Villa Park’s Windy City Curling Club is just a stone’s throw away

By Maureen Callahan

Curling. We’ve all seen it played at the Winter Olympics, but how many can say they really understand this unique sport? To the casual onlooker, it could seem at first like a cross between shuffleboard and marbles played on ice.

Really, it’s not akin to either. Some folks at Villa Park’s Windy City Curling (WCC) find it to be kind of like chess. One thing is for certain – it’s equal parts teamwork and strategy with a giant dose of precision. “You’re always thinking three or four shots ahead,” said club co-founder and Downers Grove native Matt Galas. “Sometimes more.”

WCC came together out of a need for a place to play in the area. At the time, there were only two other clubs in the northern half of the state. About 6 or 7 people had some skills and had played before, so they decided to start a club in the western suburbs. One of them was Galas. “I got into curling during the 2002 Winter Olympics,” he said. “I started watching it in college because it was on really late at night. I wanted to try it, but there wasn’t anywhere near my school.”

Galas’ interest was piqued once again during the 2006 Torino Winter Games. He drove out west to Mendota – about an hour and a half away – with friends, to try it. “I fell in love with it immediately. Both the game and the people,” said Galas. “I always say if I were ever somewhere unfamiliar and ran into trouble, I would go to the nearest curling club for help. The community is amazing.” 

“I fell in love with it immediately.
Both the game and the people.”

— Co-Founder of Windy City Curling, Matt Galas

Maybe that’s because it’s so inclusive. All ages and fitness levels compete against each other.

Curling is played on rectangular sheets of ice. Two teams of four players each “throw” – an action like sliding – their stones toward a series of concentric circles. Each game has eight to ten “ends,” similar to an inning in baseball. Each end, about 15 minutes in length, sees each member of both teams “deliver” —glide their stones to the opposite side—one at a time, alternating with the opposing team. Players can “sweep” their stone once it crosses what is known as the “hog line,” – the line from behind which the player must release the stone for it to be in play.

When each end finishes, the positions of the stones on the “house” – the target area at the end of the ice sheet – are observed. The goal is to get your stone closer to the center of the target than your opponent. Stones closest to the “button,” – the middle circle of the concentric rings – get the points. Only one team scores in an end.

Sweeping warms a path and smooths the ice to direct the stone.

Strategy is paramount to curling. It’s as significant as physical skill. Stones can be placed defensively, when blocking an opponent’s shot, or offensively when “knocking out” – bumping and moving – an opposing team member’s stone out of the way. The team captain – “the skip” – throws last and usually has the greatest odds of scoring. Skips can usually anticipate the opposing team’s moves and advise other team members about stone placement.

With Team Canada always seeming to glide away with Olympic medals, one might assume the sport originated with our northern neighbors. But the origins of curling are actually in Scotland.

The game’s Scottish roots are never far away. The round “stones” the players use are all made from granite quarried on Alisa Craig Island, off Scotland’s west coast. The stones are to curling as a bowling ball is to bowling, except there are fewer variations in size – all weigh between 38 and 44 lbs. Alisa Island granite is unique due to its low water absorption properties, which keep the stones from eroding.

Shoes are an important part of the uniform. A pair of curling shoes has two different soles. One is the “slider,” which often has a Teflon surface, making it easy to glide along the ice. The other, the “gripper,” has a rubber sole for traction when walking on ice. Each shoe contributes to the variation of positions players must assume and keeps them from sliding around.

The broom is important to influence the direction of the path the stone will take. Players advance in front of the stone to “sweep” it after it is thrown or pushed down the ice. The sweeping motion generates heat and smooths the friction of the icy surface, making it easier to steer the stone in a particular direction.

There are a few ways to join the fun. “We get a lot of folks in the door for our Friday night Learn to Curl from 7-9 p.m.,” said Galas. “They’re the best way to come and try it.” The sheets can hold about 24-30 people at a time – perfect for parties or corporate outings. Players can also be rotated through in the case of more guests. “Some don’t want to spend the whole time on the ice, and some get addicted at the first throw,” said Galas.

“We’re definitely going to run a lot of open houses just to get folks in the door and familiar with curling before and during the Olympics,” said Galas. “We’ll do 30–45-minute sessions just to get people to try it.”

With the Winter Games around the corner, it’s the perfect time to try curling. Even if you don’t have a group to accompany you, WCC will place you with others as you get familiar with it.

“It’s the only sport where [unwritten rules dictate] the loser buys the winner a drink afterward,” said Galas. That happens at the bar in the club’s lobby. “In no other sport do you hang out with your competitors before and after the game.”

And curling is one of – if not the most – inclusive sports out there. Pretty much anyone can play. “I’ve seen a guy in his nineties play on the same team as his daughter and son who were in their forties,” said Galas. “His grandson played [in the foursome] as well. In what other sport could they do that?”

And it’s not just about age or generational differences.

Since its founding, WCC’s doors have been wide open to athletes with disabilities. It’s definitely part of the reason the club has earned such a hospitable reputation. Depending on the competition, athletes with disabilities can compete on the same team as their able-bodied teammates.

Equipment variations are part of what makes it possible. Athletes with physical challenges that range from replaced limbs to competitors in wheelchairs – and beyond – are all welcome and encouraged to come and have fun.

Amanda Dawson at the Pick Up Sticks bonspiel, organized by the PVA and hosted by WCC.

Nobody understands better than Amanda Dawson. She is an ambulatory wheelchair user who competes with those who throw normally by using a delivery stick. It’s essentially a painter’s pole with a fancy handle at the end. Dawson 3D printed her own stick head. The stick helps make sweeping possible for athletes who require variations, such as competitors with knee and hip replacements.

According to Sports and Spokes Magazine, one of the challenges of wheelchair curling is attracting female competitors to the sport. Dawson heard about curling through her mother’s neighbor, who was a member of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), a congressionally chartered veteran’s service organization. The group offers outreach to vets who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.

Although Dawson is not a veteran, PVA welcomes any athletes seeking adaptive ways to play sports. “It’s a way for veterans to have some community engagement,” explained Keith Cooper, the Sports Director for the local PVA Vaughn Chapter, located in Westchester. “Curling is a new and upcoming sport for PVA. I know it’s got Amanda hook, line, and sinker!”

Recently, Cooper and Dawson competed together in a bonspiel (curling competition) in Wauwatosa, WI. The pair won! “We’re going to put Amanda to the test when we go up to Portage [Wisconsin],” said Cooper. “It’s more of a Paralympic-style event in which adaptive and wheelchair athletes can participate with able-bodied individuals, so that’s always good community building.”

Pick Up Sticks is a bonspiel organized by the PVA and hosted by WCC. The event matches wheelchair curlers with able-bodied counterparts for a day of fun and friendly competition open to all skill levels. Registrants are guaranteed to play three games in a round-robin style event which is followed by lunch and an awards ceremony. Most everyone hangs around to listen to the band that plays all afternoon.

Invariably, new friendships form. “It’s been a blessing to find curling because my husband is an Air Force vet,” said Dawson. “He comes along while I play. It gives him the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other veterans.”

“The sport of curling has been one of the most welcoming, adaptive, and exciting things I have experienced in a very long time,” said Dawson. “Curling came into my life at a time when many other activities had waned due to my condition worsening. The people I have met, the places to which I have been blessed to travel and the experiences I’ve had are priceless.”

WCC hosted the USA Curling Wheelchair Mixed Doubles National Championship a year ago, which is the qualifier for World Championships. Six teams competed, with the winning team advancing to Scotland for the tournament. USA Curling National Wheelchair Team coach Pete Annis commented on the excellent conditions at WCC, as well as the hospitality extended to competitors.

Despite playing on ice, the warmth at WCC is palpable. So come try your hand at this underrecognized sport. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends and learn something new in the ‘burbs. And truly, everyone is welcome!

Support Team USA’s Curling Team this March at the Milan Cortina Paralympic Games.

For more information or to join a league, visit windycitycurling.com.

For information on Paralyzed Veterans of America, visit pva.org.