what's your sport?
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
18 | FEBRUARY 2023 | FARGOMONTHLY.COM
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.