If you are hooked on curling,  and disappointed the Olympics are over...you are in luck.  National Curling championships continue in Northbrook, IL after the Olympics have finished in Vancouver. Yes, the Chicago area is hosting the USA Mixed National Curling Championship, March 20 - 27 and it is open to curling enthusiasts to watch up close.

The playoffs will include 10 teams, 40 competitors in total - one regional mixed team from each curling region in the United States.

Curling has caught the eye of Americas during this Olympic season and we are hoping the interest continues.  Curler's know this is a game of strategy and finesse.  Many people want to compare it to shuffleboard, but it more closely resembles three sports," said  Joni Cotten, Mount Prospect, IL., a member of the 2003 U.S. World Championship team and an alternate who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.  "It's like golf in that the greens and the ice have varying speeds, billiards because of the angles of round objects hitting round objects, and chess because you're always trying to position your stones to make your opponents shots more difficult and keep them from scoring".  Looks of the game are deceiving.  There is much skill and experience needed to be a winning team.  That said, many people in the country enjoy this sport because it combines the engagement and exercise of a sport with a social element.

In the Chicago area curling started in the 1800s on  Chicago's North shore when it was reported that a curling club was playing its games on outdoor ice in Chicago's Jackson Park.  While it was suitable to curl outdoors in good weather and with good ice, it was not so desirable in subzero weather, especially with strong winds or falling snow, or even worse, warm weather.

The Chicago Curling Club was founded in 1948 in Northbrook,IL and the first Invitational Men's Bonspiel for 32 teams was held Feb. 3 - 5, 1950.  A woman's curling organization was also established about the same time. The 1969 the current building was constructed, with a room for the American Curling History Museum.   Today there are leagues for young and old, men, women, mixed teams, senior men, students from high schools and a recently organized wheelchair league.  Curling is clearly a sport everyone can enjoy.

The USA National Mixed Curling Championship March 20 - 27,  is open to the public and everyone is welcome to come and enjoy this fine sport.  Games will be played from March 20 to 26,  and finals played on March 27, at 1:00 pm.  Check the web site for daily game times.  There will be a small admission fee.  Everyone is Welcome.

a new website has been created:

Link to the USA Curling Mixed Nationals