The Winter Olympics may have wrapped up in Sochi recently, but one of its sports is still going strong in the local area.
Curling became a Winter Olympic sport in 1998 and continues to grow in popularity around the United States.
The winter sport involves two teams of four sliding a stone across the ice into four concentric rings. The goal is to release the stone strategically into the ring to get the most points. Sweepers sweep the ice to influence the trajectory of the stone into the ring. The team with the most stones closest to the center win.
Joe Mecca, a member of the Triangle Curling Club in Wake Forest, N.C., says it's a sport for all ages. Mecca has been curling since 2006. He began curling at a time when there were very few curling centers.
"Curling is really growing in a lot of places where curling hadn't traditionally been a sport," Mecca says. "It's usually more of a northern sport."
Interest in the southeast has definitely grown, as clubs have popped up from Atlanta to Richmond to right here in North Carolina. Mecca says he believes the Olympic coverage over the years has helped popularize the sport.
First-time curler Kat Belk spoke about why she wanted to try the sport.
"The best part is I am doing it with my friends," she says. "It's actually so much tougher than I expected, so much more strategy, and it is something new and fun that I've never tried before".
Mecca says the growing demand of the sport led the Triangle Curling Club to open up its own facility in 1995. The club will continue to hold open houses and private lessons for anyone interested in playing the Olympic event.
Elon University safety Caleb Curtain has been named the Coastal Athletic Association Football’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The prestigious award for the junior defensive back is the cherry on top of a long line of recognition this offseason. Curtain comes off a fantastic sophomore campaign where he led Elon with 80 total tackles, 54 solo tackles and four and a half sacks. At CAA Football Media Day on July 25, Curtain said he is excited about the award — as well as the opportunity to improve in this upcoming season.
The popular Gibsonville Mexican restaurant The Mission will reopen Aug. 22 with new updates, including new decor and drink options. Owner of The Mission Jeff Colgan said customers can expect new televisions featuring entertainment stations. He also said he wants customers to stay and enjoy their time, instead of leaving right after they finish their meals and drinks. While most of his customers are Elon students, Colgan said his customers vary to locals. With these updates, he said he hopes his restaurant will be a place for all to enjoy.