Rutland, Vermont - January 15, 2012
Five years ago Nancy Murphy and her husband formed the Rutland Rocks Curling Club as true beginners.
"When we first started this club neither one of us had actually ever curled before," said Nancy.
But like many of us they had watched it on TV and were inspired.
"We used to get two Canadian TV channels as part of our cable package, and instead of watching football or basketball on the weekends we would watch Canadian curling," recalled Nancy.
Back then, Murphy says, there was just one curling club in Vermont located in Burlington. But since then, and with the 2010 Winter Olympics popularity has grown.
Rutland Rocks is now one of five in the state, and Sunday they were offering free lessons to anyone interested hoping to get some more members on their team, like Shari Slack who plays bocce competitively and says she wanted to try curling as a winter alternative
"It's like bocce on ice, but it has an aerobic benefit to it as well because you're jogging down the ice which is perfect, and it's perfect because you're jogging on ice without the skates," she said.
The original position requires you to crouch down and glide, but there are modified versions for those who don't want to but strain their back or knees. Murphy says with the modifications curling has become a sport for all ages
"There are curlers who start with little rocks when they are four and five years old, and there are octogenarian curling teams," she said.
"You know it's funny after doing it, truly anyone really could do it. I think sweeping involves a little more aerobic activity but throwing the stone is just pure fun and I think anyone can do it," said Tom Pour who was curling for the first time.
"And it doesn't suck the air totally out of your lungs, but just enough to feel like you had a nice workout on a cold day," commented Slack.
For those already getting stir crazy this winter, Murphy says joining a curling club is a nice alternative to hitting the slopes
"It's nice because it is indoors, and while its cold while its on the ice at least you're not totally subjected to the wind and blowing chair lifts and that kind of thing," she said.
