Junior Curling

Junior Dues Reimbursement Program

The BCC Junior Program continues its reimbursement program for certain fees.

Junior curlers are eligible for the following:

  • A $50 dues reimbursement for those who paid regular club dues.
  • Reimbursement of playdowns for nationals entry fee at cost.
  • Reimbursement for out-of-town bonspiels, camps and training conferences (excluding Monday junior group trips and State playdowns.)
  • Reimbursement of team uniform expenses at cost, up to $50. Only junior curlers who participate in playdowns for Nationals are eligible.

Expectations: To be eligible for reimbursements the Junior Committee expects all junior curlers and/or their parents to volunteer 4 hours work minimum at the club and/or at the club’s Junior event fundraiser. A junior curler must reside in the Bemidji area and curl regularly at the Bemidji Curling Club and not be funded by another club or organization (e.g. USCA) to be eligible. However, prior Bemidji junior curlers who no longer reside in the Bemidji area may be eligible if they curl on a competitive Bemidji team with a Bemidji skip and complete the volunteer work. All applications will be reviewed for approval by and at the discretion of the Junior Board. Reimbursement amounts are not guaranteed and are dependent on fund balance.

Forms are available at the club, or you can download them here:

Junior Reimbursement Form

Scroll down to see the ``Top 10 Things You May Not Know About the Junior Curling Program!``

Grades 6-12 Curling on Mondays

Beginners, intermediate and avid curlers in 6th to 12th grade can participate in the Monday After School Curling Program from 3:45 to 5:15. Open to boys and girls, Juniors will get instruction and competition suited to their level of play. For those with interest, we intend to host competitions against other out-of-town programs, and will make at least one trip to an out-of-town competition. The program begins the first Monday in December and runs every Monday at 3:45-5:15 pm through the middle of March. Register in person at the Bemidji Community Education office, or at www.bemidjicommunityed.com. Fee is $45.

*Juniors who are signed up as club members do not need to sign up again for this class.

Contact:  Jaime Quello at jaimeq@psmhvac.com

Grades 1-5 Curling on Sundays

Boys and girls in grades 1-5 will start curling Sunday Nights at 5:30pm, starting the first Sunday in January. The program will run Sundays from 5:30 – 6:30pm, running 7 weeks around the club schedule. Registration is available in person at the Bemidji Community Education office, or at www.bemidjicommunityed.com. Fee is $55.

Contact:  Jeremy Berg at 218-556-0429

The Top 10 Things You May Not Have Known About the Bemidji Curling Club's Junior Program

10.  The Bemidji Junior Committee puts on the outdoor curling event at Winterfest on Lake Bemidji. Proceeds from this event go to support the Junior Curling Program.

9.  Junior funds are used to purchase brooms and sliders for use by the Juniors and others during open bonspiels. We have also purchased curling shoes that are rented to the kids for $20.00/year.

8. Each Junior Curler can get up to a certain amount in reimbursements if they take advantage of all the options:

  • $50.00 reduction in league dues if they join the club.
  • Payment in full of entry fee for State play downs.
  • Travel reimbursement for out of town bonspiels

7. They can participate in two Junior bonspiels here per year with a very low entry fee/team.

6. Travel is arranged as a very low cost to sponsored out of town bonspiels.

  • 8 teams traveled to Fargo for a bonspiel there.
  • 6 teams traveling to Brainerd this weekend.
  • A trip to Chisholm is planned for later this year.
  • Bemidji and Fargo have a standing junior club competition that now is in its 3rd year.
  • Bemidji had 3 teams register for state play downs and two players in the high performance program.
  • Most junior bonspiels in the state have minimum 4 teams from Bemidji

5. A curler is considered a Junior until they reach 22 years of age.

4. The number of kids from the Bemidji junior programs that have been to the Olympic trials; won state, national and world championships would be too long to list.

3. Bemidji has had a representative in the Olympics most years since it was introduced, most started in the Junior program.

  • 1998 – Stacy Liapis (alternate)
  • 2002 – Kari Erickson, Stacy Liapis
  • 2006 – Pete Fenson, Joe Polo, Cassie (Johnson) Potter, Jamie (Johnson) Haskell,  Scott Baird
  • 2010 – Natalie (Simonson) Nicholson
  • 2014 – Jared Zezel, threw 2nd on the John Shuster team, Jared went to college at BSU and participated in our junior program.

2. The program currently has 110 kids participating (plus there is a waiting list), this does NOT include the Bemidji High School Phy Ed program or the BSU classes).  The LARGEST JUNIOR CURLING PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY! And……….The number one thing to know is:

1. You can stop at the club most Monday’s after school or Sunday evenings and see a future OLYMPIAN in training!