Almost all curlers have some sort of routine or superstition that they think will directly impact the outcome of the game and get them the big win!
Written by: Maureen Bonar (A.K.A. Mo-Money)
Welcome one and all to my first Brier Blog. I am a first-time blogger and I hope you enjoy sharing in my experiences. Having been a professional curler, my intent is to provide you with a behind-the-scenes look into the world of curling! As the Brier approaches, I find myself reminiscing of the days on the road curling and competing across Canada against some of the world’s best curlers.
For my first blog, I thought it would be interesting to talk about Superstitions as they relate to curling. Believe it or not, curlers are a very superstitious bunch. Some curlers will admit to it while others will deny such a thing. But believe me, almost all of us curlers have some sort of routine or superstition that we think will directly impact the outcome of our game and we all want that big win!
My Personal Experience with Superstitions
My own personal experience with curling superstitions came when I was a wee child curling with my mom and her friends.
I recall sitting on a bench with one particular friend, nicknamed Onnie, waiting for our turn to throw our rocks. She took her hand and made hocus-pocus motions with her fingers directed at the opposition sliding out of the hack. I laughed at her as she said to me, “I have witch-like powers you know, and I can put hexes on them”, and so it began…
Maureen Bonar
Common Superstitions
Playing with a variety of curlers, you get to witness a lot of weird superstitions. For example, the seating arrangement in the car to the rink. My second on the team at the time would knock you off your feet if you dared to get into a different seat in the car when we were on a winning streak. As soon as we lost, any seat became fair game. Another teammate had to have the same song played every time we headed to the rink. Funny how when that song comes on the radio today, I know every single word, and the even funnier part is the strange look I get from my daughter when I sign along,
Some of the most common superstitions I have seen are:
- The same sock syndrome. If the winning streak is on, the same socks are worn again and again and again, pew! (I guess it beats the alternative of same underwear, yikes!);
- Eating certain foods before each game or only eating at a certain time of the day;
- Throwing rocks in a specific order or one teammate always having to shake the first hand of the opposition;
- Using a special coin for the toss;
- A stuffed animal peeking out of your broom bag.
The Conclusion?
Whatever works! Some curlers use them and some do not. But needless to say, there are plenty to report on and they certainly add to the behind-the-scenes curling quirks. I challenge you to think about your own superstitions or routines!
