The Two Harbors Curling Club (THCC) has evolved and grown since its origins in 1963, but the past year has brought an especially sharp increase in membership.
“We went from 165 members to over 200 members in the last year,” said Laura Goutermont, who has served as board president since 2024. “We’ve got members whose zip codes stretch from north of Silver Bay, like Finland, all the way to Hermantown and Cloquet. It’s crazy.”
Part of that growth may stem from the club’s commitment to making curling accessible for everyone. The Two Harbors Curling Club runs entirely on volunteer power, with members stepping up to handle every task that keeps the ice, leagues, and events running smoothly.
As Kay Libby explained, the club’s all-volunteer approach helps keep membership affordable while strengthening its sense of community.
“All those volunteer things that our members do really help keep our membership dues affordable,” said Libby, THCC’s Board Secretary. “They do it for the love of the sport. And it’s fun because you really get to meet other people that might curl on a different night, and you get to work side by side with them and get to know people better. It’s a fun group.”
As I spoke to the long-time curlers, volunteers were getting the ice ready for the upcoming season, which promises to be another busy one for the club.
“Our ice crew is amazing,” said Goutermont. “They’re starting now to get the ice ready, and they have to prep the ice before every league. It’s a big enough group of members that keep that going, and is just a huge thing.”
Events are beginning right around the corner. On November 4 and 5, the club will host Learn to Curl classes through Lake Superior Community Education. The class es include instruction on the game, etiquette, and use of the club’s equipment. They are just $15 and run from 6 PM to 8 PM. For those not quite ready to slide into class es, THCC is also holding an Open House on November 6 and 7 from 6 PM to 8 PM.
League play kicks off on November 10, running Monday through Thursday, offering curlers plenty of opportunities for both friendly and competitive matches.
“We have two leagues a night, so that’s pretty exciting,” said Goutermont.
Libby added, “We have several teams that go to other clubs and bonspiels, and we have several teams that play competitively at the state and national level. We have one curler that’s gone to Worlds several times. That’s really exciting for our club.”
This February, THCC will host the Minnesota Mixed Playdowns, a high-stakes tournament where the winning team earns a trip to Nationals.
“We also have four bonspiels throughout the year,” said Goutermont. “That’s a really fun time for the public to come in and observe some curling from all around our state. We get Canadian teams or teams from Wisconsin and the Twin Cities. There’s a lot of fun competition.”
The first bonspiel of the season is the North Shore Bonspiel, scheduled for December 13 and 14. It will be followed by the Osbakken Memorial Spiel, January 30 through February 1, a tournament honoring Jim Osbakken, Goutermont’s father and one of THCC’s founders.
March brings two more bonspiels: the Waffle Spiel from March 6–8, designed for curlers with five years or less experience, and the Mixed Spiel from March 27–29, which draws teams from across the region.
“The Waffle Spiel is a very unique bonspiel,” said Goutermont. “That one is for curlers with five years or under experience. It’s very popular and fills up very quickly.”
Outside of the tournaments, league play offers friendly competition for all skill levels. The club runs open leagues, women’s and men’s leagues, and the Over/Under league, which pairs novice and experienced curlers to mentor and train one another.
Each Over/Under team must include at least two players with under five years of experience and no more than two with over five years.
“We started that for new curlers last year,” said Goutermont. “Last year, I had three brand new curlers, one was a sub, but that got them to be able to curl with experienced curlers in a non-intimidating way. We really are trying to help those new curlers and hopefully get more new curlers.”
The club is also planning to start an instructional league to complement the Learn to Curl classes.
THCC encourages kids to learn curling through its junior league. Some participants have been playing for three years, and three high schoolers also take part in regular leagues.
These young curlers may have first been introduced to the sport through the physical education pro gram volunteers run for Two Harbors High School.
“We teach them and they always love it,” said Goutermont of the ninth graders who come to try curling. “It’s kind of fun to watch their reaction. It’s funny to have our ones that have played league or done junior curling talk to their classmates, and then they’re instructing them during that time, so it’s really fun to watch.”
Libby agreed, stating, “I think phy-ed is a really good introduction because then as kids go off to college and come back, they’re not intimidated by walking in the door here. They’ve been here, they know a little bit about it, and they know how much fun it is.”
The club also partners with local businesses, giving them opportunities to advertise on the boards, above the scoreboard, and even on the ice itself.
“It’s kind of a cooperative effort because we love bringing all these teams in from out of town, and then they can see where to go to shop, eat, drink, and stay,” said Libby. “The community’s been generous and supportive. They recognize it as a community asset.”
“A lot of local businesses give towards our bonspiels, whether it’s reduced room rates or raffles, which is awesome,” added Goutermont.
Local businesses also join in the Winter Frolic curling competition and chili contest, adding a festive, community-focused element to the season.
“They have a traveling trophy for that,” said Goutermont. “We have the restaurants and businesses come in for a chili cook-off. It’s very well attended by the public. It’s a very fun evening.”
THCC is also available to rent for events, with volunteers on hand to provide instructional support. De tails on rentals, leagues, and classes can be found at twoharborscurling.com.
Both Libby and Goutermont encourage anyone who hasn’t tried curling to take advantage of the many opportunities at THCC.
“My parents and Laura’s parents were both curlers,” said Libby. “We got introduced to the sport that way, but I just have really fallen in love with it because you get to curl with so many people that you’d never get a chance to meet otherwise. It’s all ages, all walks of life. It’s just such a great camaraderie here. The social aspect is as much fun as the competitive.”
Whether you’re sliding into your first stone or sweeping toward Nationals, THCC offers a lane for everyone and a warm welcome at the end of the sheet.
