Under 18’s/ Under 25’s

Curling in Australia

Curling is a fantastic sport for all ages and abilities. It is common for families to Curl together such as a ‘parent(s) with a child’ or ‘siblings curling together’ or a ‘group of friends’. Curling requires a specialised ice surface and right now there are no dedicated Curling facilities in Australia so each State club creates a temporary pebbled ice surface on skating rink ice. See below for what a cross-section of pebbled ice looks like.

This image shows a Curling stone or rock sitting on ice (a). A cross-section of the ice is shown in (b) to demonstrate the surface of the ice is not flat and the bottom of the stone is concave so a small surface area touches the ice. In (c) this image shows frozen water droplets (red dots), called pebble, have been sprayed on the ice to further reduce surface area the rock touches creating the ability for the rock to slide along the surface.

This image shows a close up of a Curling stone or rock with a counter-clockwise turn. What makes Curling interesting for many people is the strategy and science around why the stones behave the way they do when thrown. Image from Business Insider.

Right now 3 States offer Curling:

What equipment and clothing do you need?

Since Curling takes place on ice it is important to dress comfortably and layer clothing to stay warm. Jeans are not recommended. Shoes should be closed-toe with a good gripping sole, sneakers are great to use because a slider can be put on the bottom when delivering a Curling stone. Curlers use a Curling-specific broom to sweep and a gripper for one foot and slider for the other foot. All locations have equipment you can borrow to try it out.

When learning to Curl instructors and coaches assist players by providing drills such as the one pictured so technique can be practiced while balance is learned.

What pathways are available to Curlers?

There are many opportunities within the sport of Curling to participate. Below are some examples of the pathways and opportunities to become involved.

Give it a Go!! Check out “Then and Now”

Former Junior Curler Tahli Gill’s early Junior photo and her Olympic debut at Beijing 2022. Photos courtesy Tahli Gill.
Former Junior Curler Dean Hewitt’s early Junior photo and his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022. Photos courtesy Dean Hewitt.

Learn about the Game

If you are new to curling, you can learn more here about Curling. The best way to improve your strategy and understanding of the game is to head to the World Curling Federation’s YouTube channel “World Curling TV” to watch games. Under the World Curling TV search bar (not YouTube’s), type Junior and there will be a selection of games to watch.

State Level

State: Each State holds a series of leagues or competitions that run from approximately March to November.

National Level

Typically Australia holds two different National Championships in Naseby, New Zealand at the Maniototo Indoor Curling Rink where there is dedicated Curling ice. Check out the ACF’s “Upcoming Events” webpage for what’s happening. Let your local club organisers know if you are interested in competing in Nationals. Juniors (under 21) can compete in open divisions for Men, Women, Mixed, Mixed Doubles or Junior-specific disciplines such as Junior Men and Junior Women. Read the Eligibility and Selection document to better understand what opportunities are available.

International Level

Each year there are two World Junior events – a World Junior Curling Championships and World Junior B Curling Championships (similar to an A & B event with the top 2 teams from the Junior B event moving up to compete in the “A” event and the bottom 2 ranked teams from the “A” event being relegated to the Junior B event). Australia has only competed in the World Junior B Curling Championships. See results here on our webpage. In previous years, the WCF has provided junior (under 21) funding for flights (all flight costs and itineraries must be submitted via the ACF Secretary and pre-approved by the WCF).

International Competitions Open to All

November 2022: Riga Junior Open 2022 (Latvia), Fee 300 euros for a Junior Men or Junior Women’s team.

December 2022: Copenhagen Junior Open, entry fee of DKK 1.800 for a Junior Men or Junior Women’s team.

There are regular camps that happen around the world each year and some that take place as a special event. Overseas Curling camps typically take place during the Northern hemisphere’s summer months (June – Aug) and can be specific to Junior age groups or may include Juniors alongside adults if a parent is there to supervise. It is always best to enquire directly with the camp if you are interested and let your local State organising committee know of your interest so they can look to see if there is any additional support that can be provided.

Camps:

At the time this page was posted these URL’s were current. If links are broken please search on similar camp names or within the main website of the organisation.

June 2023 Camps

US Camp

July 2023 Camps

US Camp – Minnesota

  • Dates: 17-19 July 2023 (session 1), 19-22 July 2022 (session 2)
  • Location: Minnesota, USA
  • Event Website: http://www.staging3.usjuniorcurlingassociation.org/minnesota-camp/
  • Contact: Dan Lieburn, President US Junior Curling, DAN.LIEBURN@USJRCA.ORG
  • Age Range: camp is designed for campers 11 to 20 years of age
  • Special Note: Bon Spiel scheduled on following weekend

Amethyst

August 2023 Camps

Trillium Curling Camp (2 dates)

  • Date: 6 – 11 August & 13 – 18 August 2023
  • Location: Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • Event Website: http://trilliumcurlingcamp.com/
  • Age Range: 12-18 yrs (see breakdown below in information), 19 yrs and up (Adult camps)
  • Information: U15 – Red / Blue: Campers age 13 or 14 as of the start of camp. (Previously “Intermediate”); U17 – Green / Purple: Campers age 15 or 16 as of the start of camp. (Previously “Advanced”); U19 – Black / Gold: Campers age 17 or 18 as of the start of camp. (Previously “High Performance”) / Cost is $1,124.99 CDN
  • Contact: Contact for Trillium, Amethyst and Curl Better Adult Camps (from 19 yrs) is: sturriff@ontcurl.com (Sean Turriff)

Sept/Oct 2023 Camps

Hot Shots Curling Camps (3 Cdn, 1 USA)

  • Date: 15 – 17 September 2023 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada
  • Date: 29 Sept – 1 Oct in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • Date: 13 – 15 October 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Date: 20 – 22 October 2023 in Minnesota, USA
  • Event Website: https://hotshotscurling.com/curling-instructors/
  • Age Range: Adult camp with Jr’s allowed to attend with parent or coach
  • Information: ON-ICE: Delivery & Shot Management, DELIVERY – Balance, DELIVERY – Line of Delivery, DELIVERY – Release & Rock Rotation, DELIVERY – Hits, THE SECRETS OF ANGLES, VIDEO ANALYSIS, EFFECTIVE BRUSHING, TIMING STONES, OFF-ICE: Strategy & Team Dynamics, TEAM COMMUNICATION, READING THE ICE, TEAM DYNAMICS, TEAM BUILDING, STRATEGY BASICS, ADVANCED STRATEGY, STRATEGY DNA, RULES & ETIQUETTE

October 2022 Camps [NOTE 2022 dates – but may be offered in 2023]

World Curling Federation Camps (Various options – virtual and in person)

  • Date: Various
  • Event Website: https://worldcurling.org/development/campscourses/
  • Age Range: 13 – 18 years and All Ages
  • Information:World Curling Federation partners with World Curling Academy for virtual course offerings. Also offers in person camps from time to time.

Courses

The World Curling Federation (WCF), in partnership with World Curling Academy, offer a variety of virtual courses (no fee and at cost). Some of the courses you will find are:

World Curling Academy

SportAus and AIS have a webpage for Funding and Grants. Options include Local Sporting Champions, Local Para Champions, and AIS Education Scholarship for high performance athletes. Click the image below to explore funding. If you are interested in submitting an application please notify the Secretary of the Australian Curling Federation at australiancurling@gmail.com so the Executive can be notified about applications when contacted by AIS.

Schools

Many universities and schools will offer annual one-off funding to support athletes competing at national and international level. This can be named “student representation policy” or “elite sport scholarships”. Ask your school if there is anything available to athletes competing in national or international competitions. At this point in time, States do not offer a State Championships. As our sport grows in the future this may change.

Community

Many local councils and elected officials offer constituents living in their area funding. You may have to write a letter to your local government representative to see if you can apply for funding. Since each town, city, and state work differently you should check with each level of government representative in your area.

States

New South Wales: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants

Queensland: https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding

Victoria: https://sport.vic.gov.au/grants-and-funding/our-grants

Western Australia: https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/funding/sport-and-recreation-funding

World Curling Federation

The World Curling Federation — in partnership with the World Academy of Sport — to provide Member Associations with greater opportunities to learn new skills to help them improve their professional careers and the curling community around them. More information can be found here.

World Academy of Sport Scholarship applications now open

January 2023 – The University Women’s team of (L-R) Kirby Gill (skip), Tahli Gill, Ivy Militano, Jayna Gill and alternate Joanne Robins represented Australia for at the 2023 World University Games from 12-22 Jan 2023 in Lake Placid, NY. This is the first time Australia has sent a team in Curling. Ten nations took part in the Women’s event. Final results from the competition are here. This event featured highly competitive teams and provided many development opportunities. Super effort!!!!

June 2022 – Tahli Gill, who is currently completing her Bachelor Degree of Education (Primary) and is Australia’s first female Curling Olympian, has been awarded an Education Scholarship. Forty-one scholarships were awarded in 19 sports to support athletes to be successful in sport, education, and life. Click here for more information.

June 2022 – It was an exciting day for two Juniors, Holly and Nathan, with their parents in WA today when they met up with The Honourable Mark McGowan MLA, Premier of Western Australia, to discuss Curling and their upcoming attendance at a World Curling Federation training camp in Norway.

February 2022 – Mixed Doubles Team Australia at Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games featuring two former Junior players. See more information here. Photo © AOC.

December 2021 – Mixed Doubles duo Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt secure a quota spot for Australia in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Both Tahli and Dean are 2nd generation Curlers who began Curling with members of their family and are former Juniors. This is the first time Australia has qualified for the winter games. Photo © WCF / Steve Seixeiro

January 2021 – Current Women’s team member, Carlee Millikin, was successful in her scholarship application for the Postgraduate Certificate, “International Sports Management“, developed and delivered in conjunction with the University of London. The World Curling Federation — in partnership with the World Academy of Sport provides Member Associations with greater opportunities to learn new skills to help them improve their professional careers and the curling community around them.

February 2020 – National Junior Men’s Team player, Emil Cooper (Qld), is currently in Krasnoyarsk, Russia photographing the World Junior Curling Championship as part of the World Curling Federation’s Sports Media Trainee Programme to gain first-hand experience working in a fast-paced media team at international curling events. They will be mentored by professionals in the field. Catch Emil’s final media blog on his Sports Media Trainee opportunity here. Photo © WCF / Richard Gray

November 2019 – At the age of 18 years old, Kirby Gill is the first Australian Junior to be appointed to a newly formed ACF Athlete Commission with the mission to communicate the interests of the athletes to the Executive of the ACF. Kirby has represented Australia as a Junior Women player in 2 Pacific-Asia Junior Championships, 4 World Junior B Championships and 1 Pacific-Asia Championships (Women’s discipline). Photo © WCF / Tom Rowland

July 2018 – National Junior Women’s Team player, Tahli Gill, has been awarded the Keith Wendorf Award while attending the World Curling Federation Füssen Junior Camp in Germany. This award is voted on by all camp instructors and assistants. It is awarded to the camper who best displayed leadership & teamwork. The World Curling Federation hosts annual training camps for juniors and adults. Photo © WCF / Christian Leibbrandt

May 2015 – The RSL Youth Development Program has been designed to recognise and reward the efforts of high-achieving Queensland students in one of four categories. Two members of the Junior Women’s National team were grant recipients in the “Sporting Achievement” category Program: (L-R) Samantha Jeffs and Tahli Gill. The two athletes put the grant funding towards a World Curling Federation Junior Curling Training Camp in August 2015 travelling to Füssen, Germany to attend.

May 2009 – Nitro (Beau Walker) from the 2006-2009 television show “The Shak”, visited the Juniors from Queensland Curling to learn more about Curling. The show’s four hosts answered viewer questions, queries, dares and challenges in an entertaining and educational manner. Photo (L-R) Mitch Thomas, Dave Thomas, Lyn Gill, Maddy Wilson, Tahli Gill (front-in black), Victoria Wilson, Beau Walker (Nitro), Kelsey Hamsey, Grant Hamsey, Max Thomas.

April 2009 – Ice Sport Awards: The Olympic Winter Institute of Sport presented awards in Sydney to recognise: Madeleine Wilson as Australian Curling Junior Athlete of the Year and Lyn Gill as Australian Curling Coach of the Year for her involvement as a coach of elite Junior Curling athletes. ACF President, John Anderson, was there to present the awards. This event highlights the growing interest and support for Australia’s ice sports.

What is Safe Sport and Sport Integrity

Sport is an Australian way of life. It brings people together, transcending differences in language, ability, culture and beliefs, and provides physical, social and economic benefits.

Integrity in sport means that athletes, supporters and fans can participate and celebrate sport, confident in the knowledge that they are part of a safe, ethical and inclusive environment.

Under the Member Protection Policy, prohibited conduct includes: Abuse, Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Unlawful Discrimination, Victimisation, or Vilification as these behaviours impact people’s positive experience of sport.

The Australian Curling Federation takes integrity seriously.

All our members and participants have an obligation to protect and maintain the integrity of sport, as well as the health and wellbeing of our athletes.

We work closely with Sport Integrity Australia, the federal agency established to prevent and deal with integrity threats in sport. For more information visit the Sport Integrity Australia website.

Reporting Integrity Issues

Under the National Integrity Framework (NIF), all complaints can be filed with Sport Integrity Australia. If the complaint falls outside of the NIF, please contact the Australian Curling Federation complaints email to be managed under the National Sports Tribunal policies: ACF.Complaints.Mgr@gmail.com.

Sport Integrity also includes Child Safeguarding. The Australian Curling Federation (ACF) has a Child Safeguarding Policy. Curling has a zero-tolerance policy to child abuse and neglect in any form. The ACF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children in Curling by providing a safe and inclusive environment and by ensuring that everyone involved in Curling is educated and informed of their responsibilities to protect and look after Children. All Children have the right to feel safe and protected from all forms of abuse, harm, and neglect. Children have the right to take part in sport in a safe, positive, and enjoyable environment.