Do you think you can throw a stone?

Can you sweep with a broom?Throwing a stone and sweeping with a broom are unique skills that are acquired while playing the sport of curling."Anyone can try curling," says Joshua Sophy, president of the Anthracite Curling Club. "All you need is a pair of old sneakers and some warm, loose clothing. We have both men and women who play, ranging in ages from 18 to past 60 years old."Curling is played when a "thrower" slides the "stone," a disc made from granite weighing approximately 40 pounds, across a sheet of ice to a target area known as the "house." No skating is required.The sport is sometimes called "chess on ice," because a team's goal is to knock an opponent's stone out of the house. The team with the one closest to the button, or center of the house, wins that "end" or round.To make the game more challenging, water droplets are sprayed on the ice to create a "pebbling" or orange peel effect. This causes the stone to rotate inside or outside, a curling motion, which then influences the throwing and sweeping strategies.17,000 players in U.S.There are 1.5 million registered curlers in the world today, and only 17,000 in the United States.Locally, curling is played at the amateur level at the Anthracite Curling Club, formerly the Scranton Curling Club. Six teams compete in league play. Games are played at the Toyota Sportsplex Ice Rink.Sophy points out that the largest expense to his club is the cost of the stones. A used set of three cost approximately $14,000. Members' dues also pay for prepping the ice and placing down removable stencils of lines and houses.The Anthracite Club holds an annual open house where newcomers can learn about the equipment and the strategies of the sport.Don Boran, a former long-time resident of Tamaqua, joined the Anthracite Club after attending an open house. He then became a member of the Demented Magenta team that won last year's league championship.Balance and flexibility"Curling is a game that requires physical balance and flexibility as well as intelligent strategy," he says. "I like throwing the stone because you really need finesse and you have to calculate the 'weight' (velocity of the stone) because the sweepers can only do so much as to what the stone will do after you let it go. When you get skilled at throwing, it's like shooting free throws in basketball. Once it leaves your hand, you just know it's a good shot."The thrower, pushing off a wooden block called a hack, shoots the stone down the track before two sweepers, who use brooms with fiberglass handles, alter the state of the ice in front of the moving stone to aid in its speed and direction.The thrower may appear to have the easiest task in curling. However, Sophy compares throwing a stone to hitting a tennis or golf ball, which requires muscle memory to maintain consistent accuracy.Boran also speaks about the potential danger of curling."In my second game, I lost my balance, fell backward and hit my head," he says. "Fortunately, I was not hurt, but I learned that you have to move yourself deliberately. After all, the game is played on ice."Sliding and grippingFor that reason, advanced curlers actually wear two special shoes, one for sliding and one for gripping.Boran is very encouraging to anyone who would like to try curling."Give it a shot," he says. "You don't have to be fast or strong or athletic. I get asked all the time about curling. It's like other team sports. You enjoy the camaraderie and the competition,""It's mostly a thinking game," Boran adds." It really is like chess where you have to anticipate that if I do this, then what will my opponent do next."In 1998, curling became an Olympic sport for both men's and women's teams. The United States won a bronze medal in the 2006 games in Turin, but has never taken a gold. This year, the U.S. recently qualified both a women's and a men's curling team for the games in Sochi, Russia.20 seconds"Olympic curling is another matter," Boran explains. "These athletes have great balance, concentration, and stamina. Believe it or not, it may take only 20 seconds to sweep a stone into the house, but the intensity of those 20 seconds is physically exhausting. Sweepers break down the pebbling on the ice with a vigorous sweeping action to, what I call, hydroplane the stone into its prescribed destination. It's definitely a skill that is acquired with playing experience."Boran, like many other avid curling fans, will pay particular interest to this year's Olympic curling competition. He will check the scheduled times for the games and if he can't watch them live, he will use his DVR."If you want to watch an entire game live," Sophy says, "you better be prepared to not get much sleep. Who knows what time it will be here when the Olympic curling events take place this year in Russia."Men's Curling, United States vs. Germany, will be on at 3 a.m. Friday on CNBC and the women's U.S. team will play Japan at 5 p.m.Check listings for updates.