By MEGAN SUTHERLAND
BG Independent News
A din of voices fills the “warm room” of the Black Swamp Curling Center as committee meeting discussions and laughter from the in-house bar mingle in the air. The feeling is chaotic yet comforting, exciting and relaxing, all at once. Amidst the buzz of the upcoming season’s preparations, large glass windows look out onto four long sheets of white curling ice. It’s a fitting setup for the curling club, a space for community, both on and off the ice.
Although the club has a long, 45-year history, having a home of its own is a more recent development. This will be their fifth season on the ice. In that time the growth of the only curling center in Northwest Ohio has been substantial.
“During our first year here, we had 80 to 85 curlers; last year we reached 200,” said Matt Sussman, co-chair of the Membership Committee. With growing membership has come new leagues, such Youth, Stick, Friday Night, and Competitive Leagues, new events, and new Bonspiels (the curling term for tournaments).
Sussman has been curling for over 20 years and first cut his teeth on the sport as a freshman at BGSU. “Growing up I always tried to find different sports that I enjoyed, and it was a struggle. I’m not very athletic, I’m not very fast, and I can’t jump very high, but I enjoy games that challenge my mind and body and (when I tried curling) I found I wasn’t halfway bad at it,” he laughs. He quickly fell in love with the game. He played throughout college and after graduation joined leagues and clubs wherever he lived, eventually returning to the area and to BG Curling Club.
Lauren Whitmer, BSCC Board Member at-Large, has a completely different story. “I actually just started curling last season,” she smiles. In the Fall 2021, she attended a Learn to Curl session at the BSCC in the hopes of finding something to make winter more bearable. After that, “I jumped right into league play and just instantly became obsessed,” she said. “That’s one of the great things about curling. You can pick up the basics really quickly; we can have you playing a game in under an hour. You may not be competing in the Olympics or anything, but you’ll be playing!”
Being easily accessible to all seems to be an aim of curling, both locally and globally. The curling stick was introduced to gameplay in the early 1990s. It allows players to deliver a curling rock standing, as opposed to sliding on bended knee, so that those with knee, hip, back, or balance issues or injuries could continue to play.
The advent of Wheelchair Curling followed soon after and the BGCC is proud that they are set up for all three modes of play. “You can have a slide deliver player, a stick thrower, and a wheelchair thrower all on the same team. I can’t think of many other sports that do that,” Sussman said.
The ages of players at the BSCC also range from age 6 to those in their 80s. “Between the ages and the ability, anyone can play,” Sussman commented.
“And be really competitive,” Whitmer added.
Sussman and Whitmer credit this inclusive approach to The Spirit of Curling, a guiding mindset that sets a high bar for sportsmanship, where the value of “fair play and kindly feeling” are just as important as the display of skill itself.
In fact, at BSCC you can see its relevance as soon as you walk through the door. You are greeted by a small but lively bar called the 9th End that flows into a room filled with large round tables. This area, known as the warm room, is dedicated to broomstacking, or the socializing of both teams after a curling match. It’s tradition for the winning team to buy the losing team the first round of drinks, toast to a good game, and enjoy each other’s company.
“It brings so many different people together,” Whitmer reflects. “Team sports are all collaborative, but in curling everyone only plays one piece. Every rock itself is a collaborative effort. I feel like we all really appreciate each other, how different we all are, and how we’re all brought together by this silly little game.”
BSCC games are always open for the public to attend. Click here for a list of this season’s Learn to Curls, events, and leagues: https://bgindependentmedia.org/curling-season-getting-off-to-an-early-start/
