Teaching an old sport new tricks

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This article was published 06/10/2021 (1703 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canadians may have been curling for well over 100 years, with the sport going back hundreds more to its origins in Scotland, but that doesn’t mean curling can’t evolve or be reinvigorated, according to one local athlete.

Sean Grassie is on the board of directors at Deer Lodge Curling Club. Grassie, who’s been curling since he was 10 years old, wants to see mixed doubles come into its own. The sport just made its break on the world stage at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Mixed doubles differs from regular mixed leagues in that teams are made up of just two players, a man and a woman, instead of two-man/ two-woman lineup used in the traditional mixed format. This modification has its benefits, Grassie said. For one, games are quicker because players throw fewer rocks, usually lasting no more than an hour-and-a-half.

“You get to throw a lot of rocks and play a lot of offence,” he said.

Manitoba will continue to be a hub for curling in 2022, hosting the Olympic mixed doubles trials in Portage la Prairie for the second time in a row. This season willalso see the launch of the inaugural Manitoba mixed doubles curling tour.

“It’s starting to gain in popularity,” he said.

Grassie isn’t afraid to show his bias towards mixed doubles. The 42-year-old has competed at the highest level, having won a bronze medal at the 2009 world mixed doubles championship in Cortina, Italy. Most recently. he participated in a pre-Olympic trials event in Ottawa. At the end of October, his team will represent Deer Lodge in Liverpool, N.S., at the next stage of the trials process

Deer Lodge is hosting two free mixed doubles clinics on Wed. Oct 6, and Thurs. Oct. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m., to give novices — to the sport, or the format — a taste of what to expect. Those interested can become club members and take part in a Tuesday night mixed doubles league, which will begin on Tues., Oct. 19.

“A lot of curlers who have played for years haven’t tried it yet, so having a free clinic gives them a chance to try the game,” he said.

With many curling clubs across Manitoba taking a hit, both in terms of finances and membership, Grassie sees mixed doubles as a way to get people out onto the ice.

“We’re down a bit in some leagues but in other leagues we have a super-strong response and are going to hold our numbers. Those who are signed up to come back are really looking forward to it,” said Corey Thomas, Deer Lodge Curling Club president.

The club is inviting mixed doubles curlers of all skill levels to sign up and is still taking registrations for all of its other leagues. There are competitive bonspiels, as well as high-end competitions for competitive teams trying to qualify for the Olympics.

Players can sign up for mixed doubles in three different six-week blocks — a smaller time commitment than other leagues the club offers. Grassie hopes the casual schedule and small team size will make it easier for people to get organized and find time to play.

“Curling is very unique. There’s not really another sport you can compare it to … Some call it chess on ice.,” he said.

Grassie is also the author of the books Kings of the Rings: 125 Years of the World’s Biggest Bonspiel and Iconic Stories from 150 Years of Sport in Manitoba.