How to Become a Professional Curling Athlete

Curling is a team sport played on ice that originated in the sixteenth century in Scotland. Four players compete in this sport. Curling is one of Canada’s most popular sports. Curling equipment consists of a curling stone and a curling broom. The sport is regulated in Canada by the Canadian Curling Association (CCA) and in the United States by the United States Curling Association (USCA). In Canada, the main professional curling organization is the World Curling Tour (WCT).

Things You'll Need

• Curling stones
• Skates
• Curling brooms
• Membership in WCPA/fees
• Travel expenses
• Entry fees, if any

Instructions

1. Buy your curling equipment which consists of curling stones, brooms and skates. Some curling teams invest in team jerseys.

2. Learn the basics and advanced techniques. Many curling athletes elect to attend curling schools such as the Curling School or by participating in regional and national tournaments sponsored by Curling USA. The Canadian Curling Association (CCA) website contains a list of curling courses in Canada while American tournaments can be found at the United States Curling Association (USCA) site.

3. Practice alone as well as with other players in order to develop professional-level curling skills.

4. Join the WCT and pay your membership fees. In order to compete in World Curling Tour (WCT) sponsored events, you’ll need to be a member.

5. Compete in WCT-sanctioned events. You’ll need to be able to travel extensively in order to attend and compete in curling tournaments.

6. Participate in WCT-sanctioned events. While player earnings are not yet on par with earnings in other sports, top players can earn up to $100,000 or more per year. Even considering this fact, it is difficult for players to earn enough in tournaments to cover travel and living expenses. Unless you are a top player, you’ll need to seek other employment to supplement your curling income.

7. Consider training for the Olympics and entering Olympic trial events prior to becoming a professional curler. For more information about Olympic training, view the USCA website.

Resources

• This is the official website of the Canadian Curling Association (CCA).
• The official World Curling Tour website appears here.
• The Curling School maintains this website where you can read an in-depth description about the sport of curling.
• This is the official site for College Curling USA.
• The United States Curling Association (USCA) sponsors this website.