By MATT PATNEAUDE

Nine-year-old Nico van der Ven of Ballard holds a broom as a target while one of his teammates glides along the ice, releasing a 44-pound stone towards him. As the stone slides over the pebbled ice sheet, Nico calls out to his other two teammates to begin sweeping. They vigorously scrub the ice with their brooms, in hopes of getting the stone to stop just where Nico has called for it.

The youths are taking part in the State Playdowns for Juniors, held last month, at the Granite Curling Club, in North Seattle's Haller Lake neighborhood. It is a chance for them to experience a real competition after completing a three-month mini-camp that ran from October through December.

Nico is playing the position known as skip. He says, "I like being skip. He or she tells people where they want the rock." The skip functions as a captain, organizing their team and formulating strategy

Granite Curling Club, founded by a group of transplanted Canadians in 1951, operates from October until the first part of April. The club was originally housed in the old Ballard ice arena. By 1961 the members had pooled their resources, got a loan, and bought the land where the current club now operates.

The Haller Lake club is the only dedicated curling facility west of the recently completed 2002 Olympic complex in Ogden, Utah. While a big base of Granite's 350 members come from North Seattle, curlers travel from as far as Concrete, Sedro-Wooley, and south of Tacoma. The club offers opportunities for everyone from novice youths to national caliber adults. In fact, Granite has 20 national titles to its credit.

Curling appears to be something like shuffleboard on ice. The two teams alternate sliding granite stones down a 146 foot sheet of ice towards a concentric ring of circles known as the "house." Each player delivers two stones per end, or inning. Shots can be used in an attempt to score points, guard existing rocks in the house, or knock opponents stones out of the way. Points are awarded at the conclusion of each end based on the number of stones a team have placed closer to the center of the house than their opponents. A full curling match has 10 ends and lasts about two and a half hours.

Each night of the week features a different league at Granite. There are open and mixed leagues where men and women play together, women's league, men's league, and a competitive league. Juniors, those under 21-years-old, can also play in adult leagues. The mini-camp for juniors takes place on Sunday afternoons from October through December. Linda Draper, treasurer of Granite, says that curling is an "incredibly good junior sport." Children as young as six can take part. The cost of the mini-camp is only $15.

One Saturday per month the club sponsors a "Family, Friends, and Fun" night. It is an opportunity for the public to tour the facility and try their hand at curling. Instructors are available and there is no cost.

The next "Family, Friends, and Fun" night will take place on March 18, from 5-8 p.m. Participants are encouraged to wear loose clothing and rubber-soled shoes.

Curling, like golf, is Scottish in origin. There is great tradition and etiquette in both sports. Draper says curling is "a gentlemanly sport. You shake hands when you start a match and you shake hands when you finish."

The connection is further enforced by the fact that many good curlers are good golfers and vice versa. Both sports emphasize finesse and strategy over strength and power.

Galan Potter, 12, of Haller Lake, was introduced to curling about three years ago when his parents couldn't find a baby-sitter and they brought him along to the club. "It's a nice sport," he says. "It's not like a game of aggression. It's a friendly game."

Unlike golf, curling is a very team-oriented sport. Teammates must rely on each other to stay sharp and focused throughout the match. Each player is involved in every shot. One player delivers the stone while the skip sets the target and the other two sweep the ice. Good sweepers can get the stone to travel an extra 15 feet. Sweeping also lessens the curl of the rock. The skip delivers the last, and often most important, two stones per end.

While curling may be a friendly game, it can also be very competitive, especially now that it has become an Olympic sport.

Nicholas Pleasants, 9, of Greenwood has curled most of his life. His grandfather was one of Granite's founding members. He says that curling "does have a lot of competition in it."

Draper says curling is like chess. "You are always looking to exploit any little weakness that your opponent may have," she says

The club will be hosting the United States Women's Curling Association's 52nd National Bonspiel from Feb. 10-13. Bonspiel is a German word meaning "curling competition." There is no charge for the public to come view the action.

Granite Curling Club is located at 1440 N. 128th St. For more information on any events at the club, call 362-2446.