The largest ever junior curling bonspiel was hosted at the Cochrane Curling Centre last weekend t kick off the bonspiel season on a high note.
A total of 30 U15 and U20 teams competed from across the province--12 U15 teams, 12 U20 women's teams and eight U20 men's teams.
Coordinator Dawn Marie Cinnamon says tin the end they had to turn away some U15 teams for the sold out event
"It's huge," she says. "I think we're seeing an increase back into the curling, based on the fact that we had to turn away U15 teams. I think we're seeing the younger curlers really get more involved after COVID, when we, of course, took a hit. I think they're starting to come back now, and so it's exciting to see these younger teens continue in the sport."
The junior curling program of the Cochrane Curling Club, chaired by Brittany Brasser is also thriving, says Cinnamon.
"She has over 70 curlers this year registered in our junior program on Sundays. We've never ever had that amount of kids, so curling is thriving in Cochrane."
Winners of the bonspiel were: U20 women, Team Richards, runners-up Team DeSchiffart; U20 men, Team Kiist, runners-up, Team Mailloux; U15, Team Bachek for a second year in a row, and runners-up, Team Smith.
The next major bonspiel on the horizon is the 14th annual Super Seniors Squares, Nov. 20 to 24.
