Oh my goodness, what fun!…read more I went for my first curling experience this weekend, and I hope it was not my last. An opportunity came up where I could join some friends for their company's "Employee bonding" trip, and had an absolute blast learning some of the basics of curling. The first thing you should know - anyone can do this! I saw all walks of life attempting this sport: Old, young, big, small - after a brief tutorial, everyone could attempt all roles in a curling game from shooting to sweeping to....shoot, I've forgotten the technical names for all the roles. But hopefully you get the point. After about two hours on the ice, our two teams of 4 were having very lively and exciting games. We were getting pretty accurate and competitive! If you plan to come, allow at least 2 hours to really get a feel for how to play the game. The staff there are extremely patient and helpful, and will guide you through the entire process and stay with you the whole way. The only thing you need to bring with you is a winter jacket and comfortable clothing that you're not afraid to slide around in. Not that you'll be falling much, if at all (I didn't fall at all, but a few people fell as they learned how to shoot the stone). But, if you plan to shoot the stone they you will slide a bit on your knee as you push off along the ice. The ice is not slippery like an ice rink, and you'll be given some rubber soles to cover your shoes. I didn't need a hat or gloves while I was there, and if you sweep enough during the game, you might even find that you get a bit warm in your jacket. The complex even serves some draft beers. So grab some friends and head over. You have to check this out!!

As a member of the club and as someone who spends an inordinate amount of time curling and hanging…read moreout there, I can't recommend the club and the sport of curling enough. The RCC is a 4 sheet curling facility and is the only free standing curling club in WNY. Fully equipped with a warm room and a fully stocked bar for the members, it is a great place to spend time before and after games. The club offers both learn to curl classes through continuing education and hosts groups from around the area for team building and trying out the sport. I developed my love of the sport here after watching it on TV as a kid and now I play 3+ times a week for the whole season. Even as a volunteer organization, the facility is in great shape and makes regular improvements including the installation of a new chiller recently. The ice is usually in pretty good shape and all of the regular league nights are run well and are very welcoming to new people. As for the sport of curling, it is often referred to as chess on ice and offers a great balance of physical activity and strategy. Sweeping if done properly can be a great workout and while it is relatively easy to get started, learning the sport inside and out can take years and I'm still in the middle of that after 7 years of playing. There is always something to work on technically (similar to golf) and as a team sport it is a fun way to play with a group of friends or meet some new ones. Curling is a sport definitely worth trying out and the RCC is a great place to do so. If people have any questions or want to give it a shot, they should get in touch with me. Good curling everyone!