BG Curling Club Going to Nationals

BGCC Fields Two Teams at USCA 2016 Arena Nationals

If you didn’t get enough of curling in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics, then you are in luck—but you may have to drive to Pennsylvania.

The Bowling Green Curling Club will be fielding both a men’s and a women’s team in the upcoming Arena National Curling Championships, set for May 10-15, at the Ice Line Arena in West Chester, PA.

“We are very excited to have two teams representing our club at Arena Nationals this year,” said Shannon Orr, club president.  “Both teams are highly competitive, and we look forward to a strong showing by all of them.”

The championship games encompass 20 men’s and women’s teams each from around the nation, including other Great Lakes Curling Association teams from arena-based clubs in Lansing, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.  Tournament selection was made based on application and lottery.  This event was initiated 4 years ago, in recognition that the ice in arena-based clubs poses more challenges than dedicated club ice, and the majority of club growth in the United States is occurring on arena ice.  “Arena” ice is shared between hockey, skating, and curling.

“We have a very supportive and encouraging club, and new members are always welcome,” Orr said.  “We hope more folks will come and try one of our learn-to-curls.”

Curling dates back to the 16th century, and is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S., in part for its accessibility to curlers of all ages and physical abilities.  A sport of precision, curling is sometimes referred to as “chess on ice,” and requires a combination of strategy, finesse, teamwork, and camaraderie.  Teams must deliver each 40-pound curling stone across more than 100 feet of ice and assure it comes to rest in a specific location.  In curling, mere inches can make the difference between loss and success.

“Curling is a great sport,” said Orr.  “It is easy to learn, but challenging to master.”  Orr said curlers delight in the “thrill of throwing a great rock or hearing your rock crash into another one and knock it out of play.”

Club members traveling to West Chester to compete include Jay Clark of Saline, Michigan; Matthew Smith of Holland, Ohio; and Scott Piroth and Cameron Roehl of Bowling Green, Ohio; for the men’s team.  Jen Henkel of Perrysburg, Ohio; Beth Landers of Bowling Green, Ohio; Angie Jones of Sylvania, Ohio; Elizabeth Spencer of Toledo, Ohio, and alternate Jennifer Williams of Norwalk, Ohio; will comprise the women’s team.

The Bowling Green Curling Club was formed in 1968 and has since played continuously at the Bowling Green State University Ice Arena.  This fall, the club is moving to its own dedicated ice facility to accommodate growing interest, and will have the full accessibility to allow for offering wheelchair curling.  With 4 “sheets” of ice for simultaneous game play, the new curling facility will be the only one in Northwest Ohio and the largest dedicated curling facility in all of Ohio, once it opens its doors.  The club will offer beginner instruction for adults and youth programs, and weekly leagues during the October to April season, and will host local tournaments.

Right now, team members are preparing for the upcoming national tournament, and are seeking sponsorships and donations to help defray the costs of the trip as well as toward the new curling center.  Details are not yet available on webstreaming of this event, but it is possible that there may be some live or recorded coverage through the United States Curling Association website or one of its partners.

BG CURLING CLUB TEAM MEMBER PROFILES:

Cameron Roehl (men’s skip)
Currently resides in Bowling Green, OH; from Bowling Green, OH.
17 – Student at Bowling Green High School, and College Credit Plus at Bowling Green State University.
Curled 5 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club; past 2 seasons at the Columbus Curling Club (concurrently).

How You First Got Interested in Curling?
An informational form was handed to me in elementary school about a six-week junior curling class by the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department. I tried it and fell in love.

Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
I wanted to take the Parks & Recreation Department class again the following year, but it was cancelled. My family and I found the Bowling Green Curling Club instead, which is where I have been ever since. The support from my fellow club members and my enjoyment of the sport eventually led me to join a competitive junior national team in Columbus, and now the men’s arena national team in Bowling Green.

Why is Curling Unique?
Curling is unique because it combines both strategy and skill in an exciting way. It is as much a team sport as it is based on individual skill.

Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?
People should watch curling because the strategy is fascinating, and the skill level demonstrated to make precise shots almost every time is extraordinary. People should try curling because it is an easy sport to learn, and the curling community as a whole is extremely friendly and always welcoming new members. They can say they are a part of a sport that is truly unique and rapidly growing in popularity across the nation.
Scott Piroth (men’s vice-skip)
Currently resides in Bowling Green, Ohio.
49 – Political science professor.
Curled 13 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club; learned to curl at the Potomac Curling Club in Maryland. Unites States Curling Association (USCA) course conductor and Level 2 Instructor.
Matthew C. Smith (men’s second)
Currently resides in Holland, OH; from Toledo, OH.
47 – Financial consultant, business owner.
Curled 6 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling?
Like a lot of Americans, my exposure to curling came mostly during the Olympics. I had seen it live when I was in ROTC at Bowling Green State University, but I really started to watch it during the Olympics. I was a former college athlete and I missed the all-day basketball games and things that athletes do when they are together. Bowling and softball weren’t doing it for me, so I announced to several friends one day that I was going to do this. Six years later I still am.

Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
My wife reminds me often that I once said that curling is a sport I can do as an old man. Anyone who has ever been to a bonspiel (tournament) in Canada knows that is the case. However, there are some incredible athletes who curl. I find it a great combination of strength, endurance, strategy and patience. A sport where teammates can really pick each other up and where if you have a bad shot you can make up for it.
(Smith continued)

Why is Curling Unique?
Curling involves the combination of strength of your core muscle groups as well as finesse. Where football and baseball are both considered to be a game of inches, curling can be a game of millimeters. That small of a difference can mean the difference between a great shot and a really bad one.

Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?
If you have any athletic inclination whatsoever, you should give curling a try. You may surprise yourself.
Jay Clark (men’s lead)
Currently resides in Saline, MI; from Saline, MI.
47 – Currently looking for a new career; most recently medical supply office manager.
Curled 2 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club and Detroit Curling Club (concurrently);
2 summer seasons at the Lansing Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling?
It started with watching the Brier and the Scotties (Canadian men’s and women’s championships) on CBC-Windsor Channel 9, which we get on cable in Southeast Michigan. Once I got beyond the initial bewilderment of watching these guys brushing ice in front of a sliding rock; could see the amazing shot-making of folks like Randy Ferbey, Sandra Schmirler, and Brad Gushue; and then could enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out and anticipate what each team’s next shot would be; I was hooked.

Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
I did not play sports as a kid, but curling looked kind of doable, and fun. In the fall of 2013 the Olympic Celebration Tour came to the Detroit Curling Club ahead of the 2014 Olympics, with guest clinician Jamie Korab, one of my curling idols, from the Torino 2006 gold medal-winning team. I knew I had to go, and meeting him was an unforgettable experience! Curlers are so welcoming and willing to help you improve, and I’ve made great friends. It’s awakened some latent competitiveness, continually challenges me in a variety of ways, and has motivated me to travel some to experience out-of-town tournaments. I’ve recently had the opportunity to curl on outdoor ice in Buffalo, New York; try glow-in-the-dark curling in Leamington, Ontario; and last summer I played against a team with a U.S. Olympian in Lansing.

Why is Curling Unique?
While some strength and endurance are helpful, curling involves a fair amount of thinking and strategy, some surprises as the ice conditions change over the course of a game, and true teamwork like perhaps no other sport. Each teammate is actively engaged in some aspect all the time and is equally important. The most talented or effective teammate throws 2 rocks every end, and the least talented or effective teammate throws 2 rocks every end; no one ever sits on the bench. It’s an ancient sport steeped in tradition and etiquette—even at the elite level you’ll rarely see the need for officials to get involved—and you’ll see folks with a wide range of demographics and abilities playing well together and against one another.

Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?
Although curling is definitely harder than it may look on TV, it’s a good way to get out of the house and be a little more active and engaged during the winter months. It’s possible to learn the basic concepts very quickly, and is relatively affordable. It’s challenging in different ways. There is very rarely any animosity between opponents, and it reinforces personal integrity. It’s very social, and a great way to meet people and make new friends. It’s just plain fun! I’m really hoping to get a club started in Ann Arbor.

Elizabeth Spencer (women’s skip)
Currently resides in Toledo, OH; from Youngstown, OH.
34 – Museum registrar.
Curled 2 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling? Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
Why is Curling Unique? Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?

I was always interested in the sport and watched it on TV for a long time before I knew there was a local club. I decided to try it with some friends during the last Olympics and haven’t stopped ever since. It creates a unique environment to meet people of all ages and backgrounds and make lots of new friends in a social atmosphere.

Angie Jones (women’s vice-skip)
Currently resides in Sylvania, OH.
38 – Freelance writer.
Curled 4 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club; past 2 seasons at the Detroit Curling Club (concurrently).

How You First Got Interested in Curling? Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
Why is Curling Unique? Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?

I started curling on a whim of sheer curiosity. When my first season ended, I was totally bummed that I would have to wait 6 months to play again. My second season, I played in my regular league and subbed in other games as much as possible. I started going to bonspiels (tournaments) and that’s when I really fell in love with the sport. Now I play up to 5 times a week during the season and have found many great friendships in my fellow curlers! Curling is unique because the sport allows for a mixture of ages, genders, and abilities to play together on a team; whereas most other sports separate according to these “differences”, curling brings them together.

Beth Landers (women’s second)
Currently resides in Bowling Green OH; from Wooster, OH.
37 – Watershed coordinator.
Curled 2 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling?
I watched it in the Olympics six years ago, but didn’t live close enough to a curling club to try it out at the time. When I moved to Bowling Green, one of my colleagues mentioned that she used to curl, so I looked into it.

Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
Winters are long in Ohio, and there aren’t many opportunities to stay active outdoors when the sun sets so early. Curling provides physical and mental exercise each week, as well as a chance to get together and socialize with the other club members after a game.

Why is Curling Unique?
Curling is a sport that isn’t necessarily about being the fastest or strongest; it’s a game of finesse and control. There is a good deal of strategy that goes into each end. There aren’t many other sports where a teenager and a sixty-something are evenly matched.

Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?
Curling is completely different from any other sport. No one knows until they step on the ice if they’re going to be good at curling, and how quickly they might improve at it. The atmosphere is also different from most of the sports you might have played in high school. If you make a good shot, the other team will compliment it. If you miss a shot, you’ll get helpful feedback to improve your next throw. For spectators, I think the best part of watching curling is noticing the different personalities of the curlers. Some quietly step into the hack and fire off their rocks like there’s nothing to it, while others are definitely more animated. The physics of curling is also fun to watch. Sometimes it seems like rocks have a mind of their own and do impossible things.

Jen Henkel (women’s lead)
Currently resides in Perrysburg, OH; from Piqua, OH.
41 – Ediscovery legal analyst.
Curled 2 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling? Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
Why is Curling Unique? Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?

I was interested in curling when I went to Bowling Green State University, but never pursued the curling club. (Teammate) Beth Landers asked if I wanted to do a learn-to-curl during the 2014 Olympics; I tried it and was hooked. It’s fun to meet new people at bonspiels (tournaments), and there is a wide variety of people in our club. It is fun to see the different personalities who all have the same interest. Curling is something most people have heard of, but have not seen or played. It’s fun to see people’s faces when you say that you curl.

Jennifer Williams (women’s 5th/alternate)
Currently resides in Norwalk, OH.
Adjunct faculty at American Public University; substitute teacher at New London Local Schools (Ohio); owner of The Traveling Yarn Shop.
Curled 7 seasons at the Bowling Green Curling Club.

How You First Got Interested in Curling?
I went to grad school at Bowling Green State University, so I knew that curling was available, but didn’t have time to join then. Then we were watching the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and I mentioned to my husband that there is a curling club at Bowling Green. We signed up for one of the learn-to-curls during the Olympics.

Why You Chose to Curl/Choose to Keep Curling?
We thought it would be a unique way to have a date night, get some exercise, and have some fun. We enjoyed it after the learn-to-curl and first season, so we decided to keep going and invested in curling shoes and brooms.

Why is Curling Unique? Why Should Folks Watch Curling/Try Curling?
People should try curling because it is a sport that is good for all ages and abilities. It is inexpensive to get started since clubs will provide brooms and sliders for new players, but it’s always good to invest in equipment if you decide you like it. Curling shoes are much better than a slider! Families can join together, and if someone doesn’t curl, they can still join as a social member and enjoy the benefits of being part of the curling family.