True pioneers of curling.
I must pay tribute to the curlers from Jičín. And I think I have the right to do it for two reasons. The first is that I saw them at work. And the second is that for many years I have experienced the same thing and longed for my own hall where I could just play and everything would work.
On one Friday a week, Jičín curlers have the opportunity to play curling for two and a half hours at the local ice rink. The hockey rink in Jičín is a handsome construction by Bejček and Mlejnek. A grandstand for spectators, glued wooden trusses in the ceiling structure, sufficient facilities, a restaurant on the floor and, most importantly, curling rings and lines that make it possible to practice our sport. We, who have experienced curling in Hase, perceive the Jičín effort as a reminiscence of the pioneer times in which the foundations of Czech curling were born. Yes, we have to wait to see how the curler does his job (sometimes well, but sometimes not really). Then drill holes in the ice, install bounce blocks, pour some water over them and weight them down with rocks. Then apply all the rocks from the boxes to the ice and wait for the blocks to freeze. In the meantime, you can nap and keep an eye on who is actually coming to practice. About 20 players of various ages enjoy curling in a temperature of about 2 degrees Celsius. After a while, hockey players are leaning against the curling mat, waiting for their own training sessions with a combination of genuine interest and equally genuine incomprehension. Before half past five it's time to pack up. Knock the blocks off the ice and carry the rocks. Let's make it Friday again.