https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds64lLY2mfI
The Bowling Green Curling Club is the only curling club in Northwest Ohio. We used to curl at the BGSU Ice Arena, now we curl at the Black Swamp Curling Center. We welcome spectators and new curlers!
Bowling Green State University opened the doors of its new Ice Arena on February 10, 1967. Occupying the southern wing of the Ice Arena was a curling rink with four sheets of ice and a lounge designed for viewing the curling ice. Since curling was a new sport to this area, it was necessary to hold free curling clinics and open curling sessions to introduce the game. Tom Reicosky, who worked for the University Athletic Department, was appointed to be the first “director of curling.” He organized some informal leagues that continued to operate until the end of the school year.
J. Howard Starr, the manager of the Ice Arena, appointed a Steering Committee for Curling that met on May 11, 1967. This committee recommended the formation of a curling club for the following year. A nominating committee was appointed to recommend a slate of officers. At a meeting of persons interested in curling on May 24, 1967, officers were chosen. John White was elected chairman and Jane Wankelman as secretary. Although that represented the origin of the Bowling Green Curling Club, it was an informal group and directed league curling in 1967-1968 without the benefit of established rules or a club constitution. Bob Bagno replaced Reicosky as director of curling the university and he was responsible for the strong development of curling that year, including an exhibition by the Mike Slyzuik rink from Detroit, then national champions, and organizing the club’s first bonspiel on Dec. 9, 1967. In February 1968, a Constitution Committee was formed and chaired by Alex Stone. However, the constitution was not approved by the club until the next year.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee on May 23, 1968, Ron Smith was elected president of the club and Margot Hull was named treasurer. It is interesting to note that there was no balance in the treasury at the end of the year, which is called a perfect season. Unfortunately, there were no records kept of the membership.
However, staring in the 1968-1969 season, accurate records of membership and finance were kept. Therefore, we are using the 1968-1969 years as the charter year for the Bowling Green Curling Club.
Bowling Green Curling Club History 1968-2025
Bowling Green State University opened a new ice arena on February 10, 1967, containing a varsity hockey arena, figure skating patch ice and 4 dedicated sheets of curling ice, along with a warm/viewing room overlooking the curling ice with a working fire place. It became the first University in the United States to have dedicated curling ice.
Free curling clinics and open curling sessions were held to introduce this relatively new sport in the area to the community. On May 11, 1967 a Steering Committee for curling recommended the formation of a curling club. There were 25 charter members who directed and grew the curling club. The official name for this new club would be “Bowling Green Curling Club” (BGCC). 1968-1969 was the club’s first season. The first President of the new curling club was Ron Smith, the Treasurer was Margot Hall.
In order to help the sport grow and cultivate interest, the Mike Slyzuik rink who were current Club National Curling Champions from the Detroit Curling Club, were invited to the Bowling Green Curling Club to promote the sport of curling and conducted an exhibition in 1968. The exhibition was very successful in generating interest. Men’s, Mixed and Ladies leagues were formed. Even the Bowling Green Optimist Club sponsored community youth learn to curls and youth leagues in 1972.
Bonspiels (a curling tournament) were hosted by BGCC as early as 1967. Attendees from other curling clubs came from across the Midwest to compete and enjoy the comradery that curling offers.
Bonspiels hosted by BGCC were initially the Presidents Cup (men’s), various Mixed Bonspiels and the infamous Summer Bonspiel.
The Summer Bonspiel was held the second weekend of August, and was a 3 day event, made up of 48 teams. This bonspiel occurred outside the traditional curling season of November through April. It took advantage of the fact that Bowling Green State University had the ability to make ice for hockey and figure skating camps and clinics in those summer months when other curling clubs could not, because those clubs closed for the warmer months. The Summer Bonspiel was a mixed event and brought in curlers from all parts of the U.S. and Canada. This bonspiel ran for over thirty years.
BGCC continued to have 4 sheets of dedicated curling ice through the end of the 2009-2010 season. In the 2010-2011 season BGCC lost the 4 sheets of dedicated curling ice when the University converted those 4 sheets of ice into hockey ice with glass backboards for the youth, with provisions for BGCC to convert the hockey ice into 3 sheets of arena style curling ice three days a week.
BGCC could no longer successfully function at the University with deteriorating ice conditions, because curling ice is different from hockey and figure skating ice. In addition to the ice conditions, new rules and regulations were imposed by the University. In the 2014-2015 season members formed a committee to find a new home for BGCC.
On February 11, 2017 BGCC moved into its newly renovated facility with 4 dedicated sheets of curling ice, a warm room and full bar. Thousands of volunteer hours were spent by club members to make this dream come true.
On January 18, 2018 BGCC celebrated its 50th anniversary as a curling club.
Notable Facts:
- In 1979 The Ron Gargasz rink made up of Ron Gargasz, Ron Ulrich, Fred Arn and Bob Vollmer became the first BGCC team to win regional play downs and represent the region at the United States Curling Association (USCA) Men’s National Championship.
- In 1981 the Fred Arn rink made up of Fred Arn, Betty Arn, Bob Vollmer and Micki Vollmer won the USCA National Mixed Championship.
- BGCC women selected to participate in the United States Women’s Curling Association (USWCA) Scot Tour: Micki Vollmer 1986, Eddieann Biesbrock-Didham 1996, Mary Glowacki 2016 and Alana Malik 2026.
- BGCC women that were selected to participate in the USWCA Senior Womens Friendship Tour: Kathy Kananen 1994, Jeannie Borland 2006, Martha Mazzarella 2012, Ruth Brown, 2018, and Sandy Earl 2024.
- A once in a lifetime chance, BGCC was in the path of totality for a complete solar eclipse. An opportunity to hold one of the greatest bonspiels in club history, the “Eclipspiel” was held April 5-8, 2024. A 60 team event (240 curlers), ran 4 days with the final games scheduled immediately after the complete solar eclipse occurred that Monday. The logistics were staggering. A circus tent with live bands was set up in front of the club, and food trucks were scheduled to accommodate the multitude of eclipse-curlers. Curlers came from far and wide to be a part of this historic event. Planning and promotions for this bonspiel started shortly after the previous solar eclipse in 2017. A multiyear countdown clock was set up in the club counting down the years, days, hours and minutes until the solar “Eclipspiel” of 2024.
- A total of 5 eight enders have been scored in the 57 year history of the Club. Two at the old club and three at the new club. (An 8 ender is where all eight rocks from one team are scoring points)
International Bonspiels hosted by Bowling Green Curling Club:
- The Royal Caledonian Curling Club Scottish Women’s USA Tour: 2001 and 2022.
- Southwest Ontario Senior Men’s Bonspiel Association (SOSMBA) T-55: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
National Bonspiels hosted by Bowling Green Curling Club:
- 1982 USWCA Women’s National Championship
- 1986 USA Junior Men’s Curling National Championship
- 2022 USA Curling Senior Women’s National Championship
- 2023 USA Curling College National Championship
- 2023 USWCA National Bonspiel
- 2025 USA Curling Junior National Championship