So… I did a thing: I joined a curling league… did I mention that before?

I have always been fascinated by curling It might sound boring to some people but honestly it has been one of my favorite sports to watch during the Winter Olympics for years There is something about the strategy the precision and the skill it takes to make those perfect shots that really grabs my attention It feels like my kind of entertainment

Let’s talk about the ice for a second because it is much bigger than most people realize from watching on TV A regulation curling sheet can measure about 150 feet in length and around 15 feet in width That is a lot of distance for those rocks to travel from the hacks all the way to the button. The ice is pebbled which means water droplets are sprinkled onto the surface and freeze into tiny bumps You can barely feel them while walking but that subtle texture is what allows the stones to grip the surface and curl back toward the center

Since I am just starting out I am not wearing specialized curling shoes yet so I rely on a sliding pad and a gripper. More experienced players often wear shoes that have a slider on one foot and a gripper on the other which helps them glide smoothly and maintain control, For me a removable sliding pad works just fine for now Throw in a broom for sweeping and you have got the basic equipment you need to get started

I decided to join the league with my sister and brother in law who live only ten minutes from the rink That rink is the closest one to me even though it is more than a two and a half hour drive so it is practically in their backyard compared to where I am. None of us had tried curling before this year and I will admit my first few throws went just about everywhere except where I wanted them to go Yesterday though I finally got some extra practice time to focus on launching the rock properly Understanding how to aim how much spin to apply and how to judge the weight or force behind the rock is a balancing act that takes a lot of experience

Just look at how bad I am in my form:

I know it might take more than one season to really get the hang of it but that is half the fun I cannot wait to see how much progress I make by the end of the league Wish me luck or better yet wish me a good curl

If you are in Georgia and want to explore curling check out the Peachtree Curling Association They offer leagues events and instructional courses for curlers of all skill levels For more information visit peachtreecurling.com