In March 1969, after visiting The Country Club in Brookline where the first American curling rink was established in 1820, Dr. David Dewees decided curling should come to Cape Cod. A small band of dedicated non-curlers took to the ice at the Falmouth Ice Arena with stones loaned by TCC and the American Curling Foundation. Our pioneers learned about curling from other clubs and by attending bonspiels where they were royally trounced, but had fun and found encouragement.
Cape Cod Curling Club joined the Grand National Curling Club of America, Inc., and was the first club ever to send women representatives. Now the GNCC is open to both men and women.
Our club started two community programs, one for school children and one for senior curlers. As ice hockey became more popular, we found ourselves without a place to curl, and for two years, curling was limited to Sunday mornings when eight to twelve dedicated members met to travel to Braeburn Country Club. Fortunately for us, the J.K. Lilly family was planning a sports center for Falmouth and was inspired to include a facility for curling! In March 1975, we moved into our Cape Cod Curling Club. In 1979, when the Lilly family wished to divest themselves of the curling facility, we were able to purchase the Club.
Teaching and promoting the sport of curling in our community are integral parts of our curling schedule. We are a working club. From the outset, we have been known as innovative, with good food, good times and great hospitality, motivated by a spirit of cooperation, sportsmanship and the good will envisioned by our founders.
Curling Education continues to be our main theme. Each year we hold classes for all who have cared to participate, inviting other organizations and institutions to include some curling in their regular programming. This has been a successful indicator. Would-be curlers are taught the fundamentals of the sport, the etiquette of the game, and are welcomed into the regular schedule of the Club's programs.
1987-1988 heralded the acquisition of new lightweight stones to further the training of young curlers who became known as "little rockers". In 1996, we acquired intermediate weight stones, expanding our ability to train intermediate age curlers. This has led to an enthusiastic group of young people being encouraged to form a lifelong habit of getting on the ice.
Not content with winter curling, the Club sponsors three bonspiels in July -- mixed, women's and men's -- which are attended by teams from the US, Canada and Europe and even Asia. Many make this a part of their annual vacation plans.
Interest in the sport has grown as a result of curling becoming an Olympic sport at Nagano, Japan in 1998. To further support this growth, the US Curling Association developed an orientation and training video on curling. The Cape Cod Curling Club was the site for filming, due to our excellent facility. As a result, our club and members are regularly shown on video at introductory events throughout the US
Good fellowship continues off the ice as well, with luncheons, Saturday night dinners and other social activities for all members and guests. In addition, the Cape Cod Curling Club supports the community by participating in such endeavors as the Falmouth Christmas parade, the Thanksgiving food donation for the needy, and by contributing to various charitable activities in the area. We also hold charitable curling events to raise donations to local charity organizations.
All in all, curlers make good citizens! Just one more reason to be a member in good standing of the . . . Cape Cod Curling Club
To view Dave Dewees's expanded history please click here.
