Curling the night away

Last night I learned how to curl. Curling is a winter Olympic sport that began in Scotland. I have always thought that I could be a decent curler, but never had the opportunity to try it out till now. This whole thing started when I was talking with my co-worker Nina over the summer how the only chance I had to be an Olympian was to become a curler. It turns out we both had a similar thought. I immediately googled US curling clubs and managed to find one in Los Angeles. Before the beginning of each league they hold an open house where the Hollywood Curling Club invites the public to come learn about the game and begin playing. The open house is then followed by two classes for beginning and intermediate curlers leading up to the beginning of league play.

Our night began with a thirty minute introductory video, followed by a quick ice safety talk, and then practicing the basics. We started by gliding the stone; or rock as it is known, back and forth. Then we moved into pushing off the "hack" and gliding in a curling position. This progressed into gliding with a rock, and then into gliding and releasing the rock. Next up was sweeping while some threw a rock down the lane. I was pretty bad at sweeping. I "burned the rock" three times. Burning the rock is when a sweeper touches the rock on its way down the lane and thus knocking it out of play. We finished the night by playing a mock match.

Curling was awesome and amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I may have been the one to fall down the most and I have a bruised chin to prove it, but it was awesome. I can't wait to go back on Sunday.