BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — With the Olympics taking place in Beijing, the interest in winter sports like curling is on the rise.
At the Black Swamp Curling Center in Bowling Green, people from all over the region are learning the sport for the first time.
Instructor Tyler Chamberlain says interest in curling always goes up during the Winter Olympics, but this year is one of the best.
"The interest has exploded over the last few weeks. We expect to have a burst of interest every four years, but it's really been crazy this year," Chamberlain said.
There aren't many curling facilities in Ohio, but the exposure from the Olympic games drives people to Bowling Green. People come from as far as Columbus and Detroit once a week to compete in leagues.
"People see this weird thing on TV, and they get excited about it. Then they find in Bowling Green, they can do that themselves," Chamberlain said. "That's something they didn't know they'd have exposure to."
Chamberlain says almost a thousand people come to the facility over the two weeks that the games take place to learn to curl.
One of those is John Schoviak. Schoviak says his friends invited him out to play.
"My good friend Tony asked me to come out. I've been wanting to do curling for a while, watching it in the Olympics the last few years. Always wanted to do it. I'm happy I'm here," Schoviak said.
Schoviak says this may even be the beginning of a lifelong pastime.
"I think I'm kind of hooked. I actually want to start a league. I think it's cool. It's a cool camaraderie sport," Schoviak said. "I think it would be fun to play with. I'm excited."
The Olympics may only last a few weeks, but there's no need to hurry. The love for curling is something you can enjoy all year round.
The Bowling Green Curling Club is offering "Learn to Curl" events almost every day for the next two weeks.
If you're interested in joining in on the fun, more information is available at the Bowling Green Curling Club's website.