With the Winter Olympics being broadcast coast to coast and around the world, the winter sport of Curling is gaining a lot of attention. Though California is not generally thought of as a winter sport mecca, a number of winter sports enthusiasts reside here. California has given the Olympics such wonderful winter athletes as snowboarders Jamie Anderson and Chas Guldemond, as well as California born skier Arman Serebrakian. Is it any wonder that Southern California is home to three curling clubs?
Did you ever think you would want to slide a 42-pound rock of granite across the ice? Kind of like a big game of Horseshoes, curling is played by two teams of four players each. As one person slides the granite across the ice, the other players use brooms to clear the ice of debris or feverishly sweep the ice to create heat, hoping to direct the granite toward the end target. A fun game for kids and adults, curling is played across the United States in several ice rinks. In Southern California, there are 3 Curling Clubs. They are found in San Diego County, Orange County and Los Angeles County. Each club offers beginning curling lessons, curling clinics, pickup games and league play.
San Diego Curling Club
In San Diego, the Escondido Ice-Plex at 555 North Tulip Street, Escondido, CA 92025 holds one-hour Learn to Curl sessions on the ice followed by a one-hour game against other first time curlers. An Open House is planned for Monday, February 17, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The next Learn to Curl session is scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2014. Check the San Diego Curling website for times and other information. The club provides all the necessary curling equipment. They recommend you come prepared for the chilly indoor air by wearing clean, soft-soled shoes and warm athletic clothing. You might want to bring some gloves or mittens too. If you want to see who else is into curling, you can “Like” them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CurlSanDiego or you can check out their club web page at: http://www.curlsandiego.org/. This web page also has a link to view a short USA Curling Federation video on what curling is all about.
Hollywood Curling Club
If San Diego is too far south for you, Hollywood also has a curling venue. On February 21, 2014, the Hollywood Curling Club will offer a Learn to Curl session at 8 p.m. Curling sessions are held at the LA Kings Valley Ice Center, located at 8750 Van Nuys Boulevard, Panorama City, CA 91402. The LA Kings Valley Ice Center is so large, it has two rinks. If you time it right, while the kids are skating on one rink, parents may be able to watch a USC/UCLA game on the other. You can check out their web page at: http://www.hollywoodcurling.org/. The Hollywood Curling Club has set a goal of collecting $25,000 to nurture the sport of curling in Los Angeles County. If you wish to donate to this wonderful cause, check out their web site for details.
Orange County Curling Club
For those a bit south of Los Angles but north of San Diego, check out the Orange County Curling Club. The Orange County Curling Club meets at the Westminster Ice Rink, located at 13071 Springdale Street, Westminster, CA. This club offers Learn to Curl sessions for those who are new to the sport or just want to refresh their skills. They cover the techniques of stone throwing, game etiquette, coaching on and off the ice, and the anatomy of a great curling shot. They teach you about sweeping the ice, which can make the stone slide further or stop sooner. For more information, visit their web site at: http://www.occurling.com/.
REFERENCES and LINKS
http://www.OCCurling.com
http://www.hollywoodcurling.org/.
http://www.curlsandiego.org/.
http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/curling
http://www.bing.com/videos/search
https://www.facebook.com/ChuckG.tv
http://itsjamieanderson.com/
http://armanserebrakian.com/bio/
