Curling Canada and partners provide over 79,000 curling experiences to youth and families last season

The 2023-2024 Season of Champions was one for the record books. On the ice, there were displays of the remarkable curling talent that Canada and the world have to offer. As amazing as the competitive play was, there’s another outstanding achievement from this season that wasn’t notable from viewers’ television sets – unless, of course, you were listening to the hard-to-miss and enthusiastic crowds of local students on the popular “School Days” during the weekday morning draws of each event.

With the help of the local event host committees and their valued partners this season, Curling Canada committed to creating greater youth engagement at the Season of Champions events. With more than 79,000 curling experiences delivered to youth, strong evidence exists that an impact was felt across the board.

School days were so loud because Curling Canada gifted tickets to a record number of 12,000 students, all cheering on the athletes. Those students in the stands were just the tip of the iceberg.

For many of those students cheering in the stands at the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Montana’s Brier and BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship, they likely also had the opportunity to try curling for themselves; with both Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings, presented by Curling Canada, which reached 19,078 students through Floor Curling experiences, and on-ice family try curling events, which saw 1,071 individuals from a range of ages signing up.

While the goal was to increase awareness of curling and offer exciting exposure to sports opportunities to a wider community by removing the barriers that may have already existed – monetary blocks and perceived barriers of exclusivity – it means nothing without connection. The hope for the communities hosting these events is for meaningful connections, not just in curling but in the community at large.

Judging by the strong post-event responses, this hope shows excellent promise going forward. In response to follow-up surveys provided to both school groups and individuals that participated in the youth engagement initiatives, 59-61% of respondents indicated a favourable decrease in barriers to sport participation; 46-59% showed an increased likelihood of future participation in sport; while 80% of individuals and families replied ‘YES!’ to the likelihood that they would participate in future curling events if given the opportunity.

“Our championship events offer incredible opportunities to bring the local community together, sharing experiences with curlers and non-curlers alike, and changing perceptions about the who, what, when, where and why of participation in our sport,” said Brodie Bazinet, Curling Canada’s Manager, Philanthropy and Youth Programs. “Whether it’s increased awareness, participation in floor or ice curling, volunteering or attending an event, we’re committed to inviting greater participation, offering new and exciting opportunities through sport, and investing in the future generation of our communities.”

To promote memorable curling experiences and strengthen community ties, participants of the Egg Farmers Rocks & Rings program and on-ice try curling events and their families received free tickets to the opening weekend draw of their choice at the Season of Champions events. Youth and junior curlers and their families from the host curling centres also received complimentary tickets to witness the championship event and see their curling idols in action.

Families and young spectators, many of whom attended their first-ever curling event, filled the seats on the opening weekends of each championship event. The concourses were lined with fun and engaging stations to enhance their curling experience. They included family-fun activities such as curling trivia, spot the difference challenges, scavenger hunts and the popular Floor Curling game, all resonating powerfully with local youth – and perhaps some family members.

For even more entertainment while watching the games, youth received For the Love of Curling lanyards attached to bingo game cards. On-ice actions – such as high-fiving teammates, a double takeout or witnessing a blank end – were marked off the card, adding to the thrill of “finding” an action and increasing the entertainment value of the experience. It also provided those new to curling with opportunities better to understand some of the finer points of curling.

If more was needed, Slider, Curling Canada’s official Season of Champions mascot, constantly interacted with enthusiastic crowds. Slider ensured he didn’t miss a single section of children and provided lasting impacts that parents certainly heard about with excitement for the rest of the night.

Existing youth curlers, of course, were included too. Beyond providing complimentary tickets to local curlers, every event held its iteration of the Future Stars program and Hit Draw Tap Provincial Shootout.

The Future Stars program provides selected youth with commemorative jackets – which always gain a great response from the kids – and pairs them up with one of the teams competing at the event. After meeting their heroes before the game, Future Stars cheer their team on to victory from a front-row seat, creating the experience of a lifetime.

The Hit Draw Tap Provincial Shootout is an individual skills competition that youth curlers could enter before the Season of Champions event, with qualified youth showcasing their curling skills on the arena ice. The crowds included the competitors’ friends and family, and the impact of playing on the same ice as their curling heroes cannot be understated.

These events create a foundation for existing youth curlers to dream further for themselves and their future.

Curling fans and believers in the sport’s potential cannot underplay the youth impact from the 2023-24 Season of Champions events. From the on-ice talent to those in the stands watching and discovering new opportunities for themselves, it was truly a season to celebrate.

Of course, this was only possible with the participation of partners such as Rock Solid Productions, curling centres, host Member Associations, local curling associations, event host committees and leadership volunteers.

Curling, at its heart, has always been a community sport. It takes a community to grow a community, and this past season has genuinely shown what Canada’s nationwide curling community is capable of when everyone works and grows together. 

Thank you to all participants at all levels of the Season of Champions; Curling Canada looks forward to the 2024-2025 season, focusing on increasing and expanding upon all the successful connections developed this past year.