Gliding into a new season

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/09/2021 (1723 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s not unusual to see four generations of players come together on the ice at the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club.

The club is currently taking registrations for all of its leagues from now until the end of September. With public health restrictions loosening in recent months, club organizers hope to welcome back players in full force.

“Covid hit us pretty hard, as it did all curling clubs in all of Manitoba, all of Canada,” said Ken Onagi, club president. “When code orange restrictions went to code red in November of last year, it effectively shut our season down.”

Over 92 years into the club’s life, managers needed to figure out how to make it through to the next season. Thanks to the generosity of its members and many hours spent applying for grants, the board is ready to hear the familiar cries of “Woah” and “Hurry hard” echo through the hall and see rocks glide across the freshly poured ice.

“There are so many of us that live close or nearby the club, so the community means a lot to us,” Onagi said. “Our grandfathers and grandmothers curled here, our parents curled here, and now it’s the kids and the grandkids that are supporting the club.”

Onagi takes pride in the club’s diversity.  

The little rocks youth program includes curlers as young as five years old, and the  junior program covers folks under the age of 21. There are leagues for adult men and women, as well as teams for seniors. Individuals with mobility challenges have the option to join a stick league, where players can use a device to move a rock.  

“We have members that are in their late 80s and 90s that are still playing because of the stick league,” Onagi said.

The club welcomes people who use wheelchairs to join its leagues. The club has a wheelchair lift, making the ice fully accessible, and an elevator that connects the upstairs lounge to the main floor.

Leagues are also divided by experience level, from the Saturday night mixed teams for players looking for a more casual game on a biweekly basis to the most competitive ranks. Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club hosts a series of bonspiels for the novice and experienced leagues alike to showcase its talent.

“The curling community is a lot of fun, and it’s open and welcoming to anybody who wants to try it or who’s looking to join — this is the place to do it,” Darcie Buxton, chair of the marketing and revenue committee, said.

“I find that curlers, in general, are just a special breed.”

Jody Smart, club manager, has curled with the Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club for 34 years. Both she and Buxton said the friendships they’ve made through the sport keep them coming back.    

“I’m here all the time,” Smart said. “If they want to come on down and take a tour when we’re not open, I’m glad to take them.”

To sign up for a league or to arrange a tour of the facility, visit www.curlamcc.ca