To Live, To Curl

WSC Helps to Open Understanding Around a Beloved North Suburban Winter Sport

By Pam Redding, WSC Staffer

Two Paralympic Sport Clubs in Chicago—Adaptive Adventures and Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA)—partnered with World Sport Chicago to host a Paralympic Experience in wheelchair curling.  The day consisted of a “train the trainer” session for members of the host venue, the Chicago Curling Club, as well as therapeutic recreation professionals.  Three members of the 2010 Paralympic Curling Team were present to lead the day—National Team Coach Steve Brown and athletes Jacqui Kapinowski (Point Pleasant, NJ) and Jim Pierce (East Syracuse, NY).  Olympic Curler Annie Swisshelm and her teammate Erika Brown were also present to lend their expertise. 

Curling involves two teams of competitors who slide a heavy granite stone on ice toward a target.  Points are scored by having stones closer to the center of the target than the opponent’s stones.  Paralympic curling is played from a seated position in a wheelchair and the stones are propelled down the ice with the use of an extender pole.  It is quite a different sport from the Olympic version which includes sweeping the ice to affect the trajectory of the stone.  The experienced curlers at the event were surprised at the challenge of the sport without the component of sweeping!  They were impressed with the strength and skill of the seated curlers; it gave them a whole new perspective of the sport they love.  The recreation professionals learned about a fun and unique winter sport. 

After the training session was over, athletes with disabilities arrived to try the sport for the first time.  They did not know what to expect and were very pleasantly surprised to find success very quickly on the ice.  Many of them credit their broad knowledge of the sport of boccia with their understanding of the scoring in curling.  The curling professionals were very helpful with the new athletes and imparted their expertise to the benefit of all.  The Paralympic Experience has led to four weeks of ice time for interested curlers with disabilities to learn more about the sport.

World Sport Chicago appreciates the support of this event by Adaptive Adventures and NSSRA, US Paralympics and the Chicago Curling Club!