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It didn't become an Olympic sport until 1998. All you need for this event is a stone, a sweeper and a lot of ice. We're talking about curling; it doesn't look that hard, right?

We headed to Portage, arguably one of the first established curling spots in the state. I got a quick lesson, gave it a try and quickly learned this isn't easy!

The senior men hit the ice at the Portage Curling Club for the national championship. The winner goes on to compete in Russia!

It looks easy. I mean how hard can sliding a stone across ice really be? I did make sure to mention I was never a good ice skater! I'm wearing a slider on one foot to help me "glide" across the ice, at least that's the goal.

Balance and a good center of gravity are essential for this sport. My teacher is Dan Brunt. He's full of helpful instruction, "keep the foot, knee, hip and shoulder all in line like this." Dan's been curling for 50 years. It runs in the family. His father curled in the leagues and Dan's children also curl. His daughter Maureen made the 2006 Olympic team and competed in Torino, Italy.

An Dan's still on the ice competing in the senior men's category. He's also helping news reporters learn a new sport! "You're sliding sideways, you want to slide straight," he commented as I tried to get a hang of this sport they call curling. Like anything, you have to practice to be good.

Curling is a game of strategy with a lot of challenges along the way. Dan told us, "ice changes all the time, sort of like a green. No two putts are the same and no two shots in curling are quite the same." Teams score a point for each stone that ends up closer to the button...that circle on the ice with the bulls eye.

I had to ask, "is it this button or the one at the other end?" Dan's response, "unfortunately its the one at the other end, yes. This one would be a little too easy." The stone has to go 126 feet, and it's all about "the curl."

Dan shows me how, and then it's my turn. I seem to be more coordinated at sweeping. That's how players change the texture of the ice to make the stone curl less or go farther. And when you finally get the hang of it curling is a lot of fun.

Curling is a Scottish sport. It was first played in Wisconsin on area lakes in the 1850's. It's now also a growing sport in America. Even warm weather spots like Texas and Arizona now have clubs.