Traverse City Curling

Dec. 4, 2015

A Rock-Solid Community

Ice rinks around northern Michigan are bustling with hockey players and hobbyist ice skaters. But now a new sport has swept onto the scene: The Club (TCCC), making its home at Traverse City’s Centre Ice Arena, is building a passionate following.

”What people are attracted to is a game that’s unique and special and open to just about anybody,” said Don Piche, who led the introduction of the sport to the area last year.

“We just opened up our registration for our winter session and we’re already close to two-thirds if not three-quarters full,” he said. “I think we’ll be able to accommodate 96 curlers.”

The game resembles shuffleboard or bowling, and is becoming increasingly popular in the US.

Two competing teams of four attempt to move eight, 40-pound “rocks,” polished granite stones, down the curling sheets toward the “house,” four concentric circles used for scoring. Once a rock is slid down the ice by the “thrower,” their teammates attempt to brush the ice free of tiny ice bumps with special “brooms,” to influence the heavy stone’s path. The game derives its name from the intended path of the rock, which, through the efforts of the team should slowly curl into the desired place.

While the basic mechanics of the game are straightforward, Piche said things quickly become more complex as the number of stones on the sheet increases. “It is a thinking game as much as it requires some physical acuity.”

Many see curling’s accessibility as one of the largest factors in the sport gaining appeal.

“It doesn’t matter what age you are, what gender, [just] as long as you have a clean pair of shoes,” added Cara Colburn, Piche’s sister, who has helped formed the club and is now an avid curler.

Proving Colburn’s point is Denise Weise, a 77-year-old player who continues to brave the ice despite one recent surgery and another on the horizon. The club’s growing roster also includes Lindy Kellogg, another avid player, who joined the club after a mystery date with her husband a year ago. Also among the ranks is Jill Riecke, who has been curling since she was eleven and now teaches the club’s introductory course.

“You can miss all your shots all night, but if you make that one good one…” said Riecke. “That’s what keeps you coming back.”

Both Piche and Colburn also said they have witnessed curling’s rise in popularity as some traditional ice sports have decreased. They see curling having the advantage of low cost as compared to the high equipment costs associated with ice skating or hockey.

The club provides all the needed equipment to members, thanks in no small part to Center Ice, which Colburn said has donated $40,000 in curling rocks. The club is also sponsored by local companies including Short's Brewing and Right Brain Brewery (both of which frequently supply post-match libations; an integral component of curling, noted Piche).

The elementary athletic requirements of the sport also allow players of all physical ability levels the chance to join in. However, while curling is certainly a non-contact sport, Piche quickly pointed out “it’s certainly not a non-physical game.”

“People will get sweaty out there.”

Given the rise in local interest, Piche said the club’s next big focus is on securing ice designated solely for curling.

Also on the horizon for the TCCC is the second annual Cherry Bombspiel, a threeday long spring tournament. Piche said last year curlers from across the U.S. and Canada traveled to the event, which helped legitimize the club. Olympic curler Debbie Mccormick made an appearance and will return in 2016.

Though the sport is experiencing a surge in popularity nationwide, Piche sees the sense of local comradery that ties his club together.

”It’s a brand new community, so you can create, in a way, whatever you want as a vibe and as a experience,” he said. “It all centers around this really simple, ancient game.”

Colburn added that the sense of community that is created on the ice doesn’t end at the rink’s edge. “It’s carried over into the workplace in a really positive way,” she explained.

“We all sit together at work and talk about it all day, “ added a member of the Traverse City-based Microline Technology Corporation team.

“What makes this community of ours so special is the value of community,” Piche proudly observed.

Here’s Your Chance

Those looking to try their hand at curling will get a chance during a Traverse City Curling Club two-hour, on-ice “Learn to Curl” instruction class Dec. 30 at Centre Ice Arena. After taking the course, participants can register for the Winter Curling Series, which will begin in early January. The 9-week leauge costs $160 per person, and registrants can sign up as individuals, pairs, or as a team of four. All equipment, besides the well-advised warm clothing, will be supplied by the TCCC.

The club is also partnering with Blue Care Network for a Junior Development Team for ages 16-21.

For more information visit www.tccurling.org or email info@tccurling.org.