More than ever before, many of the world’s population is relying on virtual resources in order to adapt to the evolving situation that is COVID-19.
With curling being no exception, the World Curling Academy is proud to launch its first online course, which is now open for registration. The Ice Technician (Level 1) course is a newly designed virtual course which teaches the basic knowledge of maintaining curling ice.
The course has been strategically curated to gain a deeper understanding of equipment and its maintenance, basics of refrigeration, air systems, dehumidification and water quality, pebbling and scraping techniques and a working knowledge of curling stones.
This course is just one part of the requirements to become a certified World Curling Academy Level 1 Ice Technician. Participants are required to pass an in-person assessment by a World Curling Academy Educator to complete the certification.
“This has been over a year in development and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to see the first of our certification courses published on the World Curling Academy,” said Scott Arnold, World Curling Federation’s Head of Development.
“Based on the World Curling Federation’s Curling Ice Explained manual, the Ice Technician Level 1 online course will be the beginning of the education journey for anyone interested in making curling ice.”
“Over the coming months, Umpire Level 1 and Technical Coach Level 1 will be launched on the Academy site allowing anyone with internet access the ability to learn about those disciplines. Having this global reach has been a development challenge for the Federation and the Academy allows us to overcome it.”
“I would be remiss if I did not thank our education partner, World Academy of Sport, the members of our Curriculum Advisory Groups, and my fellow staff for all of their hard work in launching the Academy.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the World Curling Academy?
The World Curling Academy is a partnership between the World Curling Federation and the World Academy of Sport. Together we aim to provide education and certification for all aspects of the sport as well as providing resources to develop and grow curling locally and globally.
Who funded the Academy?
The World Curling Academy is wholly funded by the World Curling Federation who relies on the expertise of its Member Associations and Official Partners for curriculum advice, content and human resources to deliver courses worldwide.
Do I need to register?
In order to gain full access to the World Curling Academy site, you will need to register. There is no cost to register for the Academy.
Is it free?
With your free Academy registration, you will be able to take the World Curling Federation’s Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition Course and access all of the educational FloorCurl instruction videos. The videos are currently offered in seven different languages with more being developed.
There is a fee for taking any of the other online and in-person courses. Costs vary and are quoted in US dollars. Payment is made online using PayPal.
What does it include?
Currently, a World Curling Federation Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition Course and an Ice Technician Level 1 Course are available online. In the coming months, this will be expanded to include umpiring and coaching courses. Once the site is fully populated, the course selection will include three levels of certification for Ice Technicians and Technical Coaches, four levels of certification for Umpires and one level of certification for Team Coaches.
It is important to understand that the online courses are only one part of the certification process. In-person training and assessment will be required to become fully certified. The Academy will act as the registration site for this part of the process. Starting in 2021, the World Curling Academy will be the site for camp registration too. This will include the popular Youth and Adult Camps.
The Academy will act as a resource library for curling development. Currently, there are ten videos explaining how to use FloorCurl as an educational tool to teach curling and how to transition participants from ice-less to on-ice curling.
Who can use the site?
The site is open to anyone wanting to know more about the sport of curling. At launch, all courses will be in English, but it is the intent of the Academy to expand the content into a more diverse selection of languages.
Engage with the World Curling Federation on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Weibo and by searching the hashtag #OurHouse #curling
