It’s 8:30 a.m., the sun is just peeking out over the tree tops, the roads are bustling with working commuters, and school bus lights are flashing red. It’s 8:30 a.m. and I, a 19-year-old university student find myself at an unfamiliar elementary school in a rural town in beautiful New Brunswick. This has been a typical day for me since teaming up with the Capital One Rocks & Rings Program.
Rocks & Rings instructor Andrew O’Dell competed with Team New Brunswick at the 2012 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Curling Championship (Photo CCA/Michael Burns)
Being a competitive curler, I know the importance of participation in sport both for the growth of individual players and for the growth of the sport for years to come. Noticing that the number of players in my province was dropping each year, I decided to take action. So, I contacted Abbie Darnley of the Rocks & Rings program, and, after numerous exchanged emails and a few phone conversations, was invited aboard as an instructor.
Now, with all the equipment, a cool email signature, and some training, I set off for my first school (Gesner Elementary) in Oromocto, New Brunswick. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect and was quite nervous. However the bell rang and I knew I had a job to do: make curling the most exciting sport these students had ever seen, show them all aspects of the game, raise interest in the sport, but most importantly have some fun.