At the Cincinnati Curling Club, kids are learning a sport that blends balance, strategy and teamwork.
“It’s a great activity to get kids out of the house in the wintertime,” said club member Audra Adams. “It teaches them flexibility, balance, strength … the etiquette, which is a big part of the sport. They learn sportsmanship. It’s a very kind, welcoming place.”
That welcoming atmosphere extends to players of all ages, including 11-year-old Emmett Adams, who told me he’s now in his fourth season.
“It’s hard with the balance and getting to throw the stone,” Adams said. “But it’s cool to play something that’s not very common, by most kids. It’s fun to be out here on the ice throwing stones. I like it.”
Curling involves sliding granite stones down an ice sheet toward a target called the “house,” with teammates sweeping in front of the stone to control its speed and direction toward the target.
I visited the club and, while there, put my own skills to the test. After a dramatic slide and a little suspense, the shot landed right on target.
Adams said she hopes more young people see curling as both fun and inspiring.
“They get to play a sport that’s in the Olympics,” she said. “When they see curling on TV during the Olympics, they can say, ‘I was able to do that right here in my hometown.’”
From sliding and gliding to sweeping and strategizing, curling proves to be a sport for all ages that’s quickly sweeping up new fans in the Tri-State.
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