Veterans find comfort on and off the ice at Buffalo Curling Club

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — As Veterans Day approaches, WIVB News 4 is highlighting a local program helping veterans. News 4 stopped by the Buffalo Curling Club where veterans, like retired U.S. Coast Guard Harvey Hyman, are gaining skills on and off the ice.

When Harvey steps on the ice, he becomes just Harvey, the curler.

“This is a place that is for curling. It’s not for talking about your war stories, going to American Legion complaining about your benefits. A lot of those pieces of luggage and baggage are not present,” Harvey said.

Harvey found his way to the sport three years ago.

“Just by some sort of dumb luck, someone had told me about the curling club, the Buffalo Curling Club,” he said.

One December day, he walked in and decided to give it a shot.

“It was during Christmas week, nothing was really happening and I had a blast,” Hyman said. “On my way out the door there was a flyer posted for the VA, they were doing a veterans league and at the time I was a VA customer and said, ‘OK.'”

He admits that at first, his curling skills weren’t very smooth. After suffering several injuries during his time with the Coast Guard, Harvey struggled to keep his balance. 

“As long as I’m moving forward in a straight line I’m OK, but side to side, not so good,” he said.

This added an extra challenge to his curling. The retired senior chief petty officer wasn’t giving up. Harvey pushed forward with the help and encouragement from fellow veterans. 

“There were a lot of times where I thought, I don’t think this thing is for me, but it was the camaraderie. I know these guys, and I don’t know them from the VA hospital, I only know them from here and I like seeing them,” Hyman said. “So I came back out and I’m here anyways. I might as well give it a try.”

Patrick McGowan is a recreation therapist at VA Western New York Health Care and formed the veterans curling therapy program, which allows veterans a chance to play regardless of age, physical limitations or cognitive abilities. 

“A lot of it is helping them with their anger, the post traumatic stress, anxieties, not knowing where your next shot will land,” McGowan said.

Perhaps the most valuable skills veterans learn is how to socialize and have fun.

“A lot of communication is required,” McGowan said. “We’re gonna work on some of the issues you may have, whether it’s getting yelled at, to process that. You’re going to get barked on during curling to sweep and you have to remember it’s not threatening, it’s support.”

“About 50% of the guys are here because it’s good for social skills,” Hyman said.

For Harvey, and many other veterans, it’s also helped them feel like they belong again. 

“You talk to my colleagues, those of us who have left the country, we all come back just a little off. I’m not sure what it is. I wasn’t in combat, nothing like that, but I came home and had difficulty fitting in,” Hyman said. “I always say overseas was easy, America was kind of hard.”

“For half an hour we sit around a table and we just talk about curling and life, nothing else. No stressors, no issues, just the sport of curling,” McGowan said. “But if guys pick up somebody (who) is struggling, they say, ‘Hey, I’ve got an ear.’ It’s a huge benefit of the program.”

Harvey now curls multiple times a week at the Buffalo Curling Club. It’s a way for him to decompress and focus on his new favorite hobby.

“If there’s something you like doing, it just lightens your mood, right? I look forward to every Sunday,” he said. “It’s become my favorite day of the week. I go to church and then I come to curling. It’s become my routine.”