Curling has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
From playing behind the glass while my parents curled, to trying to hide my curling broom (it was not the coolest sport) on the way to catch the bus after school to head down to the rink for junior curling league. It has not only kept me active and healthy, but also socially and mentally engaged for decades.
Naturally, I met my life partner and husband of 28 years at the curling rink. So when we decided to relocate from Kelowna to Victoria with our young family in search of ‘grown up’ jobs in 1986, our first stop was the local curling club, where we knew we would find familiarity in a new city and a great place to meet new friends. As it goes in the sport, we were quickly embraced into the community.
That’s just the way it is at the curling rink.
I never expected that curling would play such a significant role in my life. It is my heritage, my passion, and now my career.
I realize that curling has not always been the easiest sport for non-curlers to take up. But things have definitely changed recently. In the face of a very crowded leisure and recreation marketplace, curling clubs are now called curling centres, in a genuine effort to be a viable choice for newcomers. There are many new options for folks of any age who want to give it a try. Simply call, or walk into any local curling centre to inquire about the many Learn to Curl options.
Naturally people are in search of a way to be physically active, stay healthy and have fun, and curling is more than an avenue to achieve those results. Before you know it, curling will captivate you, it will get under your skin, you will find yourself reliving those shots and situations, and then – you will be a curler!
Elaine Dagg-Jackson is a 27 year resident of Victoria, 27 year member of the Victoria Curling Centre, the daughter of a world champion curler, wife a world champion curler and mother of two adult children who have competed at many national championships. She has coached at more than 20 world championships and will coach the Canadian Women’s team in her fifth Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia in February 2014.