The juniors spent their final two ice times competing against each other in a house tournament, said Jasper Curling Club president Lee Chorley. The wind up was a way of recognizing the junior curlers and celebrating tournament winners.
The league had 24 curlers this year, which is on par with last year’s participation numbers, said Jasper Curling Club member Herb Robinson. He has been instructing junior curlers for many years.
“A majority of the kids curled with the club last year,” he adds.
Thirteen-year-old skip Annaja Davis has finished her second season of curling. “It’s fun because I played this year with my friends,” she said.
She identified her team’s house tournament win as a season highlight and plans to curl again in the fall.
Josh Begley, 12, decided to curl this season because he “likes to try something new.” While he learned many skills during his first year in the junior club, he especially enjoyed sweeping and throwing stones. “I will definitely come back next year,” he grins.
Next year Robinson would like to co-ordinate games with neighbouring junior leagues in Hinton and Edson. “It would be nice for them to play against other curlers.”
The efforts of numerous curling club members help make the junior league possible, said Chorley. Local businesses and grants also help subsidize members’ costs. A 50 per cent registration fee refund is also guaranteed if the juniors remain in the league all season.
The Jasper Curling Club’s season is also winding down with its last few scheduled bonspiels. The 2013/14 curling season begins in mid-October, when the ice sheets are put back in.
