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Kids learned basics of curling from a pro

Local youths had a chance to learn professional basics of curling on Sunday. Andrea McEwen, who is a high-performance coach and instructor, had 12 students participating in the Estevan Viterra Youth Clinic at the Power Dodge Curling Centre.

Local youths had a chance to learn professional basics of curling on Sunday.

Andrea McEwen, who is a high-performance coach and instructor, had 12 students participating in the Estevan Viterra Youth Clinic at the Power Dodge Curling Centre. A day of training was aimed at gearing the young players up for further challenges.

“We are learning basic curling skills, we are learning all the fundamentals and we are learning all the technical parts of it,” said McEwen.

As participants were progressing throughout the day, they got to play some games and were introduced to mixed doubles.

“Mixed doubles is now a U18 format event that these kids can actually start working towards and potentially competing in,” noted McEwen.

To start off the day kids of 10-13 years of age were offered the chance to practice aiming for a target and worked on their release and balance skills.

While some of the participants were new to curling and were learning the entire concept of the game at the clinic, others already had some knowledge.

“Our oldest one, she actually has been curling for six years,” said McEwen. “So there is a really wide range from anywhere from three years and less, to six years as well.”

Andrea McEwen
At the clinic, Andrea McEwen was working on participants’ balance, target and release. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Participants were drawn from Estevan, Oxbow and Wilcox. McEwen explained that the clinic wasn’t as much team-oriented, but rather was targeting the development of individual skills with the perspective of further involvement in youth leagues.

She also pointed out that clinics like this one help established players enhance their game, while the beginners get a chance to start professionally.

“Especially with the beginning of the season, I think, we all are a bit rusty, maybe have developed some bad habits. So I’m able to have a different level for each kid.  There are some things that I’m finer tuning on (the girl who has more experience in curling than other participants), as to the other kids I’m getting them to get balance,” said McEwen, noting that while instructing a mixed-aged and mixed-level groups, she separates them based on experience to provide each participant with individual information to continue on.

Besides the practical curling clinic participants also talked about proper nutrition and how to feed their bodies to have enough energy and stamina throughout the game.

For McEwen training sessions of this kind is the usual practice.

“Either I’m hired through CurlSask, or I do them personally as well,” said McEwen. “I actually teach two youth programs, one in Whitewood and one in Arcola.”

She mainly works in the southeast Saskatchewan area and sometimes in Manitoba. Most clinics she does at the beginning of the season, but occasionally is asked to come again during the year.

McEwen was grateful to CurlSask and Estevan for inviting her to come out and work with the kids here. Even though she is a high-performance junior men’s coach and has a passion for working at higher levels, working with children is something she enjoys as well.

“I love getting kids started and hope that they’ll continue with their passion for curling and take it all the way into adulthood,” said McEwen.