Curling began this week in La Ronge and will continue until the end of March 2024. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

winter sports

Curling season starts in La Ronge

Nov 9, 2023 | 2:32 PM

Curling season has started in La Ronge and those passionate about the sport are hoping to get more local residents involved this winter.

That’s according to certified curling instructor Karla Hardcastle, who pressured town council back in September to install the ice for another year. Despite objections from two councillors and La Ronge Mayor Joe Hordyski, the ice was put in and curling officially began on Monday.

“I am very hopeful that between the youth curling program and the evening programming pre-dominantly for adults that the La Ronge Curling Club is hosting, that town council won’t even question putting the ice in next year,” she said.

“We’ve got approximately 100 people out curling every week now through the rest of the season.”

Youth curling will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays after school with a blizzard program from those ages six to 12 and a club program for those ages 10 to 18. Currently, there are about 20 athletes in the club curling program, while there are about 10 in the blizzard program.

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Students from Pre-Cam Community School and Churchill Community High School will also have access to the ice. Hardcastle explained Churchill will also likely have boys, girls and a mixed team that will compete in districts and regionals as part of the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association.

“It’s amazing seeing the kids getting out there and they are so excited to be on the ice,” she said.

“For some of the newer kids who have never been out there before, their joy of experiencing a brand new sport is fabulous and, for the kids who are returning from previous seasons, they are just so pumped to be able to go back out on the ice again. It really has made it all worth it. It’s been a lot of work, but seeing the smiles out on the ice is worth every minute of it.”

Hardcastle is organizing youth curling with fellow coaches James Kissick and Bryce Herperger. In addition to the other groups curling this season, Hardcastle added there is a team of U18 girls that have already attended bonspiels and there are younger teams as well that will likely travel for bonspiels, too.

Registration for youth and adult curling remains open and more information can be found on the La Ronge Curling Club Facebook page. Hardcastle mentioned curling is a lifelong sport suitable for children and seniors.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com