Olympic hopefuls pitch in with Capital One Rocks & Rings

Heather Nedohin has been a top-level competitor for many years and is loved by fans everywhere for the emotion she shows on the curling ice. Last spring we connected with her to get her involved with the Rocks & Rings program and she jumped at the opportunity.
Sweeping practice! (Photo courtesy Rocks & Rings)

Sweeping practice! (Photo courtesy Rocks & Rings)

When Rona Pasika, who plays lead on Team Sonnenberg, heard Rocks & Rings was coming to her child’s school, she contacted us to see how she could get involved. It was an amazing experience for these lucky students, with their first taste of the sport coming from two of the best players out there. Nedohin and Pasika may have even helped kick start the career of a future Olympian! Here are their stories: Heather Nedohin When the opportunity came to work with the Rocks & Rings program, I was excited to be part of it. What a great opportunity to teach young kids all about our great Olympic sport and share with them my passion. I really didn’t know what to expect on the first day, as all I knew is what I saw in the commercials. It certainly blew my expectations away. It was great to travel between various schools throughout Edmonton and see the students and even the teachers get so excited about curling. I realized my own kid’s school needed this program and helped get that organized. When the program came into the school this fall it was exciting to share in my child’s Rocks & Rings experience and see her classmates having so much fun with it, right in their own school. Rona Pasika I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to help teach the Capital One Rocks & Rings Program at my daughter’s school. I knew it was going to be a fun adventure but wasn’t prepared for the high energy and atmosphere that was going on in the school gym. The kids were ecstatic to be learning about curling and better yet – in their very own school gym! The immediate feedback that I received from parents at the school is that their kids LOVED it and can’t wait to get to a “real rink”. All I can say is it really is just like the commercial. The kids cheering and the competitive feeling that comes alive right in the gym. As a competitive curler myself, this is outstanding for the growth of our wonderful sport, I was happy to have been able to experience it for the day. We were glad both Heather and Rona were able to join in teaching students in Edmonton how to curl. Perhaps in 2034 you will hear a future Olympic Curler featured on the CCA’s Ask Me Anything say, “I got started in curling in my school gym 20 years ago when champions brought Rocks & Rings to us, and I couldn’t wait to try it on ice.”
Two new curlers practice hitting the broom (Photo courtesy Rocks & Rings)

Two new curlers practice hitting the broom (Photo courtesy Rocks & Rings)