A recent visit to the Exmoor Country Club and Chicago Curling Club in Northbrook, Illinois, underscores the rich history and ongoing passion for curling in the region. The tour coincides with World Curling's Olympic Celebration Tour this weekend. Enthusiasts and legends shared stories of championships and the sport's growth.
The Exmoor Country Club, opened in 1896 and adding curling in 1938—possibly as early as 1936—remains a hub for competitive curling in Illinois. A plaque lists numerous state champions, including Jeffrey Wright, who has secured 21 titles since 1987 and a bronze medal at the 2018 senior men's world championship. Family ties run deep, with Wright teams often featuring other Wrights and Browns, potentially linked to Ann Brown, a seven-time U.S. women's national bonspiel winner and six-time state champion. Brown co-founded the U.S. Women’s Curling Association, served as its president in the mid-1980s, and later led USA Curling. The annual Ann Brown Sportsmanship Award honors athletes embodying the "Spirit of Curling."
Another prominent figure is Ann Swisshelm, who started curling at Exmoor at age 10 and won the 2003 world championship with Debbie McCormick. By late January 2026, she was heading to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, as a television analyst for the Olympic curling broadcast.
During the visit, curling was underway, with Jeffrey Wright skipping on one sheet and his son Steve, third on the 2025 state championship team, leading another nearby. Historical highlights include Bob Warner's six state titles in the 1960s, with runner-up finishes in 1965 and 1969. The 1969 team, featuring Warner's brother Richard at third, lost 7-5 to Wisconsin in a tied matchup, ending at 9-2 for second place. A 1965 U.S. Championship recap appeared in the March 15 Sports Illustrated, and a 1966 YouTube video, “This is Curling,” features the Warner rink.
Returning to the Chicago Curling Club, the author collected VHS tapes from Mike Ward, a passionate member sidelined by knee issues. Longtime members Albert “Andy” Anderson (53 years at the club, past president of CCC, USA Curling, and World Curling's Director of Finance, U.S. Hall of Famer), Ken Cook (45 years curling), and Jack Bernauer (joined mid-1990s) greeted visitors. Anderson helped establish the U.S. National Club Championships, hosted first at CCC in 2005 despite skepticism. As he recalled, “A lot of people said nobody would play in it. We said people will play in it.”
Paul Arnold, who moved from Toronto 47 years ago and took up curling in Chicago, warmed up mid-game. Bartender Leo Hernandez has served at the “4 Sheets to the Wind” lounge for 20 years. Administrator Lauren Recchia, who began after the 2010 Olympics, anticipates a surge in “Learn to Curl” interest from the 2026 Games, as locals often exclaim upon discovery, “I had no idea this place was here!”
