This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Optimist Junior Interclub Curling League, an organization for young players in Lower Mainland communities like the 91原创s, that aims to emulate the approach of other youth-league sports in developing talent.
鈥淭he kids [in curling] need a feeder system like minor baseball and hockey,鈥� said league founder Al Kersey.
Kersey said there are only two other interclub leagues in B.C., one in the East Kootenay and the other in the North Okanagan.
As far as he knows, there are just 鈥渇ive or six鈥� youth curling clubs like the Optimist league in all of Canada.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 terrible,鈥� Kersey said.
鈥淢y mission is to change that.鈥�
At a minimum, Kersey would like to see a province-wide interclub league, 鈥渂ut that鈥檚 a long, slow process.鈥�
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On Sunday, 40 curlers on 10 U18 teams from nine Lower Mainland communities celebrated the anniversary of the league by playing in a one-day competition at the 91原创 Curling Centre in the George Preston rec centre.
Teams were divided into blocks of four playing two-game tournaments.
It was also the day of an awards banquet to crown the best overall team, based on points accumulated over a 12-game series.
That honour went to Team Kent from the Port Moody, Golden Ears and Richmond curling clubs, which took home the Optimist Junior Curling Division 1 banner championship as well as the grand aggregate championship.
Team Kent was also a winner in the Sunday competition, taking the 鈥淎鈥� block playoffs.
Sunday鈥檚 event wasn鈥檛 part of the 12-game series,鈥� Kersey explained.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for the kids [to play],鈥� he said.
91原创鈥檚 Team Mallett, skip Ashley Mallett, third Grace McCusker, second Roxanna Bott and lead Mackenzie Duffill finished third in the block 鈥淏鈥� playoffs.
Coach Marla Mallett said the young players are very much interested in competing in adult leagues down the road.
鈥淭his is their way in the door,鈥� Mallett said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an excellent opportunity to develop.鈥�
Team Mallett finished fourth of 10 teams in the 12-game points tally.
