The future just keeps getting brighter for the Huntsville Curling Club (HCC). On the heels of a celebration for the upcoming Recharge With Milk Ontario Tankard — a qualifier for Canadian Men’s curling Championship the Tim Hortons Brier — and progress in its proposed project to build a new multi-use facility at McCulley Robertson Recreation Park, the club announced that it has received an Ontario Sports and Recreation Communities Fund Grant to provide an enhanced youth curling program for the Huntsville area.
The two-year, $61,674 grant will provide for much-needed equipment, marketing, coordination and instructor training.
“This grant will allow us to grow our capacity to offer youth ages six to seventeen skills development to promote active living and physical literacy for lifelong health,” Beth Goodhew, Vice President of the HCC board and Youth Program Director, told the assembled crowd at the club on November 4.
Youth programs at the club run on Tuesdays after school, with an additional Thursday drop-in league for the new high school program, from November 7 through March 6. They are an affordable way for kids to learn the sport, stay active in the winter, and make some new friends. The cost is just $50 for the season for all ages — Little Rocks ages six to 10, Juniors ages 10 to 14, and High School ages 13 to 18 — including use of equipment.
The programs are coordinated by Kristen Hamilton, and coached by Marg Dollar a.k.a. Coach Grannie (Little Rocks), Chantelle Armstrong (Juniors), and Eva Black (School Programs). Training for coaches and volunteers will help the club to develop future generations of curlers, noted Goodhew.
“It will strengthen HCC by providing training including coaching and volunteer development to enable the club to build and deliver high-quality sustainable youth programs for the future,” she said. “Growth is important to the club and our youth are a very important part of that growth and long-term sustainability.”
The club is also partnering with area elementary schools to offer winter electives.
“I’m so happy that you are the successful recipients of this grant,” said Parry Soung-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller. “It’s certainly a club with lots going with the big events you’re doing, but it’s so key to get young people involved in the sport… Curling is the sort of thing you can do your whole life and what better time to get people involved and kids interested and enjoying it than at a young age.”
Mayor Scott Aitchison added, to laughter from the club members, “I always love when Norm comes to town with money. I’m very excited about the exciting things this club is doing and the effort you’re making to expand the sport not just among adults but now amongst young people. I think it’s really important to get kids engaged.”
Goodhew said that youth engagement will both support the kids who get involved and the club itself. “Hopefully they will stay with us for a long time. We are really looking forward to having a program in which they will have fun and active healthy living, and help us grow the club and give back to the community that has been so good to us.”
For more information on youth programs at Huntsville Curling Club, visit huntsvillecurlingclub.ca or call 705-789-4571.
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