Instructors teach an eager group of first-time curlers some new moves at the Ottawa Curling Club.
After gold and silver medals at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, more people are sweeping the sheets of ice at the Ottawa Curling Club than ever before.
“There’s a major demand on ice rental right now. People are looking to try the game,” says the club manager Dalal Abou-Eid.
“Since the Olympics I have been turning people away. I am all booked until the end of April” he says
She says a lot of young people aged 20 to 40 have been coming in to try the sport for the first time. The club, a staple in Ottawa since 1851 has been at its O’Connor Street location since 1916.
Abou-Eid says the club saw a spike in the demand and they decided to start a beginner program. For $80, the club provides instruction, shoes and brooms.
Abou-Eid was expecting about 12 people, but instead was flooded with over 50 e-mail requests.
Trevor Whitefield and five of his friends decided to give curling a try after watching the sport on television during the Vancouver Olympics. So far the group has been enjoying it.
“It’s really fun actually. It takes lots of practice time to get good, but it’s going really well,” he says.
The sport was a showcase event during the Vancouver Games in February, with Canada winning gold in the men’s competition and silver in women’s.
“It doesn’t have to do with Canadians only anymore; it seems to be every country,” says Abou-Eid.
“Yesterday, I had a group of 24 people from the Chinese community. They were all new immigrants to Canada and they wanted to try the game so they came here.”
Marie-Eve Malenfant is another newcomer to the sport, and decided to try it after watching it during the Olympics.
“We got to learn a little bit about the sport and how really difficult it is,” she says.
The hardest part?
“Throwing the rock at the right weight is definitely difficult, but mostly your balance and being able to judge where the rock is going to land.”
“It’s definitely fun, it’s a good sport,” she adds. “We’re here today practicing because we need it.”
It is this sort of enthusiasm that the Ontario Curling Association is trying to exploit after the Olympics.
The OCA’s website has a page called “Leveraging 2010,” intended to guide curling clubs on how to generate more attention within their communities.
According to the OCA website, using the Olympics as a platform is essential to the growth and survival of Canada’s curling clubs.
“Implementing some form of campaign to bring new curlers through the doors will revitalize existing members’ interest – especially so in 2010,” says the OCA website
.Abou-Eid hopes the momentum will keep up.
“I wish every year there was an Olympics,” says Abou-Eid, “For us, it’s spreading the word.”