sports – johnboystravelblog

August 26, 2025

On my second day in Medicine Hat I had an appointment downtown. I had tried to visit curling clubs in a few other towns in Canada but discovered most of them were not open in the summer (it IS a winter sport, JohnBoy…). Well after wasting time in Saskatoon driving to two different clubs I called ahead to see if the facility in Medicine Hat might be open. The phone was answered by the General Manager, Bryden Smith, who was in his office doing paperwork. He said I was welcome to come down and he would give me a personal tour!

It was in a large, ordinary building which I had actually driven past several times. I met him at the arranged time and the first thing he explained was that they were just now preparing to reopen the facility after it had been shut down for two years. Curling required a very precise surface and 2 years ago they had problems with the foundation under the “sheet,” or surface of the ice. They had to rip up the flooring and redo the foundation under it and were just getting ready to put down new equipment needed to maintain the ice surface.

Bryden took me to a second floor observation area overlooking where the sheets, or playing area, would be. There was a bar and restaurant along with tables for members and guests to gather. It also had an area for club trophies and photos.

The rolls you see above are made of flexible tubing which will cover the entire surface of the floor and will circulate a brine solution to freeze the water which is then sprayed on top of it. There will be 8 “sheets,” or lanes, used for competition. This facility used to have 12 sheets but with the problems that developed they decided to downsize to 8 and put up a wall to convert the other part of the building to a fitness center for the town.

Players glide stones, or “rocks” down the ice hoping to stop them in the center of the “house,” or target, at the other end of the sheet. Multiple rocks are thrown during an “end,” or inning, and strategy comes in to play as players try to knock their opponent’s rocks out of position or try to help move their own player’s rocks to better positions.

Rocks are made of granite and can weigh between 38 and 44 pounds. The handle is used to launch the rock and give it a subtle twist, or curl, just before releasing it. Each team uses a different color. Two players with brooms called “sweepers” accompany the rock towards it’s destination and, if needed, can use their brooms to try and influence the trajectory and speed of the rock (without touching it).

I believe it is a very misunderstood sport, and requires much practice and precision. Think of it as bowling, but with a heavier ball and a longer lane, and you need the ball to STOP where the 5-pin is. Oh, and all of this is done on ice. Players wear special shoes – one a “slider” which, as the name implies, enables them to slide on the ice, and the other, a “gripper” which gives them traction to change direction or stop.

Curling has it’s own vocabulary and there is MUCH more to it than I have tried to explain.

This facility has hosted provincial, national and international events.

There are special tools to shave the ice to precise specifications, and the brooms the “sweepers” use in competition MUST all have a standardized brush head that conforms to the rules. As with many sports, the equipment used is sometimes “tinkered with” to try and obtain a competitive edge but the organizers of professional competitions do their best to maintain a fair and level playing field.

Bryden spent a whole hour explaining everything to me and showing me around the facility, and I wish I had taken much better notes. He used to compete, and is obviously eager to get others interested and make sure they have a great facility to practice their skills and enjoy the camaraderie.

Here is a photo of their new and improved playing area:

(Photo credit: Tourism Medicine Hat)

Later in my trip I will actually be able to go to a local curling club, as my Airbnb hostess in that town plays in a league and had a match the night I was there. From the moment the first player launched the rock towards the house it was clear that this game is a lot harder than it looks!

When I went up to Cleveland for my post-tax season escape in late April my brother and sister-in-law took me to a Guardians (nee Indians) game. They generally take me to at least one a year and I always enjoy it.

The team was renamed for the 8 Guardians, a series of much-larger-than-life carvings on the pillars of a huge bridge near the stadium. I will be making a future post about them once I get down there to take all of their photos.

The “Guards” play at Progressive Field. Progressive Insurance is based in Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland. The game we attended was the third in a series against the New York Yankees. The Guards swept the first two games and we were hoping they’d make it three for three.

Spoiler alert – they didn’t.

Before the game started we went through an area with statues and plaques dedicated to former players, coaches and other notable figures in the team’s history. It was a sobering visit, as one of the memorials was to a gentleman who attended every home game since August 24, 1973. He was always way out in the bleachers under the scoreboard where he beat a huge bass drum (he bought for $25) to motivate the players and the fans. The sound reverberated through the entire stadium.

Sadly he passed away in late 2023. His name was John Adams. He was there for 3 World Series, 3 All-Star games, Len Parker’s “perfect game” and was even honored with a “Bobblehead Night” likeness!