NEXT THING TO TRY

Have you tried curling yet?

PHOTO BY ERIC KRAUSHAR

You be the judge. What team earns the point? If you guessed red, you’re correct. The red rock is ever so slightly closer to the center than the yellow rock.

Learn-to-curl classes are available; the fi rst step into curling

BY ERIC KRAUSHAR

Let’s be honest. You watched the sport of curling at the 2022 Winter Olympics and thought, “That would be fun.”

So, what’s stopping you?

A fear of falling? A lack of understanding the scoring? A need for equipment? Maybe you just need a push, or in the case of curling, a slide?

Jeff Isaacson, the Chaska Curling Center manager, is here to address all of these concerns.

“It was a bit of a risk; an ambitious project for the city to take on because it wasn’t a curling hotbed. It was a ‘build it and they will come’ philosophy. Thankfully the city put up a great facility here and people were generously curious about it,” Isaacson said. “We put the focus on learning when we first opened. We did tons and tons, like two months worth, of learn-to-curl classes. It was an opportunity to come in and try it and people loved it.”

The Chaska Curling Center opened in December 2015 as part of the Firemen’s Park renovation project. An event center and Crooked Pint Ale House restaurant are also housed in the building. The arena has six sheets of ice, locker rooms and a player’s lounge.

The curling center quickly took off, with 1,000 members pre-pandemic, one of the largest memberships in the country. Memberships are $34 for Chaska residents 21 and younger, and $68 for adults.

Membership is required for league play. There are four seasons: Winter 1 (OctoberDecember), Winter 2 (JanuaryMarch), Spring (May-June), and Summer (August-September). The seasons range from six to 10 weeks. An optional playoff tournament for the two winter leagues also occurs in March and April.

“Some people at first think it’s scary. It’s on ice, it’s a new sport for most people that they are not used to. Maybe they

had seen it on TV once or twice when we first opened. When you don’t know about something, yeah, it’s difficult to jump in and try something,” Isaacson said. “That’s why we have focused on a welcoming environment to come try it. We have classes that are casual and are meant to be fun. We have something for every experience.”

AT HOME ON THE ICE

Isaacson grew up on the Iron Range in northern Minnesota. Every small town had curling clubs and with his family involved in the sport, he became a rink rat. Isaacson jumped into it at the age of 13. Nowadays, youth as young as 8 enjoy the sport.

“It’s a sport anyone at any age can jump into. We have members in their 50s, 60s, even 70s. Some are just trying for the first time. They love it and they come back,” Isaacson said. “You can come in, practice alone, or go 1-on-1. You can come in with a group or form a team.”

Isaacson played in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Sochi on the USA Curling team. His teammates in 2014, John Shuster and John Landsteiner, won gold in the 2018 games. Isaacson was also a national champion in 2005 and 2009.

“I’ve seen the momentum really start to build since about 2010. The Vancouver Games got a lot of TV coverage. Norway had the goofy pants that got a lot of press coverage. It brought a lot of attention to the sport. It got huge ratings. People were drawn in and interested about the sport. That’s still the case. It was the top-rated sport when it was on these last games. Something about it appeals to people. That feeling that ‘I could do that,’” Isaacson said.

The Chaska Curling Center became a USA Curling National Training Center in 2018. At times, the country’s best are on the ice practicing. They have been known to give a pointer or two; something the juniors league participants have thoroughly enjoyed.

THE BASICS

What should someone curling wear?

“We recommend a basic tennis shoe, a running shoe. Clean shoes are important. Loose stretchy clothing so you can get into an athletic position,” Isaacson said. Slip-on sliders are available at the center.

Is the rock heavy?

“They are about 42 pounds. The nice part is they never leave the ice. That’s a safety tip. We never want to lift them up. Curling ice has that pebbled ice, so it’s not completely flat, which is reducing the friction between the rock and the surface. We have such fast ice here that we find most people tend to overthrow. It doesn’t take much to get the rock down the ice,” Isaacson said.

How is the game played?

Each team throws eight rocks per end. A team of four has its Lead, Second, Third, and Skip. Each throws two rocks. When not throwing, team members sweep. The sweep carries the rock further down the sheet. It also keeps the rock from curling, moving straighter down the ice. Brooms are available for use.

But, what about the score?

Isaacson said think about bocce. The closest rock to the center earns a point. For every other rock that is closer than the opponent earns an additional point. The red, white and blue rings do not figure into the scoring except a rock must be inside of the outer ring to gain a point. Still not convinced? Isaacson said public viewing is available in Crooked Pint Ale House and in the Welcome Hall.

You now have no excuse not to try curling!

PHOTO BY ERIC KRAUSHAR

A curling team consists of four players: the thrower, two sweepers and a skip to communicate directions when the stone is in motion.

“We have classes that are casual and are meant to be fun. We have something for every experience.”