Plainfield Curling Club

Plainfield Curling Club
Current pin design of the Plainfield Curling Club
Location 133 McKinley Street
South Plainfield, New Jersey 07080
Information
Established 1963
Club type Dedicated ice
USCA region Grand National Curling Club
Sheets of ice Two
Website http://www.njcurling.org

The Plainfield Curling Club (or PCC) is a curling club located in South Plainfield, New Jersey.[1] It owns and operates the only curling facility in New Jersey.[2] It was founded in 1963,[3] with the members initially using rented ice and curling outdoors.[4] The current two-sheet structure was completed in 1967. The ice and it's refrigeration plant are currently maintained by nationally renowned refrigeration installation and service company, United Cooling and Refrigeration.[5]

The PCC season runs from late October through early April. As of the 2009–2010 season, the club holds league play seven days per week, hosts five annual bonspiels, and has programs for juniors (teenagers) and “little rockers” (ages 6–12).

The club had a significant increase in membership for the 2002–2003 season, after U.S. television coverage of curling in the 2002 Winter Olympics increased awareness of the sport. There was a similar spike in membership for the 2006-2007 season due to the 2006 Winter Olympics television coverage.[2] Interest in the sport at the club again peaked after the 2010 Winter Olympics.[6][7][8][9]

Plainfield Curling Club is part of the Grand National Curling Club[10] and part of the United States Curling Association.

Bonspiels

The Plainfield Curling Club hosts six annual annual events,[11] including bonspiels.[12]

  • The Pursuit of Happiness Bonspiel, October
  • Founders’ Bonspiel, November
  • Robert Burns Thrifty Bonspiel, January
  • Junior Bonspiel, for teenage curlers, February
  • PCC Stone Bonspiel, March
  • "Bonsqueal", March/April (see below)

All PCC bonspiels are open to curlers from other clubs. The PCC Stone is a men's competition. The other bonspiels are "open" format; that is, teams may be made up of any combination of men and women.

"Bonsqueal"

Named for the popular pig roast on Saturday night, "Bonsqueal" is held on the final weekend of the season before the club closes for the summer. Each year there is a different pig-related theme (examples: “Piggy Buffet’s Hog-aritaville,” “South Pork,” “Sow Pacific”). There is DJ and live band entertainment on Friday and Saturday night, as well as a costume contest. Due to the amount of entries typically in upwards of 30 teams, and the limitation of only two sheets of ice, games begin Wednesday night, and are limited to six ends (finals have eight ends). This necessity to shorten games, however, has not hindered the popularity of the event. The ice is turned off for the season after the conclusion of the final games on Sunday afternoon.

Affiliations

References

  1. ↑ Shih, Jessica. "Plainfield Curling Club: a hidden New Jersey gem". Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Curling: Throwing stones at NJ's only venue dedicated to the Olympic sport". North Jersey.com. March 3, 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "Local Curling Clubs Gain Popularity After the Olympics". Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Want to do curling in New Jersey? Get in line". New Jersey 101.5. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  5. ↑ http://mscastar.org/findContractor.php?submitFlag=1&state=nj
  6. ↑ "How American Curling Clubs Ride Out Olympic Fever". 22 February 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Applebome, Peter (24 February 2010). "Inspired by Olympics, Newcomers Flock to Nutmeg Curling Club". Retrieved 24 May 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  8. ↑ "Curl power: Olympic sport is sweeping up fans". Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  9. ↑ "New Yorker Spotlight: CurlNYC Has Brought Curling to New York and They Want You to Try It - 6sqft". 6sqft. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Member Clubs of the GNCC". Grand National Curling Club. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  11. ↑ Genovese, Peter (2011), New Jersey Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 9780762769452
  12. ↑ http://www.njcurling.org/bonspiels/
  • Official website
  • Plainfield Curling Club on Flickr
  • Flanagan, Barbara (March 1, 2018). "Inside the sport of curling at the Plainfield Curling Club". NJTV Online. Retrieved 24 May 2018.

Coordinates: 40°33′19″N 74°24′44″W / 40.555311°N 74.412170°W / 40.555311; -74.412170

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