Curling is well represented in Yorkton, and the Senior’s curling bonspiel was held this weekend at the Yorkton Curling Club. Spearheaded by master curler Karen Theis and her husband, Ray Theis organizes the teams in such a way that all skill levels learn a little from each other to the overall benefit of the game. Yorkton This Week spoke to Karen Theis about the bonspiel.
“For this week, we have a curling social,” said Theis.
“It’s a senior one, so it’s for people fifty and older. We have seven rinks from out of town, and eleven of our local rinks. We just throw all of our names in a hat, and pull out; what you get, you get – because it is a social. We end on Friday with a banquet and dance. The Crossing has sponsored the Hot Shots, which is the draw to the button; hit and stick, hit and roll, and stuff like that which is nice.”
“We have two draws. We have one at 11 and one at 1. We’ve always had a senior’s ‘Spiel. Ray and I took over in 2009. We did it by putting people’s names in a hat so our curlers would get in.”
This ensures everyone can play, and sometimes a surprise star is born this way.
“Someone who thinks they may not be that great on a team [can] get on a team.”
Theis is quick to admit that people are often better than they think they are – and the sport benefits as a result.
“This is kind of fun. You get to know more people and go, ‘Hey, would you curl with me out of town?’ It’s kind of a circuit. Churchbridge has theirs, first -- in January; [in] the first week. Then, the second week at is Langenberg, and the third week was ours. The fourth week is Saltcoats, so that’s how we make January go by,” Theis said with a smile.
