The Cochrane Curling Club is entering its 106th year and in more than a century of operation there might have never been a better time to get into curling in Cochrane.
Since the Cochrane Curling Club moved from its old location on Fifth Avenue - now the Lions Event Centre - to Spray Lake Sawmills Sports Centre three years ago, the sport has had resounding success across all its divisions, from junior to senior to men’s and women’s to mixed and Sturling.
Whether it’s an explosion in numbers or successes at the competitive level, Cochrane curlers are bringing exposure to the sport and to their new facility, which is hailed as world class and has attracted international athletes to train.
Douglas Campbell, with the senior league, said the new facility might also generate more interest in the sport and the community because it has the potential to host major events such as the provincials.
“If all goes to plan we might be able to host some of the major superstar events you see on the weekends. That’s a goal for us,” he added.
Men’s bonspiel
An example of the club’s success will be highlighted this weekend during the annual men’s bonspiel, which has a record 36 teams registered for the event.
The bonspiel kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday and the finals will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Saturday will also bring attention to prostate cancer with the Man Van in attendance from noon to 3 p.m. to provide free prostate blood testing for men ages 40 to 80.
Kendall Waiting, a board member with Cochrane Curling Club and bonspiel organizer, said curling popularity in the community has surged since the club moved to the sports centre three years ago.
Each of its leagues, which have grown thanks to the additional ice, are able to cater to all skill levels.
Part of that success is attributed to the increased visibility of the sport. Being at the sports centre with an open viewing area from both levels, has increased exposure and drawn people to try curling.
There will also be ample opportunity to see more of what curling can offer at the competitive level with a number of bonspiels on deck.
Following the men’s bonspiel, the Sturling bonspiel is set for Feb. 16, the women’s bonspiel Feb. 22 to 24 and the mixed bonspiel from March 22 to 24.
Sturling
Sturling, or stick curling, has been a part of the club for the past 10 years, but league organizer Joey Hyde-Wilson said the numbers have been constantly growing and it is a great way for people who have suffered an injury, have reduced mobility or have not played for a long time to get back into the sport.
“If I can get one person off the couch I’ve done my job,” said Hyde-Wilson.
The variation of the sport is played with two curlers who throw six rocks - using a special stick that allows them to stay standing or sitting – during six ends.
Hyde-Wilson said the league has grown from using two sheets to six and the upcoming bonspiel, which has space for 24 teams – from as far out as Calgary, Carstairs, Didsbury and Coaldale – only has two spaces remaining.
Seniors
Seniors curling in Cochrane has also grown as the population ages and many Cochrane curlers are joining the ranks of competitive senior athletes achieving podium results.
Gary Hawkes, president of senior men’s curling, said the numbers for senior curling are up 20 per cent from the old rink.
Campbell said the senior bonspiel held before the holidays was a huge success with a full draw.
“My team was fortunate to win the zones and we are going to provincials in 55-plus,” he added. “We go to Cold Lake Feb, 28 to March 3 (Alberta 55+ Winter Games) in terms a men’s seniors we have two teams entered from here.”
In 2012, Cochrane Seniors won the provincials and a berth to the nationals and took bronze at the national level.
“We’d like to do that again,” Campbell said.
The growing success in seniors curling can be attributed to the rink at Spray Lake Family Sports Centre, which Campbell said features very fast ice and Hawkes added has elevated the level of play.
“Those who get the bug are very passionate about the game.”
Juniors
Cochrane has a healthy stock of junior curlers, which has a lot to do with the development potential of the new rink. With four half sheets and lighter rocks for the Little Rock program, wee fledgling curlers have the opportunity to get a taste for the sport.
They also have role models to aspire to.
Zoe Cinnamon’s junior rink has been surprising competition at bonspiels this year winning or fairing well against much older opposition. With players ranging from 14 to 16, the team is quite a bit younger than the curlers in the U18 and U21 divisions where they compete.
Over the holidays, the girls took a $4,000 scholarship purse when they won the CYCA Ray Kingsmith Memorial Bonspiel in Airdrie. They were also on top of the U18 bonspiel in Cochrane in December.
Cinnamon, 16, and teammate Raelyn Helston, 14, attribute a lot of the their success to team dynamics.
“Every position on the team is important and I think we all bring our own positive touch to our positions,” said Helston.
Cinnamon added the team practises a lot and fortunately they all get a long well.
“We’re very good friends on the ice and off the ice,” she said.
Both girls say their success is creating a lot of momentum under the team and is inspiring considering their age and the fact they have a number of years in the divisions they are competing in remaining.
“I’m thinking in two years, when we reach their age, how well will we do then,” she said, looking ahead.
Helston added that for a 14-year-old playing against competitors and with teammates who are so much older has really elevated her play.
“It does help my playing ability. We play more experienced teams so our shots have to be made better, “ she said.
Both girls are pretty in sync with their goals eyeing a berth to provincials and hopefully a championships and then in the long term one day representing Canada at the Olympics.
Next up for the girls is a bonspiel in Innisfail Jan. 26 and 27, U18 playdowns Feb 1-3, Mixed doubles provincials Feb. 14-18, U18 provincials – if the girls qualify – will be March 14 to 17, and the Marc Kennedy Bonspiel is March 22 to 23. High school curling zones are being hosted in Cochrane this year and are on Feb 8 and 9. If teams from Cochrane qualify, they will go to provincials March 7 to 10.
The team is coached by Rob Helston and Justine Hagey and Elspeth Cooper are the other two players.
Mixed curling
New this year is a Monday afternoon competitive mixed league that slides onto the ice weekly at 1 p.m. adding to the increase to 18 teams seen in regular mixed division. Guidel Ziegler, bonspiel organizer for ladies and mixed bonspiels, said with the mixed bonspiel still a couple months away work is just getting started but they expect to see 24 teams compete.
Ladies curling
Ziegler said the bonspiel is aiming for 24 teams, similar to last year, but she added 17 teams are already registered and she would not be surprised if they surpass the goal.
Ziegler also wanted to clarify that the curling club and the sports centre are separate entities, which is important when curlers look for sponsorship. The sponsors on the walls at the rink are for the sports centre and not the club. And sponsorship like that supplied by UFA for this weekend’s men’s tournament is vital for the club’s
Sports centre advantage
League heads said other than exposure, the sports centre has afforded the Cochrane Curling Club a renewed and enhanced level of development through clinics and training.
Much of that work is attributed to Morgan Muise, the facility’s curling co-ordinator and last year’s National Canadian Club Champion, who has helped bring in more clinics and has helped to develop young curlers.
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