The popular responses were “throwing” and “sliding,” while one player said, “I like it when the rocks hit each other”.
Rink manager Floyd Kunnas was also on hand at the event, and was pleased to see so many young curlers enjoying the sport.
“It’s a sport they can carry with them,” he said. “It’s ageless. We’ve got juniors at nine and 10 years old, and some people are in their 90s and still curling.”
Junior Curling Results
Pool A
1st Place – Jessie Kurek and team
2nd Place – Logan Peters and team
Pool B
1st Place – Kieran Kotowich and team
2nd Place – Trista St. Arnault and team.
Pool C
1st Place – Cody Doucet and team.
