{"id":175,"date":"2019-03-05T09:27:25","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T14:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/curling\/?p=175"},"modified":"2019-03-05T09:27:25","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T14:27:25","slug":"bowdoin-orient-curling-team-finishes-regular-season-on-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/curling\/2019\/03\/05\/bowdoin-orient-curling-team-finishes-regular-season-on-top\/","title":{"rendered":"Bowdoin Orient: Curling team finishes regular season on top"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Curling team finishes regular season on top<\/h1>\n
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By Ella\u00a0Chaffin<\/a><\/p>\n

Staff Writer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

February 15, 2019<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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\"\"Kayla Snyder<\/a><\/cite>
SWEEP ME OFF MY FEET:<\/strong> Claire Pierce \u201922 and Maynor Loaisiga \u201922 sweep as Ella Crabtree \u201922 throws a stone. The team will go to nationals over Spring break.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The curling team ended its regular season in Utica last weekend, finishing third out of 24 competitors. Now, the top five members will continue to the national competition in Wayland, Massachusetts over spring break, where the team is seeded seventh. The team has doubled in size since last year, contributing to its successful season.<\/p>\n

After the U.S. men\u2019s curling team won gold in the 2018 Olympics, the sport became more appealing to new players, and Bowdoin\u2019s own team has doubled in size since last year. This uptick in members has been seen in both teams and clubs across the curling community this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have had an upward growth which has been amazing,\u201d said captain Kylie Best \u201919. \u201cAll of our team, except for myself, did not curl before college, so for us to be so successful with a bunch of relatively inexperienced people is fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the Student Activities Fair last fall, the team received over 75 sign-ups. Out of the 75, over 20 students became permanent members. Uniquely, the team consists of social members who go out on the ice to have fun and those who want to become more competitive at the sport and frequently participate in the tournaments.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the beginning of the season, we ask the entire group who wants to be considered for the [national competition],\u201d said Best. \u201cSome are only interested in the social aspect, which is totally fine. This way, those who are more interested in being more competitive can express it early on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking toward the national competition, the team expects to hold its own against northeastern competitors. Teams from the Midwest tend to be stiffer competition as they have smaller teams that have been curling longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hope is to win,\u201d said captain Zack Leblanc \u201920. \u201cLast year, I think we had a little bit of a disappointing finish; we finished 10th or 11th. This year, [we\u2019re ranked] seventh, [and] I think we can do a little bit better just playing as well as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the increase in new members, the team also added a volunteer advisor, Jonathan St. Mary \u201967. He is the first community member to enter a mentorship role for the team. With many years of curling experience, St. Mary has competed in the Francis Dykes Memorial Bonspiel and Men\u2019s Grand Nationals.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had some really good pointers about strategy, which has been something that has hurt us in the past,\u201d Best said. \u201cWe just don\u2019t know a lot about strategy, and it\u2019s very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

St. Mary was especially influential in teaching the influx of first years curling technique. His expert advice is helpful for newcomers who have no prior experience with the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been really helpful to have someone who knows what they are talking about give some pointers,\u201d Best said, \u201crather than have people who haven\u2019t been curling very long teaching people who haven\u2019t been curling at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

This weekend, the team will host a learn to curl event at Flight Deck Brewing Company. No experience is necessary, and members of the team will be demonstrating the sport and putting on a mini bonspiel for the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are actually some people in Brunswick [who] are looking to bring a new sort of ice facility to the area that would be both a hockey rink and a curling facility,\u201d Leblanc said. \u201cSo they\u2019re putting us on to demonstrate community interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team will teach curling from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The event is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n