Elementary School Curling League 1991 - +2024
The Elementary School Curling League began as an idea sitting around after our Curling
game at the Orangeville Curling Club in 1991. There were a few teachers, we knew that
Juniors are the key to success in any Curling Club, and we felt we knew enough about
Curling to offer an extra curricular league after school hours. Paul Huddleston, Louise
Kendle, Marilyn McCallum, Jan Dixon and Patti Weir were the founding teachers of this
league.
8 schools were invited to attend and since then it has been full with little change in
school members. The idea was, over 8 weeks, to introduce students to curling, learn to curl
sessions, round robin games and a championship. We wanted to be self-sufficient and we
used Monday afternoons following Day Curling, no ice prep., no instructors to be paid, we
were good to go. Paul Huddleston and Patti Weir were the on-ice instructors with the
teachers were on the ice supporting their teams and assisting on each ice. St. Andrew,
Princess Elizabeth, Parkinson, The Maples, Credit Meadows, Princess Margaret, St. Peter,
and Mono Amaranth were pretty well the first schools to join. Over the years we have had
Laurel Woods, East Garafraxa, Springbrook...
for 8 weeks + a bonspiel day, and presented the league trophy ( that we still have) to all of
the teams, no champion. Anne Marie Nemett and Patti Weir got their Level 1 Coaching
and have continued to be the instructors since. We had been very successful and then strike
action and Covid took its toll and we had to shut down. But, the heart and soul did not
cease, and when we got going again in 2022, 8 weeks+
bonspiel day, we were full with the same 8 teams we had previous to Covid. St. Benedict,
St. Andrew, Parkinson, Credit Meadows, Princess Margaret, Princess Elizabeth, Spencer
Avenue and Mono Amaranth are our present competitors.
To this day we are so proud of what we have accomplished. Juniors are the key to our
future. 33 years later we are going strong.
The students are happy, the teachers are happy. One person won a medal this year (2024) and
said they had never won anything in their life before. They were so proud.
Benefits: $0 ice prep. , $0 ice instruction all volunteers! interest in curling to join high school curling,
interest in curling to join our Junior program.
Topper’s Pizza our prime sponsor for over 10
years supplying over $200 of pizza for our bonspiel each year.
This year The Shriners became our championship sponsors of the medals.
Happiness, community, affordable for
school teams, alternative sport for those not involved in lacrosse, hockey, who might not
have participated, interest to bring students for Phys. Ed. class, a boost in confidence, new
friendships, a sense of community, manners and respect playing this game that these young
athletes play, just as the adults do.
Sincerely, Patti Weir on behalf of our league.
