When you watch the game of curling in person or on tv, the pros makes it look easy. How hard could it be? you slide a rock down some ice and hope to land it in the painted rings right?
A group of students from École secondaire Notre-Dame-du-Saul found out this morning, it’s a lot harder than that.
Offered by the Soo Curling Club through the “Learn-to-Curl” program, this initiative seeks to motivate students to become involved in this sport and help them acquire the basic curling skills, and you can’t get a much better teacher than Brad Jacobs.
“Harold McCarthy is heading up these groups of students, he used to do this for us a few years back and we’re grateful that he put together this little Friday student curling for us” Jacobs said “it’s pretty difficult to show someone how to curl, especially in one day. Some people seem to grasp it quicker than others.”
Jacobs showed some of his moves to the students Friday morning. The Learn to Curl program allows schools and students and adults to try their hand at the sport. The Brad Jacobs Team won the gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Russia. The local team has become a great source of inspiration for students and local citizens. Since their Olympic victory, the sport of curling benefits from much visibility in Sault Ste. Marie and Jacobs wants to see that continue.
“We hope to spark a little bit of interest amongst these kids tp join curling and show them that this is a game that is a lot of fun and something they can do for their whole life and do it at the recreational level or pursue it at the competitive level” Jacobs said.
“One of the things you hear when they come off the ice for the first time is, that was a lot harder than I thought it would be” Jacobs added, “I think for people at first it’s nerve-wracking because you’re stepping onto ice with a very slippery foot. It’s very humbling for people when they try it for the first time”
Annabelle a fourteen year student trying it for the first time found sweeping to be the most challenging “it’s fun, but the sweeping is hard” Fourteen-year-old Stephanie agreed, “it’s the sweeping, you have to put your feet a certain way and it’s difficult” she laughs.
Soo Curlers offers an eight-week Adult learn to curl program each Wednesday at 8pm as well as a 20-week youth program Wednesdays at 4pm and Fridays at 1pm the doors are open to members and non-members to try the sport for 5 dollars.
“Our doors are always open to anyone, seven days a week if they want to try curling” Jacobs said.
