The Wake

Throwing rocks down a sheet of ice may not seem exciting to most, but at the St. Paul Curling Club it’s all the rage.

Joe “Splash” Cloutier explains that curling is a really friendly game. The loser usually buys the winner the first round after the match, and they talk about the game over a few drinks.

Sitting at the bar upstairs, the rest of the group introduces themselves. There’s M.O., Blue, Big Al, Scott, a pitcher of beer and a bottle of whiskey.

“Everyone has a nickname here,” says Blue aka John Carey. Everyone except Scott anyway, and they try to come up with a nickname on the spot, but nothing sticks, indicating why he’s never had a nickname.

The club has the feel of a north woods cabin with fireplaces upstairs and downstairs, thick Minnesotan accents, wood floors, outdoor decor and moustaches, but this is St. Paul.

Splash says the game is like horseshoes because the team with the rock closest to the center wins the point. From there the game becomes more complicated.

“It’s chess on ice,” says Big Al.

Each team consists of four players: a lead, second, third and a skip, the strategist. All players shoot a rock, but the skip typically shoots the last two of the match. The match consists of eight ends with eight rocks per team. At each end, each team shoots two rocks and then switches ends. A point is scored for the team with the rock closet to the tee, or the middle.

The skip calls shots from the other end of the ice and decides which shot the team will play according to the placement of the rocks. As the rock is delivered two sweepers brush the ice to create a Zamboni effect that allows the rock to travel farther and straighter. The team will either attempt to knock out the opponent’s rocks or place their rock near the tee.

“The rock goes its own way so you need to turn it one way or the other to get it where you want,” Splash says.

Curling started during the 16th century in Scotland. Eventually immigrants brought the game to North America, where it first appeared in Canada in 1759. In 1832 the game surfaced in America, and there are now over 125 curling clubs in the U.S.

The sport has been growing in popularity since it first appeared as a full medal game at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.

The St. Paul club has existed since 1888, and the building has been there since 1912. It is the largest club in North America, with over 1100 members. “Ten years ago we had 600-800 members and struggled for members at times, but the last five years we’ve seen an explosion,” says Mike “M. O.” O’Neil, club president.

Carey, the young guy of the group, says he picked up the game after watching it during the Olympics with friends. “It takes about a year not to look like an idiot,” he says.

The club offers clinics geared towards new people where they learn the basics, etiquette and strategy. From there the new players can begin playing in novice leagues on Sundays, or if they know a member they can become part of a team. In the metro area two clubs have recently sprouted due to the popularity: one in Edina and one in Burnsville.

A huge part of the curling experience is found in the tournaments, or bonspiels. Club teams from around the nation travel to compete against other clubs, and players get to meet new people and form new friendships across the country.

“Bonspiels are a huge part of curling because it’s where you meet other players and get to reconnect every year,” says O’Neil.

“One-third of the game is drinking and hanging out,” adds Carey. He says there is a team from San Diego that hasn’t won a game ever, but comes to experience the camaraderie. “Every game begins and ends with a handshake,” says Splash.

“There’s a tremendous cross-mix of people here, from blue-collar guys to corporate executives,” says O’Neil. The blue-collar guys and other members of the club volunteer during the off-season to help with the upkeep of the club. “Tuesday nights a crew comes down and fixes whatever needs fixing,” says Scott.

The club received national media attention this past Vikings season during Monday Night Football. The Vikings played the New England Patriots and Monday Night Football aired a 21-second clip of some people curling at the club.

“It’s a game you can only play, you can’t beat it,” says Big Al.

The St. Paul Curling Club is located at 470 Selby Ave. in St. Paul. Membership is currently at capacity.