by Dennis Dalman
At first glimpse, some people might ask, “What in the world are those people doing out there on that sheet of ice? They’re pushing what looks like squashed bowling balls. Then they’re using some kind of brooms to sweep like crazy the top of the ice as those goofy bowling balls go sliding across the ice. What gives?”
What gives is those people are playing the game of “curling.” The competitive, fun activity is extremely popular in Canada and in many other countries (mostly snowy, cold ones) but not so much – yet anyway – in the United States. Minnesota does, however, have some curling clubs and even some champions.
And the good news is Sartell is about to become home to a recently organized curling club, although the club is open for anyone in the area who would enjoy curling. It’s called the North Star Curling Club, a 100-percent volunteer nonprofit organization with strong roots in Sartell. In May of 2022, a group of Sartell people and others went to a “Learn to Curl” event in Blaine, which has a highly successful curling club. At that event, they had a blast and decided to start a Sartell club.
It will debut on Jan. 8 in the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center Arena on the campus of St. Cloud State University.
In an interview with the Newsleader, Sartell resident Jessica Dahl explained how she and others saw a need for a curling club and how they brought that dream to reality. The Sartell club is now a member of the USA Curling Association and the Minnesota Curling Association. Dahl said she is hoping someday the club will have its own sheet of ice in Sartell rather than having to rent ice at the SCSU arena.
Sartell resident Jessica Dahl and her husband, Nathaniel, are excited about the club.
“Curling is a fun and welcoming sport for ages 8 to 80-plus, and for all abilities,” Jessica said. “It’s a great way to have social fun with others during the winter. That’s what I like the most about it; I’ve only curled a few times.”
Support for the curling club has been very strong among many Sartellians. Six of the eight board members of the North Star Curling Club are Sartell residents: Nathan Lee, president (who grew up in Hibbing where he learned to love the game); Jessica Dahl, vice president; Steve Leen, treasurer; Erin Forsell, secretary (who grew up curling in Bemidji); and Sartell residents Kyle Hedtke and Denell Kruse. Other members from other cities are Joe Tetrault and Michael McEniry (who is also heavily involved in the Brainerd curling club).
The next step for the North Star Curling Club was to raise some funds to implement the plan, and Dahl and others were so impressed by how many individuals and businesses stepped up to help.
“Many businesses and owners from Sartell sponsored our inaugural season (that’s about to begin),” she said. “We are so appreciative of their support. They made bringing curling to the area possible.”
The season’s major sponsor is St. Cloud Orthopedics (the Sartell branch). League sponsors are Kyle Hedtke State Farm Insurance and Deerwood Bank, and the sponsors for the “Learn to Curl” classes are Meshbesher & Spence, Pearl Dental, Alloy Insurance and WhiteBox Marketing.
Dahl, who recently completed her master’s degree in business administration has been a full-time mother and student. During the pandemic, she was a coordinator for the area’s Habitat for Humanity program – groups of volunteers who help build homes for families in need.
Nathan, Dahl’s husband, is employed by Meshbesher & Spence, a law firm in Waite Park.
The two-hour “Learn to Curl” events will take place at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center (SCSU campus) over a period of three Sundays: from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 8, 15 and 22. To find out more and how to register for any of those events, go to the website at www. northstarcurling.com.
Besides the learning events, there will be 10-week league play, starting Jan. 29. The membership fee covers insurance, equipment and administrative costs. The Kyle Hedtke State Farm League will play at 5 p.m. on Sundays, and the Deerwood League will play at 7 p.m. on Sundays. For more information on the leagues, visit northstarcurling.com.
What is curling?
Curling is played on an ice sheet 146 feet long by 15 feet 7 inches wide. On each end there are two “houses,” which are 12-foot bullseyes with the very center known as the “button.”
The “squashed bowling balls” used to play the game are known as “rocks.” They are made of solid granite and weigh 44 pounds each, with a handle on top of each one. The game of curling derives its name from a unique turning (curling motion) of the rock as it slows down and approaches its destination.
Each curling team is comprised of four players who use eight rocks, two per player, who try to propel their rocks across the ice to get closest to the house’s center. The team who scores the most rocks closest to the house center wins the game. The maximum number of points a team can accrue during one game is 8 points, 1 for each rock that arrives at the house’s center.
During play, rocks can be used to “bump” other rocks away on the ice from their places nearest the center of the house.
Sweepers use broom-like devices, called brushes, to vigorously sweep the ice near a rock as it moves toward the house. That action affects the surface by cleaning any debris from the ice and affecting the surface tension of the ice and can cause the rock to move more accurately to its destination, ideally the “button” in the “house.”
Curling champs
Quite a few Minnesotan “curlers” have distinguished themselves in competitions, including at Winter Olympic games. For example, John Shuster of Duluth represented the United States for four consecutive times at Winter Olympic games. In 2018, his efforts defeated Canada and Sweden in playoffs to win the gold medal. He is also a five-time U.S. champion and claimed a bronze medal at the world tournament in 2016.
Another Minnesotan in Olympic competition is Nina Roth of Team Nina Roth based in Blaine. She played for the United States at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Another achievement was realized by a team based in Ottawa, Canada called Team Rachel Homan. Homan is the reigning world women’s champion and won six titles at what’s known as the “Pinty’s Grand Slam” tournament. Homan represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Dahl said she and other club members hope in time, players in the North Star Curling Club might also become big-time champions, perhaps even in Olympic play.
Some of the members of the North Star Curling Club gathered on the rink for a photo during a curling event at an arena on the campus of St. Cloud State University. From left to right are Penny and Steve Leen (he is the treasurer of the curling club), Nate and Jessica Dahl (she is the vice president of the club), and curling players Theresa and Kasey Haugen.
Jillian Lee and her father, Nathan Lee, enjoyed a game of curling at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Arena on the campus of St. Cloud State University. That arena is the venue for the new North Star Curling Club that was formed recently, mostly by Sartell residents.
Erin Forsell gets ready to deliver a rock from what’s called the “hack” in curling terminology. Forsell is the secretary of the North Star Curling, founded mainly by Sartell residents.
