College Curling USA, with much help and support from local curling clubs and volunteers, supports a curling program for collegiate curlers and inexperienced curlers at numerous curling clubs around the country.
The cornerstone of the program is a series of state and/or regional events held at designated curling clubs in the states where the sport thrives. In all of these areas, student curlers are allowed to play at local clubs and new curlers are given instruction and training.
In addition to the regional/state bonspiels, the college curlers have the opportunity to participate in the annual National College Bonspiel. This bonspiel, the highpoint of the season, is held in March. This year, twenty-three teams from across the U.S. participated. Check back for details on next year's location and dates!
College Curling USA is a joint program sponsored by:
Schools Involved with the College Curling Program
In 1986, the Illinois State Curling Foundation was founded to administer a trust established on behalf of the estate of Darwin Curtis, an enthusiastic curler who funded the Curtis Curling Center in Wilmette, Illinois and was one of the founders of the Wilmette Curling Club.
The exact wording of the Curtis bequest is as follows:
"To support and encourage participation by the general public in the sport of curling."
A corporation was formed in keeping with the guidelines outlined in the trust. The officers and directors of the Illinois State Curling Foundation (ISCF) made a study of the overall state of the sport and concluded that the best efforts of the ISCF should be aimed at developing a curling program for colleges and universities, including two year schools. It was believed that college curling would nicely fill the chronological gap between junior curling and regular adult level curling. It would be an opportunity to attract new people to the game at an ideal time in their lives.
In the beginning we promoted the college curling idea among schools as well as all the active curling clubs in the country. We selectively helped initiate programs at a limited number of schools and clubs. The ISCF produced and distributed a 22-minute video, "The ABC's of Curling," that was used by the entire curling community for many years. We produced brochures promoting the program to schools and showing clubs how to get a college program started. In a limited number of places the Foundation helped subsidize the purchase of equipment for students who never curled. We were literally doing anything necessary to gain a foothold and get curling started at various schools.
Slowly the program began to grow. It began to crystallize in 1992 when we initiated the first "National" tournament for college students. It was held at the Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Curling Club. Five student teams participated:
The winner was a team from the University of Eau Claire (it's tough to beat the home club). It should be noted that the idea of a College Tournament to bring student curlers together in a national event was originally put forth by Robert Scott, a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.
The first national tournament was small in size, but great in enthusiasm and future influence. The Marquette team was accompanied by a faculty member, John Kratzer, who took the idea back to Milwaukee and sold the more centrally located Wauwatosa Curling Club on hosting the second national tournament. John Kratzer and numerous hard- working volunteers at Wauwatosa began running the event which grew to 14 teams in 1993. The event remained at Wauwatosa through 1998, moving to the new six sheet Madison (Wisconsin) Curling Club starting 1999.
To add interest and competition we inaugurated state championship events starting with Wisconsin in 1996, and North Dakota and Minnesota in 1998. First, second, and third place finishers are inscribed on the permanent trophies that are kept at various host curling clubs.
In the beginning, "getting the word out" was a constant problem. Finding college students' mailing addresses and phone numbers continues to be a challenge, but each year communication improves. The Curling News, phone calls, and good old "word-of-mouth" were our chief sources of promotion and communication. One of our continuing challenges is to get faculty members at schools to help us and become more-or-less mentors and coordinators. This situation continues to improve and volunteers at curling clubs are invaluable to making the program work. Now, using e-mail and introducing our own website (www.collegecurling.org) we hope to see still better communication and faster growth. Since the beginning more than 40 schools have been involved in the program and 31 schools have sent teams to the National College Curling Tournament.
Several years ago, the United States Curling Association (USCA) , joined forces with the ISCF and now shares expenses for the competitive programs. The USCA, with directors scattered throughout the curling universe, staff personnel in Stevens Point, Wisconsin plus the communication strength of the Curling News also helps promote and administer the program throughout the U.S.
The past season was the most successful to date. Twenty- six teams participated in four state/regional championships and 30 teams "curled their brains out" at the National Tournament. New schools began to throw stones in Minnesota, New York, Utah and Massachusetts. Best of all, we are beginning to see more teams of new curlers as well as teams of competitive curlers participating in the state championships and national tournament- a testimony to the fun and quality of the event.
In the upcoming season we are adding two new state/regional events, giving up a total of five local championship events. The program has become virtually national. State and regional championships will be held in the following locations:
We have begun to move the program forward in Utah and Washington and hope to hold championship events in the next couple of years.
Exact dates, clubs and contacts for all events appear in the Curling News and in the clubs and teams section of this website.