ARDSLEY, New York (WABC) -- With the Olympics just around the corner...what better time to try a sport that most of us have heard of, but have never have played.
Curling made its Olympic debut back in 1924. It's a team sport, with four players on each of the two teams facing off. The match takes place on a rectangular sheet of ice with a target, the 'house,' at each end. Each member of the team takes turn throwing two 'rocks,' which are 44-pound granite stones. The stones are thrown towards the target, as both teams take alternate turns. After all 16 stones have been "delivered", a score for that round is decided. Scores are based on how close the team's stones are placed to the center of their house, as compared to their opponent.
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Much like with bocce ball, opponents stones can be knocked out of the target area to score more points for one's team. As for the brooms, players sweep the ice to increase the speed of the rock, the distance traveled or to redirect its path. Sounds simple enough right?
Well as I found out in this week's "Field Trip" to the Ardsley Curling Club, it's a lot harder than it looks.
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*Click video in the player above to watch*