For those seeking a physical challenge, a sense of community, and a unique athletic experience, curling may be the perfect sport.

Within a 90-minute period, new players can get a feel for the sport in a Learn to Curl session with Bend Curling Club at The Pavilion.

“It’s an incredible, thoughtful introduction to the game of curling,” said the program’s coordinator, Kirsteen Wolf.

Players learn the physical components of delivering the rock and sweeping, along with etiquette and “the curling vibe,” she said.

Curling was invented in Scotland in the 16th century. It involves two teams throwing 44-pound stones down a sheet of ice toward the house, a bullseye composed of four concentric circles. After each team throws eight rocks, points are awarded to the team with stones closest to the house’s center.

“The basics of the sport are pretty simple, and then you can make it as complicated as you want,” said Billy Duss, the club’s social media marketing coordinator.

After learning the basics at a Learn to Curl event, players can get involved with the club’s open leagues and play every weekend, should they choose, he said.

Curling fosters camaraderie

Wolf and Duss were first exposed to curling in middle school. They’ve become involved with Bend Curling Club as adults because they love the tangible sense of camaraderie that develops on the ice.

“I feel this sense of home when I walk in (to The Pavilion) and see all the curlers and people out on the ice and familiar faces. It’s a really wonderful community,” Wolf said.

While some players may approach the game competitively and aspire to compete on an Olympic level, Duss jokes he can’t help but liken curling to a Scottish drinking game.

“I can imagine some Scot standing out on a frozen lake and being like, ‘Hey, I can get that stone closer to that target over there than you can,’” he joked.

Drinking and socializing are intertwined with curling so heavily that clubs with dedicated facilities often have a bar onsite, Duss said. It’s also standard practice for the winning team to buy the losing team the first round of drinks after the game.

More Coverage: Learn to curl at The Pavilion

No room for bad sportsmanship

The rules of curling reflect an ethos of accountability and good sportsmanship.

The game involves a player sweeping the ice in front of the stone, allowing it to glide farther and make its trajectory straighter, according to World Curling. It’s illegal to touch the stone with the broom and if the two touch, it’s called a “burnt stone” and the player must self-report the foul.

“I can’t think of another sport offhand that you call your own fouls in that way,” Duss said. “It’s just part of the culture of the sport.

Club players are supportive of everyone on the ice, even those on the opposing team, Wolf said.

“If you throw a nice stone, you’ll hear it from both sides like, ‘That was a nice shot.’ It’s competitive, but it’s also a gentle person’s game,” she said. “You absolutely want to score and win and play a great game, but there’s no real room for bad sportsmanship.”

More Coverage: The coolest job in Bend? Driving the Zamboni at The Pavilion

Hopes of a dedicated curling facility

The club has 70 active members this season, a number that members feel reflects the limited available ice time. It shares The Pavilion with ice skaters and hockey players and has a standing reservation Friday mornings and late Saturday nights.

Within the next two to three years, the club hopes to obtain a dedicated facility in Central Oregon, said Duss and Wolf.

Despite time constraints, Bend Park & Recreation District does a great job at preparing the ice for curling, Wolf said. The ice is smoothed with a Zamboni then pebbled, a process that involves spraying drops of water on the ice. The droplets freeze, forming “pebbles” that serve to reduce friction as the stone travels across the ice, causing its trajectory to curl (hence the sport’s name).

On Wolf’s recent visit to spend time with her mother in Halifax, Canada, she signed up for a curling lesson where she practiced her technique at a curling facility.

She loved practicing on dedicated ice and noticed the strong sense of community at the curling facility.

“It made me really excited that we could get that here,” she said.

If You Go

What: Learn to Curl with Bend Curling Club

When: Spring sessions begin 8:30 p.m. Saturday; additional sessions held weekly thru March 8

Where: The Pavilion, 1001 SW Bradbury Way, Bend

Cost: $25

Contact: bendcurlingclub.org, learntocurl@bendcurlingclub.org, @bendcurlingclub or facebook.com/BendIceCurling