Intro to Curling Clinics

Olympic Curling Clinic Feb 16, 2010. Photo by Sid Bohidar

Ever wanted to try curling? This is your chance! Throughout the year the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club and Sharks Ice offer many low-cost curling clinics, usually at the start of each season. Curling Clinics are a comprehensive introduction to the Olympic sport of curling. You will learn the basics of the game, a bit of curling history, and technique fundamentals. During the second half of the session we also hold mini-games as space and time permit. Curling clinics are also a great chance for our newer members to get a technique refresher! (And, don't forget, the sessions are always followed by some post-curling socializing at the bar!)

Anyone of any age or physical ability can curl. Don't worry if you can't manage the traditional lunge and we teach stick curling, too. All of our activities are wheelchair accessible and a few of our curlers are fluent in ASL.

Come by yourself or bring your friends and family. We love to meet new people!

What should you bring?
We recommend wearing loose fitting pants (sweats or track pants), warm clothes and sneakers. Lots of folks enjoy having a warm hat, gloves and knee pads, as well.

What will you do?
- Get an overview of the game and on-ice safety
- Learn delivery basics (how to throw the stone)
- Learn sweeping
- Play a mini-game (if time and space permit)

Olympic Curling Clinic, February 16, 2010. Photo by Mickey Norum

Can I give a learn-to-curl session as a gift?
A curling experience makes a great gift for friends and family! To gift tickets to a Learn to Curl event, simply purchase tickets and forward your receipt to learntocurl-oakland@bayareacurling.com with the name and email address of the person you'd like to transfer the tickets to. Don't worry — we won't ruin the surprise! Their email address will only be used to provide event details 48 hours in advance. The creative gift-giving is up to you: put a pretty bow on that household broom, or include an appropriate YouTube video in an e-card (here's a hint). Give them a gift unlike any other! We'll make sure they have a blast.

Olympic Curling Clinic, February 6, 2010. Photo by Sid Bohidar

Dates and Times:
Oakland: Saturday May 18th, 2:45-5:00pm
Oakland: Saturday June 1st, 2:30-4:45pm
Oakland: Saturday June 8th, 2:15-4:30pm

Cost: Learn-to-curl events are $15 per person, $12.50 per person for groups of 4 or more.

Due to strong interest in these events and our desire to provide the best possible experience, advanced sign-up is required. Purchases are transferable but non-refundable.

Sign Up:

Locations:
Intro to Curling clinics are held at all three of our Bay Area locations in Oakland, San Jose and Fremont. Addresses & Directions »

Contact:
For more information on curling clinics, or if you cannot make it to a curling clinic but would like to try curling, contact learntocurl-oakland@bayareacurling.com for Oakland inquiries or learntocurl-sanjose@bayareacurling.com for San Jose inquiries.

Participant Feedback:

"Thanks. I wanted to expose the kids to something new and I thought curling would be fun. I never imagined they would be treated so well. The environment was great and your personal attention was so key to them having as much fun as they did. We talked about it all the way home and then told mom all about it way past bedtime." - Mike

"Thanks. I had a lot of fun curling. I want to go back again¦. At first I did not know a thing about curling. I thought it was just about throwing a big heavy rock but now that I know the right way. I think it is really fun, but next time I want to wear something warm because my knee was very, very cold." - Grace, 7

"Thank you. I really had a lot of fun. I enjoy curling more now that I understand how to do it." - Quinn, 10