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ManSask Sliding Stars finish strong in Virden

With an organized curling league for junior curlers the future of the sport is on a firm footing.

The junior curling league, ManSask Sliding Stars, took to the ice for their first season in the fall of 2022. Last weekend, a competitive windup in Virden Curling Club crowned their year.

The Sliding Stars league, organized by Cory Barkley, has brought together young curlers from towns around Manitoba’s southwest and in eastern Saskatchewan to practice skills and learn how to curl competitively. And, they've had fun.

The Virden Curling Club was crammed full with fans and families who came to show their support for the curlers on Feb. 26 where12 teams participated in a total points bonspiel with the Hayden Pollon rink from Minnedosa Curling Club coming out on top. 

The youth received instruction from experienced curlers throughout the season and on this day, Brayden Stewart and Chaelynn Kitz (2018 Mixed Doubles Champions from Saskatchewan) attended for an hour to provide pointers for the kids. They taught the basics of a correct sweeping technique as well as the importance of communication between the sweepers, the thrower, and the player in the house. 

The young curlers have made strides, developing their skills and making curling friends. Barkley says, “We’re very happy with the progression of the curlers over the course of the winter. Not only were they able to work on their curling skills and participate in games at different clubs in the area with their clubmates, but the participants’ comfort level over the winter has grown and we’ve seen many branch out from the program to start playing in bonspiels in other communities with their friends from their home club, or in some cases with friends they’ve made in the program.”

He says not only have their skills (sliding, sweeping, balance) improved over the course of the winter, but the general gameplay and the rules have also been worked on. “Ultimately, to improve at anything you need to practice and participate in games and this has been an additional opportunity for that to happen,” he says of the new league.

The program was very well supported all winter by the fans, and all of the participating clubs donated their curling ice to support their own youth curling and other clubs in the area as well. Young curlers in Westman and eastern Saskatchewan can look forward to next year.

Barkley says, “There are plans in place for another season of Sliding Stars curling with information to be sent out prior to the end of the curling season. 

The bonspiel went over well with the top three teams from the day earning trophies, and every curler received a participant bag and a pick-a-prize option of many donated items from several generous sponsors.” 

Bonspiel RESULTS

1st - Minnedosa Curling Club: Evan Pollon, Hayden Pollon, Julianne Phillips, Sarah Phillips

2nd - Maryfield Curling Club: Karson Low, Hannah Low, Reese Miller, Emily Paliuk

3rd - Riverview Curling Club: Rylan Knight, Lily Hammond, Hailey Arthur, Taylor Unrau

Draw to the button winner Lexi Brown Miniota Curling Club; 2nd, Kian Manns Brandon Curling Club; 3rd, Taylor Unrau Riverview Curling Club.

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