GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT // ZAMBONI TRAX Is arena curling REAL curling?


By Brad Whitlock, U.S. Curling News columnist


because these arenas, oſten, are ready and willing to have their ice converted to curling ice at least once or twice each week. Although “arena” ice for curling exists in oth-


I


er countries, the presence of so many arenas in so many areas of the U.S. has really provided a jumping off platform to allow the sport to grow here as fast as it has. Tat’s the good news. Te downside is that the


ice, regardless of how well it is prepped, is usu- ally uneven in spots, rutted, ragged, grooved, tortured, spindled, and mutilated (note to mil- lennials – Google “computer punch cards” for a further explanation). So, when playing on arena ice, the question be-


comes: Is arena curling real curling? My answer, in case you aren’t interested in


reading the rest of this, is – a definite YES! Te thing is, there’s a lot more to curling


than just sliding stones down a slippery surface. Tere’s the competition part, and that’s an im- portant part, but it’s far from the only part. Tere’s a whole other side to curling, involv-


ing tradition, sportsmanship, and camaraderie that is present every time you curl. Gladly (and hopefully) these are present in any curling game, whether the game is on dedicated ice, arena ice, or gravel (perhaps the last two are the same). Camaraderie - Te spirit of the game includes


good sportsmanship with kind feelings toward your opponent (and teammates) regardless of the circumstances or outcome of a shot, an end or the game. Curlers play to win, but with hon- orable conduct and never to humble their oppo- nents. Arena or not! Broomstacking – Socializing together with


your opponent aſter the game is the tradition. Furthermore, the winners (not the losers) buys drinks! Arena or not! Good sportsmanship – How many competi-


tive games do you know where you don’t root against the opponent but, instead, congratulate them when they make a good shot?


8 )) usacurl.org


Gilmour rink (above), 1895. Courtesy of curlinghistory.blogspot.com


n the United States, we’re lucky to have a plethora of arenas that host hockey, ice skating and other “winter” sports. Lucky


Luck – And, yes, luck still comes in to play just


as it does on dedicated ice. Challenge of calling shots – Is your strategy


different on arena ice? Probably, but that really applies to every game of curling. Do you have hammer, can your vice skip make the shot need- ed, are you ahead or behind? Every game is dif- ferent. Arena or not! If you are ever feeling bad about your arena ice,


A cardinal rule in curling is to never attempt


to distract your opponent, in fact, the opposite is true. Being silent and motionless during an op- ponent’s shot is the accepted decorum. Te games not only end with handshakes, but


start with handshakes and a wish for “good curl- ing.” What an awesome concept! Arena or not! Rules – No curler knowingly breaks a rule of


curling just to get an extra “edge.” But if you in- advertently break a rule, you speak up and say so, regardless of the consequences on the outcome of the game. Tat’s what you do in curling. Arena or not! Exercise – No matter the ice conditions, you’re


getting some good exercise for a couple of hours. In fact, some arena curlers would probably argue, the workout you get on arena ice is elevated! Connection to 600-year history – When you


curl, you’re connected to 600 years of history go- ing back to those Scottish folks who were bored in the winter. Arena or not! Helping others learn – One of the things that


most impressed me about curling when I first started was everyone’s willingness to help new- bies. Regardless of which team you were on, you always had someone ready to help out, give guid- ance, and teach you. Arena or not! Skill – Challenge of placing shots – What-


ever kind of ice you’re on, the challenge of mak- ing a good shot is always there, and the joy ex- perienced when making that shot can be nearly as gratifying even if you’re on arena ice (maybe more so because of the conditions under which it was made).


just think what the Scots were up against play- ing outdoors, on ponds and lakes in the 1800s! To maintain the great heritage of the game, they still, today, play outdoors frequently. Curling is no different than other sports. If


you play baseball recreationally, you don’t get to play at Dodger Stadium each week. You play at the local park on a field that has gopher holes, missing grass, rocks in the infield, no elevation to the pitcher’s mound, etc. Let’s be realistic here, too – dedicated ice is


not (ever) perfect. Tere are driſts and pulls, a slow spot here and there. Does the stone always do exactly what you expect on dedicated ice? Not always. Frankly, where the stone goes or doesn’t is usually more on you and how you threw it than it is on the ice. Don’t feel like an outsider because you’re an


arena curler, don’t feel like you aren’t really curl- ing, don’t feel bad about the rocks being a bit too warm or the ice having some frost. You enter another world when you step out


on your arena ice each week. When you lug your rocks out there, put you hacks in, etc. you’re get- ting ready to play a game that has a lot of im- portant aspects to it. None of those aspects are diminished because you are arena curling. Savor it, enjoy it. With all the tradition, sportsmanship, and


good conduct that curling encourages, we can only hope that the American election process learns a thing or two about how to conduct ourselves as human beings from the sport of curling. Q


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40