Things to Know About Curling

Curling Rules for New Members

Etiquette

1. Please show up for your games at least five minutes before your ice time, so you have time to change shoes and be on the ice at your scheduled time.

2. Vices decide if they will chose heads or tails. A disc is thrown and whoever wins the toss gets to go last. The losing vice gets to pick the colour of stones that they will be playing with.

3. Teams shake hands before the commencement of play.

4. Before throwing your rock, please set up the stone for the next opposing team’s player.

5. After all stones are thrown in each end, leads, seconds, and vices clear the sheet of stones to get ready for the next end to commence. The vices decide who gets the points and the winning vice posts their score on the board.

6. Congratulate the winners at the end of the game by shaking hands again.

Rules

1. Teams play a free guard zone game. This means that the first two stones played by each team cannot be removed unless they are touching the rings. If the stones happen to touch the rings, they are counting so they can be knocked off. If they land in a guarding position in front of the house, they can be moved around in front of the ring but can’t be taken off. If one of these stones are accidentally removed, the stone that knocked it off is taken off the sheet and the guarding stone is placed back where it was. The second’s stones are the first stones that are allowed to take out a guard. This strategy helps teams set up their end.

2. When sweeping a stone, sweepers cannot begin to sweep until after the hog line and if it is accidentally burnt with a broom, you must remove the stone off the sheet of ice.

3. A skip is not allowed to sweep the opposing teams stones unless it is past the centre or tee line in the house. A skip can sweep their own stones wherever they chose. They can actually go up the ice a bit and help the sweepers get the rock closer to the rings.

4. Finally, have fun, enjoy the exercise, and friendships that you will discover on the curling ice. Plan on staying after the game to visit and get to know other members of the business ladies curling league.