HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

A curling team is made up of four people, each with a role:

• Skip (or captain); the person who calls the strategy and usually shoots the last rock.

• Third (or vice-captain)

• Second

• Lead

The team will send the rocks down the ice, aiming for the target at the other end. But the strategy is a bit more complicated than just sliding the rocks. The skip (since they are calling the strategy) will stand at the end with the target to direct the other team members' throws, as well as the sweepers.

Each member throws two rocks. The lead will throw the first, followed by the second, then the third (or vice-captain) and finally, the skip (or captain). The two teams curling against each other will alternate after each two throws.

While each member is throwing, there are two members sweeping the brooms on the ice to lessen the friction on the ice, in hopes to allow the rock to travel farther.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in the sport of curling. But one thing is certain, try it, and you’ll probably get hooked.

Al Hemstad moved with his family to the area about eight years ago. He had always wanted to try curling but didn’t do so until they moved here. About two months after he signed up his son for the youth league, Hemstad decided to try it for himself.

“This'll be my seventh year curling. I kind of fell in love with it and jumped in with both feet, and now this is my second home,” he said.

Hemstad works with youth programming, as well as leagues for himself twice a week. He watched his son’s first experience, along with his own first-time experience, and now his son is competing in tournaments.

Hemstad and his team represented the club at the Five-And-Under National Championships (five years or less of experience in curling) in 2022.

“It's a tight-knit community, but it's not one of those exclusive clubs. We welcome anybody and encourage people to do it. The more people can get involved, the better,” he said.

At the beginning of every season, the club hosts an open house for anyone who wants to come and try the sport out. From there they can sign up for leagues and youth programming.

They have a specific kids curling program for children ages 5-years-old to 9-yearsold, that runs for six weeks. It's held one day a week, for one hour, teaching the kids the basics of curling. Moving up, they would join the youth program for ages 10-years-old to 18-years-old. This runs from November through March!

Last year, Team Scheel won the 2022 U18 and the 2022 Junior (U21) National Championships. Two of the players from the U18 team were from the F-M Curling Club—Miranda Scheel and Tessa Thurlow, the other two, Ella Fleming and Rilee Kraft, were from Bismarck.

The Junior (U21) Team, consisting of Miranda Scheel, Tessa Thurlow and Jordan Hein (who curl in the F-M Curling Club), and Amelia Hintz from Wisconsin, will be going to the Junior Worlds Championship. They have been practicing together the past year and will be in Germany at the end of February this year (Feb 25th - March 4th) for that competition!

Head to worldcurling.org/ events/wjcc2023 for more information on the event, live score updates and broadcasting news!

In addition to this team, Team Fitzgerald took the Silver at the 2023 U18 National Championship in January. All four players are from the F-M Curling Club, being Aiden Fitzgerald, Jackson Askew, Carter Mitchell, Jake Rin and Coach Evan Workin!

The Dakota Territory Curling Association, which encompasses North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana, has had lots of representation among various youth and adult competitions around the nation.

Whether you’re looking for a sport that brings competition or one that just keeps you active, you can find it at the F-M Curling club.

While the F-M Curling Club has been rooted in the community for some time, there are communities in the region that are itching to grow their own.

Cameron Rittenour is a part of a few curling clubs, including the F-M Curling Club—where he is active in leagues and practices. He commutes about an hour and a half from Fergus Fall, MN to do so. Rittenour has been to eight national competitions as well as the 2021 Olympic trials.

The various competitions that the members of the F-M Curling Club have been to are nothing short of amazing, but Rittenour has something else to add to his stats sheet: founding a new club.

He has been working to help start Fergus Falls’ new curling club for youth and adults. Having just started, the club is not quite yet established, but they are on their way. Currently, the club plays on the hockey ice in town and has about 28 members. They had their first league night in January after weeks of learning to curl practice.

Rittenour also works with the company, Curling Stadium, a new broadcasting company that supports curling clubs from local, regional and national events. They help clubs get set up with packages that allow broadcasting of all of their events, so anyone can watch the tournaments at any time and players can go back and review their curls for improvement. Curling Stadium Corporate is based out of Canada, and Curling Stadium USA is based out of Fergus Falls. The goal is to have coverage for all curling clubs, and they’re on their way to reaching that goal.

The F-M Curling Club has had a tremendous journey over the last 85 years. To be a part of it, head to fmcurling.org and keep an eye out for their Learn to Curl events to get started!

4300 23rd Ave S, Fargo (701) 232-0341