New Club Sweeping Up Fun

Sunday the Sooner Curling Club met at Arctic Edge Arena in Edmond for a special Learn-to-Curl opportunity where students were taught the basics of curling at a reduced rate.

The Sooner Curling Club was started by Dylan Smith in 2010 when he was a freshman at OU.

“Mostly I just wanted something to do.” Smith said, “Like when I first came here I didn’t, y’know, I didn’t really know that many people. I was kind of bored and I had watched curling on the Winter Olympics and was like ‘that looks kind of cool, I want to try that’ so I started it up.”

The Learn-to-Curl opportunity brought 11 students out to learn the ropes of curling. OU senior Andrew Belliveau stepped out onto the ice to try his hand at curling for the first time.

“I came because my friends encouraged me to come and I have been interested in curling ever since the Winter Olympics last time.” Belliveau said, ”So I just wanted to try it out.”

The new curlers were taught the basics of curling from the Oklahoma Curling Club, an adult club. The new curlers were able to pick up the sport quickly.

 Rachel Davenport releasing the curling stone.

“My favorite part was everybody was really nice and there was a real sense of community around the sport of curling.” Said Belliveau, “and it was really satisfying seeing yourself improve... and it was fun sliding the stone across the ice.”

Smith had not played the sport before he created the club, but he has been happy with the results.

“70 people probably have learned to curl while I have been president.” Smith said, “Um like in the last two years. But there have been a lot of other people that have come to various meetings. So, like, it’s getting pretty big. We have taught quite a few people how to curl.”

OU students after sweeping the curling stone.

Smith will be stepping down as president next fall semester, he wants to stay focused for his senior year, but he already has his replacement picked out. He wants to make sure that his club survives past his four years at OU.

There will be another Learn-to-Curl session on Dec. 2, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The price is $5, reduced from the normal $20.