Keep calm and shuffleboard on.
A group of 56 competitors took part in a shuffleboard tournament Wednesday hosted by the Nobel Shuffleboard Club.
Roland Cilliers/Beacon Star
NOBEL – Shuffleboard is thriving in the Parry Sound district.
A group of 56 competitors came out to McDougall Township Thursday to take part in the tournament hosted by the Nobel Shuffleboard Club. After a full day of competition, the Nobel Shuffleboard Club came away as the victors of their own event with a score of 25 to 23.
Peter Berg, a representative of the club, said by all indications everyone involved enjoyed the tournament.
“It was a huge success,” said Berg. “People had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and they really enjoyed themselves. I heard nothing but good comments, and they want to do it again next year and we will.”
Representatives from shuffleboard clubs in Fergus and Coldwater were present at the event, which took place on 14 courts at the McDougall Recreation Centre rink. The significant amount of courts is a testament to the growing popularity of the game in the region, organizers said.
The Nobel Shuffleboard Club, which is only in its second season, has experienced regular membership growth over that time and now counts close to 120 members. Starting out with just four courts, they have expanded to 14 at the rink, the maximum that can fit. Popular with the retired community, shuffleboards is prevalent in parts of the U.S..
Dick Lubbelinkhof, president of the Nobel Shuffleboard Club, said the sport is ideal for seniors.
“We have, for instance, one lady whose 90 years old and she still plays. We have another gentleman who’s 90, and he still plays. Age has no limit to this. There are people in Florida who play in wheelchairs. Most of our people here are retired and are anywhere from 60 to 90,” Lubbelinkhof said.
The club is currently in the process of trying to establish a winter-time court. They are seeking a government grant to help with funding.
“If we do get it, we’re planning on getting these things called rollback courts and they’re like heavy plastic, 40-feet-long, five-feet-wide, and they put these pieces of glass on there to play on. We would put them in a heated building during the winter time,” said Lubbelinkhof.