Frequently Asked Questions about the D/FW Curling Club
Q: Where do you Curl?
A: We curl at the ITC in Richardson. It is on Centennial Drive, a short distance west of US 75 and north if I-635. The ITC has painted curling houses (targets) in the ice complete with centerlines, hog lines and end lines. We have five sheets (game playing areas) set up on the ice.
Q: How large is the Club?
A: Our club has averaged about 65 members for the past two years. The 2012-2013 season is set up to accommodate up to 80 members. There is room for 20 teams, each with 4 players.
Q: Do you plan to grow the Club?
A: Oh yes! As we expand the membership, we need to try to do it in multiples of 40 persons or ten teams at a time. That way, when we rent the ice, we are getting full value and using all of the curling sheets at once. With a large enough response we would like to add another draw next season.
Q: What is your normal curling time?
A: Each curling season typically runs from the fall through the early spring. For the 2012-13 season we will have two Fall leagues of two hours each. We curl on Thursday beginning at 6:15pm, and Sunday beginning at 3:00pm. The fall season will run from the first week of October until the week before Christmas. The winter season will follow at the same times, running from the first week of January until mid-March. The seasons will run for 10 weeks, with time off for major holidays and events during the year (eg. Thanksgiving, Super Bowl, Easter). Our full schedule can be accessed by clicking the "League Info" link
Q: Do you offer instructional classes?
A: The club will typically offer two-hour learn-to-curl sessions or short multi-week instructional leagues each summer prior to the start of the regular season as demand requires. We find that most people can get a good grasp of the basics within about 20 minutes and, after an hour on the ice, can feel confident enough to participate in a game. Thus we encourage new curlers to consider registering for a league even if curling classes are not being offered. The majority of our curlers are in the new or beginner category and we try to balance teams with newer and more experienced players for competitive play, so all should feel welcome to join the club.
Q: What equipment do I need and how expensive is it?
A: The club has limited equipment for you to use but we strongly recommend that you buy your own. Sliders can be purchased for $10-$15. Brooms start around $40. The club will provide you with recommendations on where to buy. We do not currently have a local source so most people order by mail or internet.
Q: How much does it cost to join?
A: The 2012-13 league fees for curling members are $250 for a full 10-week season. If you wish to play more than one league (draw), the rates are discounted for $225 for each. There is also a $40 club fee each season and a one time equipment fee to new members of $50.
Q: Why is it so expensive?
A: It isn’t!
Ice time rental currently runs about $300-$400 an hour and we play for two hours each week in each league. If we have the full complement of 40 people on the ice, it is around $700 divided by 40 people or about $18 for two hours per person of playing time. If you add in club dues it comes to about $23 per week. This is cheaper than golf, comparable to bowling and much cheaper than hockey and other sports. Plus, the equipment costs are minimal!
Q: What does the club fee cover?
The annual club fee of $40 covers United States Curling Association (USCA) dues of $28 and the $9 premium for the USCA Club Insurance Program, leaving $3 to cover incidental club costs incurred throughout the season.
Q: What does the equipment fee cover?
The one-time equipment fee of $50 covers the ongoing costs of providing sliders and brooms for the use of club members as well as the cost of maintaining the curling stones and other necessary equipment like pebble cans. The recent re-finishing of the surfaces of the Sheet A rocks and the ongoing replacement of rock handles as they break are examples of expenses funded through the equipment fee.
Q: Do you offer other events outside league play such as bonspiels, etc?
Yes! The Dallas/Fort Worth Curling Club currently hosts two major curling events on a rotating basis:
The Texas Open Bonspiel is the largest curling event in the region, and has been hosted by our club for the past two seasons. Teams from across the United States and Canada participate in this event. We share hosting this event with the Houston and Austin curling clubs, and plans to hold the 7th annual event in early 2013 are being finalized. For more information, visit www.texasopenbonspiel.org
The Red River Shootout is an annual club competition between the Dallas/Fort Worth Curling Club and our friends at the Oklahoma Curling Club. The Shootout is modeled after the Continental Cup of Curling, with teams from each club participating in a regular curling game, doubles game, skills competition and skins game to earn points for the club towards an overall championship. After the inaugural event in Dallas in 2010 was won by the Oklahoma side, the Shootout trophy returned to Texas in 2011 when we travelled to Oklahoma and curled our way to victory. The 2012 edition of the Shootout is scheduled to occur September 29-30, 2012 in Dallas.
Q: Where can I find out more about curling?
A: check out our "Curling Links" on the left side of this page. Better yet, come out and see us!