By Paul Kurtz

ASTON, Pa. (CBS) — The Delaware Valley will be hosting the upcoming USA National Curling Championships.

The Iceworks skating rink, in Aston (Delaware County), Pa., will be the venue for the games this month that feature  round, 42-pound granite stones and long-handled brushes.

Two teams, each composed of four players, try to slide the massive stone into position over a circular target.

One of  the best players in the land is 44-year-old Dean Gemmell of Short Hills, NJ (below).

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(Credit: Paul Kurtz)

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“Our team has been in the playoffs the last two years,” Gemmell says.  “We had good results in the World Curling Tour this year, so we feel pretty good.  We had good results in the qualifier to get here.”

Curling isn’t wildly popular in this area, but Larry Needle, executive director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress, thought it would be a good fit.

“I think it’s very intriguing.  People have seen it before but maybe not in person. They think it’s something they’d like to see, so we’re optimistic that people are going to come out,” Needle says.

The tournament begins February 11th.