Youth curling in East Hants gets Jumpstart from Canadian Tire

Paricipants with the East Hants Youth Links tried out curling one Thursday recently. They got to use the new curling stones the EHCA purchased from funding provided by the Jumpstart Program. (Healey photo)

LANTZ: The first step toward getting a youth curling league has been taken by the East Hants Curling Association.

Thanks to a donation of $15,000 from the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Program this summer, the association was able to purchase three new sets of youth curling stones (16 each). They previously only had one set for the youth.

Trying out the new stones during one of the free Thursday curling sessions for youth at the East Hants Sportsplex in Lantz, were participants of the East Hants Youth Links program.

Coordinator Danielle Shreenan said Youth Links programming is all about getting youth out to try something new especially for kids that don’t have the opportunity.

“They’re learning something new and maybe finding a new passion,” said Shreenan. “The fact that it’s free gives so many kids a chance to try.”

Abby Pickrem throws a curling stone. (Healey photo)

The free curling sessions started out with about eight youth but has steadily grown to have more than 30 now.

She said she was thrilled the two community organizations could partner on this endeavour.

“I was so excited to be able to partner up with the Curling Association to bring this, because our whole goal is to get the youth out to try something new that possibly don’t get a chance to,” she said. “There’s a lot of availability for sports that are contact and they’re not for everybody. So, this is a sport for other people to try.”

Harold MacNeil, president of the Curling Association, said it gives the youth something to do.

“Our hope is to gain enough interest so that the curling association can start a-league and that we can have a youth program here,” he said.

(Healey photo)
(Healey photo)

MacNeil said the program is made for all youth.

“It’s a non-contact sport and a lot of kids don’t like contact sports,” he said. “It’s one where all ages, all abilities can play. You’ve got youth who are anywhere from 10 to 15 years of age and they all can play the same game at the same time and develop the same skills.”

He wanted to thank the Elmsdale Canadian Tire for their support in presenting the EHCA with the funding from the Jumpstart Program.

“We’re grateful they thought our program was worthwhile in supporting,” said MacNeil.