At the Granite Curling Club, located in Seattle’s Haller Lake neighborhood, the sport of curling offers a unique blend of competition and community.
Jazz Fox-Canning, an events instructor at the club, describes curling as a sport that combines elements of bowling, shuffleboard, and darts, making it accessible to newcomers.
In a typical curling match, four-player teams take turns sliding polished granite stones down sheets of ice toward bullseye-shaped targets known as the ‘house.’ Players use specialized brooms to control the speed and path of the stone, aiming to have their stone closest to the center of the target when all stones have been played.
Phil Shryock, a former Granite president and current board member of USA Curling, openly acknowledges how perplexing curling can appear to outsiders.
‘If you are a curler, you are not in a position to judge anybody else’s hobbies as being too weird,’ Shryock notes, emphasizing the uniqueness of the sport.
Despite its novelty to many Americans, curling has gained traction partly due to Canadian influences in northern states like Washington. For decades, the Granite Curling Club has been a cornerstone of curling in the northwest United States.
Granite stands out as the largest curling club in the region, featuring five sheets of ice and around 600 members. The club engages in various activities, including seasonal leagues, Learn to Curl events tailored for beginners, and programs for junior and adaptive curlers. Annually, Granite also hosts six to seven tournaments, known as bonspiels.
A highlight of this season was the recent Summer Spiel, which welcomed curlers from as far away as Plainfield, New Jersey, alongside local participants eager to join the fun. Cyndi Parrish, a Granite member who formed a team with her husband and two new curlers, enthusiastically shared her experience from her first time on the ice.
“It looks so natural when people do it on TV,” she reflected. “It looks so smooth. And then you try it and you’re like, ‘What am I even doing with my body?’”
While on the ice, Parrish sported an oversized graham cracker costume, which blended right in with the fun-loving crowd. Todd Schultz, the club’s secretary, highlights the quirky aspect of curling culture.
“You’re competitive as heck on the ice, but once you’re done, you’re shaking hands, you’re laughing, you’re having a good time,” Schultz remarked, demonstrating the camaraderie that defines the club.
Notably, winners of curling matches are expected to buy drinks for the losers, a tradition supported by the bar located in Granite’s upstairs “warm room.”
While the environment is relaxed and convivial, it’s evident that the members take their sport seriously. Granite boasts the highest number of national champion curlers in the United States and has had several members compete in the Olympics.
Yet, at events like the Summer Spiel, seasoned champions are just as likely to mix with novices, showcasing the community spirit that draws so many back to the club.
Lori Markham, a board member, describes the club as a ‘third place’ for many, akin to a church community, emphasizing the familial bonds cultivated among members.
As the Summer Spiel comes to a close, Granite’s curling community takes a brief summer hiatus. They anticipate returning in the fall to kick off the club’s 75th season on the ice.
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