A spirited and chirpy group of children aged five to nine throwing rocks and sweeping brushes on the curling rink is a sight that coaches at the McIntyre Curling Club had been missing during January's heavy pandemic restrictions.
Youth curling program coach Chris MacInnes said the energy and sense of excitement the children bring as they learn and practice the sport gives him a deeper love of curling.
Moreover, he said it's critical for young people to be able to get together with kids their age.
"Just giving them the opportunity to get out there, meet other people, other than just classmates, and see what a social sporting event is kind of like," MacInnes said, an alumnus of the youth curling program.
"It's just great to watch them out there, throwing rocks, screaming."
The feeling is mutual for Vicky Chilton, who signed up her six-year-old son Zachary this past year.
She said curling on Sunday mornings has become a family tradition, consisting of grabbing a warm breakfast before Zach practices throwing curling rocks and tests his sweeping and directing skills on the ice, as his mom cheers him on from the spectator area.
"It's really nice to see kids curling again," Chilton said.
"It's been so hard with COVID and especially during the winter, with the cold weather and it's hard to do activities outside."
Zachary said he had a great time with his fellow curlers and wanted to share what he enjoys about the sport.
"I like that I'm on the ice sweeping and telling them to sweep and, like, trying to coach them, like, help them ... and I like it when I'm throwing the rock."
