The CURLING CRAZE
It’s not just Olympic teams hitting the ice with brooms in hand (see page 6). Curling has taken off across America, from the Granite Curling Club’s junior program in Seattle and barbecue bonspiels (another name for a curling tourney) in Kansas City, Mo., to Chaska, Minn., where deaf players take the ice. Here, we take a closer look at curling’s popularity. —Sue Campbell
Southern Wisconsin curler Kristin Smith, a member of 6GCO .CY NGUU, which won a silver medal at the 2019 senior women’s nationals, loves the camaraderie of league play at the local level. Her favorite tradition is “broomstacking,” sitting down after a game with teammates and opponents, eating, drinking and socializing. “It’s part of the polite nature of curling—it’s good for kindness,” she says.