The state of curling in Saskatchewan: The Silvernagle effect

The Biggar native has been knocking at the door for the past few years, but it wasn’t until the 2018-19 season that she kicked it down and busted onto the world scene. She earned multiple wins on the World Curling Tour, a spot on the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tour, a Scotties provincial championship, and a bronze medal at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts just last month.

Through the glitz and the glamour, Silvernagle remains still tied to her roots, never forgetting where she came from.

She had a long list of people and role models to look up to when she was a young curler with Scotties aspirations. There was her mother, Anita among countless curlers from her area. There was also one who engrained herself in the province’s curling culture, Sandra Schmirler.

Through it all, Silvernagle started on the Biggar ice.

“I’ve had a lot of people say to me ‘I’ve never watched curling before and now I have since you guys were at the Scotties.’ So, that’s pretty cool,” she said.

Even from the top, though, Silvernagle still sees these small-town rinks struggling. Especially when it comes to her hometown. She commends her cousin, Brett Barber, for all she’s done for the club, in the junior program, getting the bonspiels back on track, and working on keeping the doors open.

“The small towns, they’re struggling,” she said. “I don’t know how many times Biggar has been close to shutting its doors.”

Silvernagle said the future may lie in the love for the game and continuing it in different facets, rather than running the way it is now. She said she tried mixed doubles earlier on this year and was floored to see the different level of strategy involved in the game.

She believes tweaks to the game can create more opportunity, as it is pretty plugged up at the top when it comes down to it. Starting mixed doubles on league nights at these small clubs would be one way to go, she said.

“It’s going to get more players involved and something else to strive for. It’s a whole other aspect; it’s a totally different game,” she said.

Silvernagle said looking forward to the future, curling clubs may actually close throughout the small-town circuit.

“I think it is going to happen in small towns,” she said. “It’s going to either be nothing at all, or at the end of your season, you’ll have one fun spiel to play on skating rink ice. They’ll turn it into the curling rink, but that’s it.”

Silvernagle projects the divide between recreational and elite curling will widen more over the years.

But there still are opportunities for the younger generation.

“It is the juniors that need the exposure, because they’re the future of the game,” she said. “Maybe even if they don’t end up curling at a competitive level, maybe you’ll catch a few eyes to play at their local level.”

Twin Rivers in North Battleford has really pushed getting the younger generation into the game. Silvernagle saw the effort and said she wants to be involved.

“Us being involved, to be recognized. We know we’re just normal people,” she said. “Coming from a small town, anything can happen. [We need to show] kids that you put in the time, and put in the work, you can achieve what you want to achieve.”

Ian Naismith, the Head Ice Maker at the club, sees an opportunity behind all of Silvernagle’s success. They’re planning on making a bigger push to get the youth involved in the game, and with Silvernagle’s help as a role model, they see it panning out.

“Kids attention spans are a little less than an avid curling adult,” he said. “We need to find a way to make curling fun, and get the kids to want to come to the curling rink.”

Whether that’s the development of new, and fun games, or just showing them the ropes, it has to start somewhere, Naismith said.

They’re planning on working on a new youth league in the coming season, which will teach them while they play. They won’t have any limit or minimum on ends. Naismith said there are opportunities to bring in curlers from across the region.

“Bring them in, get them involved in the bigger club,” he said. “(We want to) expose the kids to other places.”

“If you look at the history, most of the (world’s best) curlers come from a small town.”

Naismith said the new efforts to It isn’t going to be fixed overnight, however. He added there needs to be a large emphasis on the volunteer side, and those who help out should be willing to try a new approach.

“Curling is about community. If we’re going to make curling survive at the grassroots level, it’s going to take a community,” he said. “Not just a few individuals.”

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brady.lang@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @BradyLangBFN

by Brady Lang

The state of curling in Saskatchewan: The Silvernagle effect

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