CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEAGUE
Editor: Richard Steele
Date: 2024-09-13
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEAGUE
Relatively new to curling? New to the area? Are you looking for some guidance on which Arnprior Curling Club leagues are right for you?
The website has a description for each of the evening and daytime leagues, as well as the Youth and Learn to Curl programs. This should give you a sense of what each league offers. Below we’ll try to give additional information to assist in selecting the right league or leagues for you.
Overall, the Arnprior Curling Club has a very welcoming and social atmosphere, offering leagues for curlers of all levels. That being said, there are leagues that have a greater focus on the competitive side and others that emphasize more of the social aspect. Consequently, there is a league here for everyone but a bit of guidance may be helpful for those new to the club or new to the sport.
Evening and Daytime Leagues:
As a general comment, the leagues with fixed teams tend to be more competitive. Both Monday and Thursday evening as well Tuesday afternoon feature fixed team leagues, meaning you typically join the league as a team. The curlers in these leagues are usually more experienced and looking to challenge their skills.
The Tuesday and Wednesday evening leagues and Monday afternoon feature rotating teams, with team rosters changing every 4-5 weeks. Curlers join as individuals, indicating their preferred curling position (lead, second, vice or skip) and the league convenors then form the teams. This allows curlers, particularly those new to the club or those who recently completed the Learn to Curl program, the opportunity curl in a relaxed atmosphere and to meet a large number of fellow curlers throughout the season. These are great introductory leagues!
Doubles:
The Thursday and Sunday afternoon doubles offer curlers of all levels the opportunity hone their skills playing a fast-paced version of curling. Check out this Youtube video that talks about doubles curling. Understanding Mixed Doubles Curling (youtube.com) (Note: The video talks about mixed doubles (one man/one women). Our leagues are open with no restriction on team members)
Friday Drop-In Sessions:
Both the Friday morning and Friday evening drop-in sessions are for curlers of all levels and offer another excellent opportunity for new curlers to work on their games in a relaxed atmosphere. They also provide a chance to try a new curling position. Both sessions are free for members, so why not give them a try?
Monthly Events
The club also has two monthly events, the Women’s Brunch League and the new Monthly Mixed League. For the Women’s Brunch, registration for the curling and delicious brunch is per event ($20 for members and $40 for non-members.) The Mixed League operates more like a standard league with players encouraged to register as mixed teams (2 men, 2 women in alternating order). It’s free for members or just $100 for non-members. Both monthly events are open to curlers of all levels
Adult Learn to Curl
As a graduate of Arnprior’s Learn to Curl program I can attest to its effectiveness at introducing a total “newbie” to the sport. It’s critical to provide you with the basics so that you can learn and enjoy the sport in a safe and fun manner. You literally progress from being Bambi on ice to throwing the rocks with confidence. If you are new to curling this program is a suggested prerequisite to joining the other leagues.
The Youth Programs
The two youth programs, generously supported by the McCluskey Group’s Tim Hortons and the Optimist Club of Arnprior, are both excellent at introducing your kids or grandkids to the lifelong sport of curling.
I hope that this gave you some additional information to assist you in choosing the right league. If not, please do not hesitate to reach out to the club for guidance. As well, please join us at our Open House on September 18th at 6:30-8:30 pm. We’re located at 15 Galvin Street.
