While fans were focused on Brad Jacobs and Rachel Homan clinching Olympic spots at the 2025 Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in
Halifax last week, a team from Cape Breton University was focused on the crowd. The stones have stopped moving at the Scotiabank Centre for now, but the work is just beginning for Dr. Simon Barrick and his team of student researchers.
Tasked with evaluating the social impact of the "Festival of Rings" and "Curling Day in Nova Scotia," the research team spent the week collecting on-the-ground data. Now they return to CBU to answer a vital question for the future of the sport: Did the efforts actually help underrepresented communities feel truly welcome in the game?
A "Street Party" with a Purpose
Dr. Barrick notes that while curling is often viewed as a welcoming pastime, research shows that many individuals do not always see themselves reflected in the sport due to barriers such as cost, limited facility access and a lack of visible role models. The "Festival of Rings" aims to challenge those barriers.
"Think world-class curling event meets multiculturalism festival meets street party," says Dr. Barrick. "This is the first time such a festival has been organised during a championship curling event. The central aim is to introduce individuals and communities to curling in a fun, welcoming environment that brings together diverse cultures and community organizations in an expression of just what makes curling so special, community."
Measuring the "Feeling" of Inclusion
With a reported attendance of more than 109,000 throughout the week, counting heads was easy. Measuring the feeling of belonging, however, requires a more sophisticated approach.
"Social impacts surrounding sport events have been understudied, and through this research project, we are trying to better understand what social impacts can be achieved through intentional, collaborative programming," says Dr. Barrick.
To capture this data, the team utilized a survey developed in collaboration with the University of Waterloo to go beyond simple attendance numbers.
"It's one thing to count attendance, but measuring things like the extent to which people feel included can be challenging," Dr. Barrick adds. "We ask participants questions about what they enjoyed and did not enjoy about the event, and what curling leaders need to do in order to welcome them into the sport moving forward."
Students as Experts in the Field
The fieldwork was driven by a talented team of CBU researchers from diverse academic backgrounds, including Nolan Drover, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) student taking Sport and Physical Activity Leadership (SPAL) courses and Alexandra Barrett, a student in the Bachelor of Arts, Community Studies (BACS) program.
Also helping lead the charge was recent BACS graduate Ashley Linden. For Ashley, who has lived and worked in Halifax for the past decade, the project was a unique opportunity to apply her academic skills to a community she knows well.
True to CBU's commitment to undergraduate research, these students were not merely collecting surveys; they were integral to the entire scientific process. Dr. Barrick emphasizes that these opportunities allow students to expand on the skills they learn in the classroom and prepare them for exciting future professional opportunities.
For Ashley, the transition from online coursework to the bustling environment of a national sporting event was transformative.
"It's been a while since I've been in a traditional classroom, but I can say without a doubt that this kind of real-world research is much more exciting," she says. "Being in community, talking with people who are passionate about what they do and seeing how their experiences shape the environment brings the work to life in a way no classroom can. Instead of learning theories in isolation, we get to apply them directly, adapt on the fly and learn from real people in real situations."
Looking Forward
As the team begins analyzing the data collected in Halifax, their findings will have implications far beyond the University.
"Research like this needs to be shared widely, especially to the people who can apply key learnings in community settings," says Dr. Barrick.
The results will be compiled into a final report for partner organizations, including Curling Canada and Nova Scotia Curling, and presented at academic conferences. For the researchers, the ultimate goal is to ensure that the diversity seen in Canada's streets is eventually reflected on its ice sheets.
"Inclusivity is something I value across all areas of life, so it's inspiring to see sports communities, like curling, recognize the importance of reflecting the diversity of the people they serve," says Ashley. "Nova Scotia is a wonderfully diverse province, and our sport spaces should mirror that. When more people can see themselves represented and welcomed, sports become not only more vibrant, but more connected to the communities around them."
