Bonspiel Info
The 100th Anniversary Spiel will be the final bonspiel of the 24-25 season.
- Three games are guaranteed, and teams that qualify for the playoffs will play more.
- The first draw will be on Friday at 6:00 PM, and the last draw will be on Sunday afternoon. Due to Saturday youth classes, there will be no morning games on Saturday (May 3).
- Saturday evening will feature a World's Fair-themed potluck and entertainment.
- Sign up as an individual or in pairs. We will create fun and evenly-matched teams of four to represent the decades of Rock Creek Curling's history.
- Both new and experienced Rock Creek curlers are welcome and encouraged to play.
- $100 per curler.
- 2x 100th Anniversary Celebration Pins are included with registration!
A History of Rock Creek Curling: 1924
In 1924, a happy accident forever altered the trajectory of Boulder County sports. Children working the coal mines in Lafayette stumbled upon a rich vein of Blue Hone granite deep in the Vulcan Shaft near present-day South Public Road.
When they surfaced with their find, the town elders decreed that the granite be shaped into curling stones for use by the children, as a matter of fairness. Thus America's first Junior Curling program was born, a full year before any actual curling happened in the state of Colorado!
1925
On May 3, 1925, the first curling match in Colorado history took place on the frozen surface of Rock Creek. Memorialized in the attached Daily Camera article, the match lasted 4.5 hours and ended in an 8-3 victory for the green team.
The locals had a wonderful time, but were frustrated by the constant interference of the creek's abundant greenback cutthroat trout. In response, the Rock Creek Curling organization was incorporated that very day to begin exploring options for building a permanent indoor curling facility in Boulder County.
1937
In 1937, Franklin Delano Roosevelt made an official Presidential visit to Colorado. On this trip, FDR stopped by the creek and became America's first wheelchair curler.
(Thank you to Curling Historian Kyle Byers and Paralympian Pam Wilson for contributing this research.)
1943
Little is known about Rock Creek Curling's early years, save that the Juniors program thrived on the frozen shores. But historical photographs show that in January 1943, Rock Creek Curling founded America's first Women's Curling League.
The so-called Rosie Curlers gathered every Saturday afternoon to continue the curling traditions of Lafayette after the Juniors were called to war.
1945
On V-J Day in 1945, Rock Creek Curling celebrated the Allied Victory by replacing its traditional Green rock handles with a more patriotic collection of Red handles. This change proved briefly popular with the locals.
1952
During the early 1950s, Rock Creek Curling sought to expand its reach and welcome home returning veterans. RCC commissioned a catchy 15-second radio jingle designed to attract new members to the sport of curling. With its infectious melody and memorable lyrics, this jingle quickly became a local sensation, boosting RCC's visibility.
However, this visibility also brought unexpected challenges. Amidst the rising tide of McCarthyism, both the growing membership and the new red and yellow stone handles drew unwanted attention, sparking accusations of communist sympathies. Rock Creek Curling made a decisive change to safeguard its reputation and protect its members: adopting new green and gold handles. These new colors, symbolizing Colorado's natural beauty and the promise of American prosperity, became a lasting emblem of RCC's resilience.
Listen to the 1952 Rock Creek Curling Jingle
(Thank you to Boulder County Historian Sean Quinn Marlow for contributing this research.)
1977
In 1977, curling was struggling in Boulder County. The rise of Disco had decimated potential curlers' free time. Something had to be done.
Rock Creek Curling's answer was to introduce what is now a familiar face: Creekie the Rock Creek Curling Trout. Creekie's Spirit of Curling was a beacon by the frozen creek, inspiring a new generation to take up the roaring game.
1987
Calamity struck Rock Creek Curling in the late 1980s when, for three consecutive years, the creek failed to freeze during the curling season. Undaunted, RCC moved their games indoors to a popular roller skating rink on Legion Hill in Boulder. The game was modified, with roller skates replacing the more conventional sliders and grippers, and houses painted on the laminate floors.
While unconventional, this curling variation helped shape the modern game: the Hog Lines of contemporary competitive curling were inspired by games of Red Rover played at Rock Creek Curling during this period.
1993
The early 1990s marked a dynamic period for Rock Creek, and curling remained a cherished tradition in Boulder County. With a sharp focus on youth development, the Junior Curling program flourished, bringing an entire new generation into the fold.
As competition intensified, Rock Creek teams began making waves at regional and national tournaments, firmly embedding curling in Colorado’s sports scene. While many retreated indoors to their video game consoles, Rock Creek kept the sport thriving on the ice. The rugged style of grunge—flannel shirts and baggy jeans—became as iconic on the creek as the curlers themselves, inspiring the first official Rock Creek team outfits
(Thank you to Boulder County Historian Sean Quinn Marlow for contributing this research.)
1997
Following her explosive divorce with Ch*rles, Princess Diana set off on a break-up tour in America. Determined to see the slopes of Vail, Diana's skiing plans were delayed by a snow storm when she arrived in Colorado. Diana decided to make the most of her delay, and set off to enjoy the beautiful views and drinks at Stem Ciders. On her way, a sign caught her eye: "Fuck Pr*nce Ch*rles, Rock Creek stands with Diana".
Of course, she had to stop. Three days of curling, companionship, and cognac later, and Diana forgot all about Vail.
Later, in 1997, she was famously photographed in London repping her favorite curling club.
(Thank you to Royal Historians Ally Whiting and Alden Harrell for contributing this research.)
2018
The popularity of curling skyrocketed after the US Olympic Gold medal in curling in 2018. In the middle of winter, Rock Creek had to quickly shovel the snow and set up multiple curling sheets in its parking lot to meet the demands from the fans.
The attached photo is from a Intro to Curling session held in that parking lot.
(Thank you to Archivist Ioana Fleming for contributing this research.)
2021
In 2021, Rock Creek Curling moved indoors. After 97 long years on the Creek, Boulder County's curling community finally had a roof over its head.
In the years since moving into its new home, RCC has remained prominent on the national curling scene, hosting the annual Colorado Curling Cup World Curling Tour event; the 2023-2025 U18 National Championships; the 2024 Everest North American Club Curling Championships; and the 2025 USA Curling Mixed Doubles Olympic Team Trials.
The Baumgarten Archives
Local historian Alex Baumgarten has unearthed a treasure trove of Rock Creek History. These photographs and scans of artifacts document the progress of RCC from the earliest days through the (controversial) opening of the dedicated curling facility on Overlook Drive.
Rock Creek Music Volume 3
Many songs about Rock Creek Curling have been written and performed over the past 100 years. These tracks have been collected in a series of albums called Rock Creek Music. While most of the collections have been lost to the ages, Volume 3 was recently recovered.
Old Willy Dithers
Old Willy Dithers was one of the last curlers to curl on the creek. He helped to install the new cooling system but died just days after finishing, from unknown complications.
(Thank you to Boulder County Historical Photography Archivists Jon Beverley, Lauren Zuercher, and Alex Zuercher for these contributions.)
Lorenzo Constantini
Lorenzo Constantini, pictured here in 1938, was a pioneer of indoor ice making. He invented the first cooling system capable of maintaining perfect ice conditions for curling. He travelled to Lafayette with the intention of installing one of his machines. Upon arriving, he was welcomed with a game of curling on the creek. In the third end, tragically, the ice gave way under his feet and he plunged into the creek, never to emerge. His revolutionary ice making secrets died with him…
(Thank you to Boulder County Historical Photography Archivists Jon Beverley, Lauren Zuercher, and Alex Zuercher for these contributions.)
Jean J’tevinson
Jean J’tevinson was a French Canadian fur trapper. He followed the Rock Creek all the way from its headwaters in Montreal to Lafayette in the hunt for luxurious beaver furs. Upon arriving, he realised the enormous potential of the creek for curling, and wrote to his son detailing his find, who was inspired to set out for Colorado later that year and subsequently founded the club. Sadly, Jean did not live to see his son’s creation, and his body was found during the opening season of curling on the creek, mauled by a grizzly bear that got caught in one of his traps.
(Thank you to Boulder County Historical Photography Archivists Jon Beverley, Lauren Zuercher, and Alex Zuercher for these contributions.)
The Lafayette Gazette
Inspired by the 100th Anniversary Celebration, The Lafayette Gazette published a deep dive into the history of sporting events on and around Rock Creek.
Read the Lafayette Gazette Article
View the Full Lafayette Gazette Archive
(Thank you to Creek Enthusiast Erica Holwick for this contribution.)
Missing History
Considerable progress has been made to unearth Rock Creek Curling's rich history as the 100th Anniversary Celebration approaches. But we need your help!
Much of RCC's history and lore have not yet been uncovered. You yourself may be holding onto a vital piece of the puzzle, be it an old photograph, newspaper article, or physical artifact that we have yet to discover.
If you have anything to contribute to this project, please promptly send it to Andy Carle, Rock Creek Curling's Curler in Residence and Lead Historian.