HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-10-09, Page 9Hitting the lanes
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THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9,2002.PAGE 9.
Hockey not the only game in town for winter
Young
enjoys one of
photo,
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
The fall and winter sports season
is upon us and for many that means
lacing on the skates for hockey or
figure skating.
However, for those who just aren't
into Canada's national sport, there
are other choices.
Taylor, Avery and Kelsey
Bennewies of McKillop Ward,
Huron East have been curling for
several years, due in part to
encouragement from their father,
Keith. a long-time participant in the
sport.
When asked what they like about
curling,Taylor says "everything."
Soon to start his fourth season,
Taylor, 10,. is very enthusiastic about
the game, with hopes of one day
playing in the Olympics.
The skip of his team, he says he
likes working with the younger and
inexperienced players to show them
how the game is played.
And, of course, he likes to throw
the rocks.
For his younger sister, Avery, _
eight, who is entering her third
season, curling is just fun. She loves
to talk about throwing the rocks,
hearing them bang around, sweeping
the ice and making sure everyone
listening knows that it is bad to hit
the other players' rock with the
broom or your feet.
Fifteen-year-old Kelsey has been
curling for six or seven years, and
for her, the game is an opportunity to
socialize with others her -age.
"It is a lot of fun and I have met a
-lot of people," she adds.
Mom Michelle points out that the
children meet students from other
schools with whom they would
otherwise have little contact.
Taylor and Kelsey note there is a
lot of thinking in the game. •
"You have to know math, to think
about the angles," says Kelsey.
Avery chirps in with her tip that it
is difficult to know what side to
throw at.
"It is also good exercise," says
Michelle. "You can work up, a
sweat."
"Yeh, it is fun to slide, but not fun
td- fall." smiles Avery.
The politeness of the sport may
have also -been a drawing factor as
everyone in the family mentions the
absenco of physical contact, the
handshaking before and after each
game and compliments given to
opponents.
Curling is also a game that can be
played for a lifetime with each of the
Bennewies children hoping to stay
involved for many years, they say.
"It is a game you can play from
five to 75," adds Michelle.
She sees the popularity in curling
growing because of the social aspect
as well as the minimal cost to
participate.
"There is no expense to it other
than registration," she says.
Most clubs provide the broomS
and sliders needed.
The children attend a few
bonspiels later in the season and, to
keep it a family affair, a family spiel
is held in the spring, he says.
Broomball is another increasingly
popular sport with the numbers
having more than quadrupled in the
past two decades.
Linda Pease of Blyth says
numbers there have jumped from 25
just 20 years ago to approximately
125 today.
She believes the sport has grown
because of its simplicity as well as
the lower cost.
"Also some children just don't
skate very well," she adds, and the
special broomball shoes_allow them
to run on the ice. •
The Cook girls of Blyth have been
playing broomball since each turned
eight years old.
Amanda, 17, Tasha, 15, and
Ashlee, 13, all agree the sport is a lot
of fun, particularly when they get to
travel north to Barrie for the year- -
end tournament.
"It is a chance to get away from
your parents," they say teasingly to
their mother, Tracy, who has
coached- since the girls started
playing and escorts the teams to the
event.
The competition draws teams from
across the province with all age
groups playing the same weekend.
Following in the footsteps of their
older sister and parents, who have
been playing broomball for many
years, Tasha and Ashlee say the
family involvement was one reason
they were interested.'
As well, Ashlee says, "I didn't
want to play hockey. It looked too
rough."
Though some veteran hockey
players think of broomball as a
"wimp's" sport, says Tracy, they find
-out differently when they try it. They
have difficulty getting used to the
offside rule as well as the difference
between running with broomball
shoes and skating.
The girls agree it is not a diffidult
sport to learn, it is just different from
hockey. And, it is good exercise and
it keeps them busy during the winter,
they add.
Amanda points out the social
aspect of the game as many of her
friends also play the sport.
She does see more teens trying
broomball, partially, she says,
because it is introduced to them in
senior gym classes in high school.
When asked what has kept her
interested for nine years, she says,
"We have had great coaches and we
learn teamwork."
Aside from the shoes, shin and
elbow pads and a full-facemask
hockey helmet is all that is required
for equipment.
At the PeeWee level, ages 11 and
under, the teams are co-ed while
there are separate boys and girls
teams in the older age groups.
For those wishing to get away
from the cold surroundings, bowling
is becoming increasing popular,
particularly with youngsters.
The national Youth Bowling
Council program is offered at
several locations.
Six-year-old Pearson Smith of
Ethel, in his second year of bowling,
says he likes to bowl because "it is
fun."
Very enthusiastic about the sport,
Pearson bounces around the alley
prior to the beginning of his games,
chatting with friends, agreeing to
teammates for the day, enjoying his
after school snack and generally
feeling right at home.
Pearson's mom Sarah believes the
social aspect of the game is good for
children. "It gets them out and
having fun. It is exercise and anyone
can do it."
Frequent visitors to the bowling
lanes themselves, Sarah and her
husband Larry offered Pearson the
choice of bowling or figure skating
last year.
"He chose bowling and he enjoys
it," she says.
As a busy parent, Sarah says time
commitment is also less than with
other sports. "The children bowl
once a week."
Coach Kim Cupskey of Listowel
says the aim of the league-is to let the
children have fun, but if they are
interested in learning, they can pick
it up. "We don't push them."
When asked about bowling, it is
obvious Pearson loves to play the
game with his friends as he mentions
"buddy" day. an occasion when they
are allowed to bring a friend or
relative to play the game with them.
"I would like to do this for a long
time,' he grins, just before running
off with a fellow bowler.
For another Grey resident,
bowling has been part of her life for
nine years.. Heather Stewart began
bowling when she was just four
years old and has stuck with it for
the fun of the sport, she says.
She agrees that the social aspect is
important as she gets a chance to
meet others her own age who also
enjoy the activity.
The number of four to 18-year-old
participants, who are split into five
age groups for competition, has
grown significantly over the years
since Youth Bowling Council began
in 1962.
For those interested in advancing,
the Four Steps to Stardom program
takes the bowlers from in-house
competition, to zone (covering an
area from Zurich to Owen Sound
and Mount Forest) then on to
provincials and nationals.
With 16 zones and each region
permitted to send 36 bowlers to the
provincial tournament, the
competition often draws several
hundred challengers.
The bowling season has just
begun, but all area lanes say new
bowlers are more than welcome to
join at anytime.
For those with an artistic flare,
dancing may be the perfect activity.
Justine King of Morris has been
step dancing for five years and
highland dancing for two and a half.
It all began when she saw an ad in
a local paper and thought she would
try it. She later joined highland
dancing lessons because a friend
danced.
And yet, it is the absolute love of
dancing that keeps her involved.
"I like the physical involvement
and that it is not competitive. It is
also an individual sport so I can
improve my own performance,"
Continued on page 10
Striking a pose
Justine King of Morris had
enjoyed participating in both
step and highland dancing for
many years. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Pearson Smith of Ethel takes to the lanes as he
his favourite pastimes - bowling. (Janice Becker