Swept into town by popular demand, curling is coming!

The sport, in which players slide "stones" on ice towards a target area, has grown in popularity worldwide, thanks in part to its appearance during the Olympic Winter Games.

Late last month (just after the Olympics), Traverse City's Don Piche began talking curling with friends and acquaintances, Centre ICE management, and downstate clubs. What he heard was off-the-chart excitement.

Just weeks ago, he began making calls and “poking around” the Internet, where he found the United States Curling Association and links to Michigan clubs. From his calls out of the blue, Piche was amazed at how much other players and clubs were willing to share advice, training and resources. Now Piche finds himself serving as a sort of regional ambassador for the sport, one with roots dating back to medieval Scotland.

Almost overnight, the TC Curling Club sprang into existence. The club’s Facebook page generated 200 likes in 100 hours and is growing quickly.

Part of the area’s youth hockey family, Piche knew curling only from the Olympics and a long-ago demonstration; but something struck a chord.

“There’s a hunger for it,” Piche says, noting that the topic is an instant conversation starter wherever he goes. “This is something for adults, for people of all ages, you can play the game until you are dead.”

Now Piche has scheduled a “So You Want To Be A Rock Star” curling open house on April 26 at Centre ICE. The all-day event will feature demonstrations by curlers from around the state as well as a chance to try the game firsthand.

“We’re just tickled that we’ve got the enthusiasm and the commitments from clubs around the state to come up here,” he adds.

Terry Marchard, executive director of Center ICE, says he's fielded some curling inquiries over the years, but it took Piche’s zeal, vision and hard work to make the open house happen.

“We’re finding out there’s a ton of interest, much more than I ever thought,” Marchand says. “The key was getting somebody like Don involved and willing to drive it.”

One hurdle Piche has encountered is tradition itself: among the sport's many long-standing customs is that the 44-pound stones  stay “in the house," on-site with a club. With a set of 16 costing $1,000 per rock, it's a reality the nascent TC Curling Club will have to figure out, but Piche’s optimistic it will work out.

“You carry a set of those around and you’re going to tip your Subaru,” Piche jokes.

Curling evokes ubiquitous images of frantic sweeping by players. Players use a broom to polish the ice and make a path for the rock to follow. Curling, literally, comes in when the sweeping stops and the rock curls into position.

“You sweep to go past another rock,” says Randy Pyle, head ice maker for the Lewiston Curling Club.

Launched in 1960, the Lewiston Curling Club has about 60 members ranging in age from early 20s to 70s. The club has two sheets of dedicated curling ice at their clubhouse building and has thriving leagues from January to March.

Though the sport's learning curve is quick -- beginners can get on the ice and be competing quickly -- the game is a constant challenge to master strategies, nuances and skills.

“It’s like chess on ice,” says Pyle. “It’s not a muscle sport but a finesse sport.”

Pyle has been involved in the sport since 1971 and still loves league season, which also includes a December mini-season.

“Once you start playing more, you think you’ve got it conquered but the more you play the harder it gets," says Pyle, who has been curling since 1971.

Traverse City's curling open house at Centre ICE will be held Saturday, April 26 from 9am-6pm.