January, 2024, Ray Hanton
As I was reclining with my feet up in front of the fireplace one evening, it suddenly dawned onme that I had unconsciously witnessed and actively participated in the development of a newsport - “ Stick Curling “!! Curling with a Stick came upon the scene very unsuspectingly, mainly due to the frustrating efforts of a few individuals, who due to their declining years andmedical concerns with uncooperative knees and backs, were desperately trying to find a meansto continue to play the game they loved!! For centuries everyone played the game by slidingout of the hack holding the handle, to deliver the stone down the ice. However, when “OldeAge“ made that difficult on your knees and back, you reluctantly accepted a demotion to theposition of Lead - or reluctantly retired from the sport! But thanks to these ‘diehardexperimenters‘ and a Canadian inventor, the sport of Stick Curling has evolved dramatically. Over half of our club’s Senior curling members now curl with a Stick!!! Can you beat that!!
Looking Back
My first recollection of someone using a Curling Stick was around the year 2000, when I wasa member of a Senior Men’s league, at the Thornhill Curling Club north of Toronto. Two of the more senior Skips were experimenting with homemade ‘Gismos‘ attached to the end ofcut off broomsticks! That’s only two out of 64 curling members!! Their Sticks were rustic, cobbled together from pieces of plumbing, steel springs, screws, duct tape, etc. - whatever they could find lying around in the Garage!! If that didn’t work, they tried something new next game.
I must admit I was definitely curious, and was impressed to see how well they actually playedwith their Curling Sticks. However, these ‘custom‘ Sticks often failed later on during the game due to the weight of a 40 lb. curling stone attached to the end of a stick, and their amateur handyman’s inability to construct a strong and stable attachment between the end of the Stick, and the handle of the stone. Still they tried and tried and didn’t give up. It certainly led to serious discussions between the curlers after the game and over drinks, resulting infurther test runs and some improvement of the product. Still no one seemed to find the true answer. The handle of the stone would often stick or slip on the stick attachment, causing amissed shot and a lot of frustration on the part of the curler - and the ‘novice inventor’ too!!
Then came the breakthrough that I personally witnessed. A private Canadian entrepreneur came up with a new design for a Curling Stick and arranged for a first initial lot to be manufactured to test the public’s interest. And the rest is history!! His design was excellent. The quality far superior to anything then available. He named it ‘The Extender‘. Other manufacturers eventually followed suit with their own designs as Stick Curling became more popular. A notable competitor’s model some years later was the Goldline Excalibur.
The Inventor
I was visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Muskoka one Fall in 2005 and knowing my interest in curling, she mentioned that a friend was giving Stick Curling lessons in Huntsville that weekend, on behalf of the Ontario Curling Association. I attended the class and after the conclusion of the instructions I asked her where one could purchase a Curling Stick. She told me that the manufacturer of ‘The Extender’ Curling Stick was a local man who lived right in Huntsville. I arranged to meet him and spent a wonderful two hours in his home with he and his wife, discovering how he came up with the design of The Extender.
He was an inventor by profession, but this was his first venture into sports equipment. Surprisingly, he was not a curler - but his wife was an avid one. Because of physical issues she was seriously considering retiring from the sport. One evening she said to her husband - “You're an inventor. Surely you can design a device that will allow me to continue to curl??“ And so he did! His wife explained to me that he would design a Curling Stick. She would try itout and give him a critique on the problems she encountered with it, with suggestions for improvement. He would go back to ‘The Drawing Board’ and build another prototype for her to try. After various trials and testing five different designs she was very satisfied with his final prototype. The good news is his wife was able to continue to curl for many years more, and The Extender began to show up at various curling clubs, and curling Bonspiels, etc.
What was unique about his curling stick was that you could adjust the length of the stick to suit the height of the person. It also made it easy to collapse for transportation - hence the name - “The Extender“. Before I left them I purchased five extra Sticks to sell to my Senior’s League members. I sold all five Sticks that first year of curling, a true sign of the growing interest in Stick Curling! Rusty’s Curling Stick was approved for use by the OCA in1998, and he applied and was granted a patent for it’s design. Rusty was later inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall Of Fame under ‘Sports Innovations’. He was also credited with creating and promoting the sport of Wheelchair Curling. The first World Wheelchair Championships were held in Switzerland in 2002. The competitors all used Rusty’s Extender!!
The Provincial Championships
The first Provincial Stick Curling Championships were held in Brantford in 2007. It was a‘ Round Robin’ with eight prequalified teams from across Ontario,. Our team from Unionville was fortunate to win this first Stick Tournament. For ‘we Seniors’ it was not only a tournamentof skill, but also one of endurance. Eight games in four days! I can still remember my fellow sweeping partner and I hurrying to sit on the bench to give our weary legs a rest between shots, during our final tie-breaker game!! The ‘Icing On The Cake’ for me though was that I got to meet Rusty’s wife again! She presented the Provincial Trophy to our team - and gave each of us one of her husband’s famous Curling Sticks - The Extender!!! I Still Treasure Mine !!!!
