By Kimberly Dunbar

During the 2006 Winter Olympics, America became enamored of a new sport that resembled a mix of bocce and bowing on ice. And as much as sport snobs tried to poke fun at the guys furiously sweeping the ice with their brooms, they couldn’t help but become addicted to this sport they called curling.

But curling is hardly a new sport. After Scottish emigrants took the sport to Canada in the early 1800s, curling established firm roots in North America. In 1831, the first curling club in the United States was organized in Michigan. Curling made an appearance as an official sport in the 1924 Winter Olympics, but disappeared until it returned to the Games in 1998. In 2006, NBC showcased the icy activity, and Americans fell in love with U.S. curling skip (Captain) Pete Fenson and cheered their team all they way to their bronze medal victory.

“I think curling is a testimony to what a little television visibility can produce,” said David Kittredge, a member of the Board of Governors of the Petersham Curling club and its Secretary. “Most, if not all, the new members or people who visit our club have seen curling in the Olympics,” he added.

Norman LaFlash, an Auburn resident, watched curling a few years back and tried it for the first time last year. Now in his second year with the Petersham Curling club, LaFlash is glad he gave the sport a shot. “Some people don’t understand what curling is, but it only took me a few games to realize that it can be enjoyable,” said LaFlash.

Kittredge believes that people are able to relate well to the sport that involves “…strategy, teamwork, skill, and admittedly a little bit of luck.” He also thinks curling is appealing to Americans because it is a practical sport. “Other Olympic sports like figure skating, skiing or hockey might be fun to watch, but they also require too much investment or experience to get involved or to do well at it,” he said.

“You need absolutely NO experience to join or get involved,” said Kittredge. “We can teach you the basics in 20-30 minutes, and then put you on a team to really see how much fun it is.” He added that one does not need any fancy or expensive equipment, and the club provides the brooms and stones. “All you need are rubber-soled shoes, and to wear loose fitting clothing,” he said.

Bill Simpson of Brookfield didn’t have any experience when he joined the Petersham Curling club ten years ago. “After driving by it about 40 times I decided to try it out,” he said. Simpson’s wife Karen soon joined, and the two have been curling as a team ever since. Simpson loves the excitement and challenge of curling. “It’s two hours of an athletic enterprise working on coordination, gamesmanship and camaraderie. Where else can you find four people working together on something?”
The Petersham Curling club ~ which currently has about 60 to 70 members ~ began in 1960 and was modeled after and inspired by a curling club in Quebec. Kittredge, who has been curling at Petersham for 20 years, grew up in CT, where he lived 15 minutes from a curling club. Kittredge curled until he moved away to college, but picked up where he left off when he took a job at UMass-Amherst, 45 minutes from Petersham.

“Curling provides me with some exercise, mental stimulation and challenge, a little fun competition, and an opportunity to do something completely different once or twice a week,” he said. Kittredge adds that curling is a sport all ages can enjoy, is gender-neutral and a great balance of fun competition and social gathering. “Curling is a great way to stay active in the winter months,” he said.

In 2008, the United States Curling Association, now home to more than 13,000 curlers and 135 clubs strong, will celebrate its 50th anniversary. No doubt the numbers will continue to grow as the 2010 Olympics quickly approach. “We’ve picked up a good number of new members since 2006, but we’re still a small club with lots of room to add new members.”

The Petersham Curling Club offers a variety of curling options and schedules, including several open houses for those who might be interested in joining. For more information, visit www.gncc.org/petersham/.