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Sheri and Paul are ready to rock (7 photos)

With most curling clubs having their ice ready for this week, the shop is relatively busy and would be more so would it not be for the recent unseasonably warm weather

Despite the recent heat wave that Barrie is experiencing it is almost curling season; and that means having to hurry hard over to Shot Rock Shop for all your curling needs.

Shot Rock Shop has been around since 1998 and in its current location of 159A Anne St. S. since 2005. The curling shop has been under the knowledgeable ownership of Sheri and Paul Gilder for nine years and while it’s just a stone’s throw from the Barrie Curling Club, the couple call the Stroud Curling Club their home rink and have been avid curlers for years.

“My husband and I bought this nearly 10 years ago and have been very happy with that decision ever since,” said Sheri Gilder. “We have a background in the sport having curled for a long time including back in high school. My 26-year-old daughter has been curling since she was seven and still does it which has really kept us going with it as life gets busy; having our daughter share our passion for the game made us continue on with it in a way.”

The Shot Rock Shop is seasonal and is closed from the end of April to Labour Day weekend when it reopens to get ready for the curling season. With most clubs having their ice ready for this week, the shop is relatively busy and would be more so would it not be for our recent unseasonably warm weather. Gilder says that it’s been slower than normal but she knows that will change by the weekend.

“Being closed half the year we make sure we plan ahead of course but we’re always just fine,” said Gilder. “Right now of course everyone has been enjoying the hot weather and we’re usually a bit busier by now. It will pick up and October is my busiest time and truthfully those who curl regularly know we’re here and when they need to get what they need to get.”

While Gilder knows her regular customers and what they’re looking for, she is always excited about the new curlers who come in after joining a league and are now looking to get their curling gear to start their season. Shot Rock Shop does have stuff for the high-end curler but is also able to help out the newbies in the game.

“We are also geared towards the beginner here and have a great beginner package that includes a pair of shoes, a gripper and a broom,” said Gilder. “It's a great way to get started and has all you need to take to the game; I highly recommend that package before someone looks into finding the elite equipment; you want to find what is comfortable for you when you’re playing and that takes some time.”

The high-end curlers that come into the shop have a good idea of what they want but with equipment changing all the time it’s important for Gilder and her shop to stay on top of the latest trends and tools of the game. Goldline, Hardline and Olson are just some of the big brand names that most curlers find work the best, but it does come down to preference and education.

“Sometimes the most avid curler will try something new in a game, find it works and then change what they use,” said Gilder. “We have to stock up on all sorts of equipment and brands so that we are ready when someone needs it for a bonspiel that night or weekend.”

Curling is one of the most beloved games in Canada and ratings for the game on TV, especially during the Olympics, are way up when compared to 10-15 years ago. More parents are signing their children up for the sport and becoming involved in clubs in their community. With Simcoe County home to some of the world’s best curlers (Sherri and Wayne Middaugh from Coldwater and the Howard family from the Midland area), it’s important for Gilder and her store to keep the local curling community strong and winning.

“In Stroud we have had a few banners and I know they have had in Barrie as well with some high-end curlers out of that rink,” said Gilder. “I think the County is blessed to have the bigger names like the Howards and Middaughs being from here and lending that credibility to the region; it gives everyone something to strive for. I enjoy them and I’m a huge fan of the Olympics so it’s great to know that some of the best are right here in our own backyard.”