In her spare time, social studies teacher Karissa Piper competes in curling tournaments.
Curling is a sport played on ice. One must slide a flat stone as close to the middle of the target as possible. While one person on the curling team slides the stone, sweepers use brooms to create friction on the ice and slow the stone as it travels toward the target.
1) When did you learn how to curl?
I learned to curl in 2009-2010 at the Mayfield Curling Club in South Euclid. They have a six week “learn to curl” class that I took, and then I joined the league.
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2) How often do you curl?
This year I curled twice a week, but in the previous two years I curled 3-4 times per week. Our season starts at the end of October and lasts through March.
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3) Are you on a competitive level or do you curl as a hobby?
I curl at my club in league play as a hobby, and I curl competitively in tournaments, which are called bonspiels. Teams are made up of four curlers, with each person having a specific role on the team. On the competitive teams I usually play either lead or second. As lead my job is to throw the first two stones in front of the house (circles on the ice) so that future stones can be thrown behind mine, “hide,” and eventually score us points. This position requires a lot of precision and consistency. When I play second, I am generally throwing “take out” shots, where I try to knock the stones of the opposing team out of the house and make my stone hide behind one of the lead stones. Or, I’m trying to hide a stone inside the house. This position requires versatility in speed and strength, as well as precision. For both positions, when you are done throwing your stones, you sweep your teammates’ stones.
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4) What is the most interesting fact about you as a curler?
I’m a really good sweeper, which helps the stone go further and straighter, and therefore I’m super-popular on the retiree teams. 😉
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5) Is there anything else I should know about curling?
When curlers play in the finals, we have a bagpiper pipe us onto the ice. We beat our brooms on the ice in time with the bagpiper as we follow him to the center of the ice. It’s a really exciting tradition.
I won the USWCA (US Women’s Curling Association) 5 & Under Invitational in 2012 and 2013.
I won the USWCA 5 & Under Open (coed team) in 2012.
I went to the USWCA National Bonspiel in 2011 and placed in the middle of the pack, which was rather extraordinary since it was only my second year curling and this was a national tournament for curlers at all levels.
