Curling Canada's Rocks and Rings program hit a major milestone last month.
An eight-year-old in Orleans, Ont. officially became the one-millionth participant in the program announced during the Tim Hortons Brier in an on-ice ceremony at TD Place in Ottawa on March 12. It was also announced that another person from Orleans became the 1,000,001st person getting the program on its way to two million participants.
Rocks and Rings was launched in 2009 by Rock Solid Productions, and since then it has been in more than 6,800 schools across Canada, using curling equipment that has been adapted to gymnasium surfaces, but closely simulates on-ice conditions, to give kids a fun and realistic introduction to the game.
In the Okanagan, Sherrie Burechailo-Dias, the co-ordinator for the Rocks and Rings program and presenter, said the program has been really well received by students and teachers.
"It's fun, it's dynamic, it's loud, very interactive," said Burechailo-Dias, a member of the Penticton Curling Club. "It's a joy to present, that's for sure."
The kids who have tried it love it and Burechailo-Dias said the program helps recruit kids into curling clubs. Since she presented to many schools in Penticton last year, her focus this season has been in Cawston, Naramata, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden. Burechailo-Dias is still taking bookings and so far she has presented to more than 2,000 students from Oyama to Cawston and Princeton. Getting involved in the program helps the kids, who otherwise may have not had to chance to go to a curling club or try the game, learn that it is a fun sport.
"I tell them a little bit about it, how it's a lifetime sport," she said. "It's an Olympic sport. Just a cool sport for families. I have so much fun presenting it."
Burechailo-Dias, who works directly with Curl B.C., said the kids are so excitable. She focuses on the essential movement skills such as sweeping and gets into delivery of floor curling. Once the kids get into groups, team building starts.
"For the older kids there is some strategy that begins to happen," she said. "You see their minds start to figure out that the person who is shooting that last rock should be a pretty good shot. Sometimes you will see them switch positions."
Burechailo-Dias has watched them cheer and give her big high-fives and thank you's.
"They just have a great time with the program," she said.
Rocks and Rings is partly supported by donations to the Curling Canada Foundation — the mandate of which is to promote curling and an active life to Canadian youngsters.
“It has been a particular delight to watch the steady growth of Curling Canada Rocks & Rings, and I know that Curling Canada and Rock Solid Productions take a great deal of pride out of today’s celebration of one million kids,” said Hugh Avery, chair of Curling Canada’s board of governors in a press release. “Curling Canada Rocks & Rings has taken our sport to new levels in terms of encouraging young people to not only give curling a try, but also to be active and healthy. We can’t wait to announce our two millionth participant.”
For more information on Curling Canada Rocks & Rings, or to book the program for a school, go to rocksandrings.com/.