How to Play and Etiquette of the Game

GRIPPERS: Please remember to replace your grippers at the start of each season and to clean them frequently. 

TIP #1 - SAFETY FIRST:

• Clean shoes and brushes before stepping on the ice.
• Clean your slider on the mat at the end of the rink before you deliver a rock.
• Clean grippers inside and out at least twice per year. If they leave marks on the ice, replace them. They are on sale at the bar.
  
  STEP ON THE ICE WITH YOUR NON-SLIDER FOOT. (i.e.right foot if you throw right handed or left foot if you throw left handed)

TIP #2 - SCORING:

• The printed numbers on the scoreboards are the actual score.
• The numbers on the cards are the number of the end just completed.
• The colours above and below the numbers on the score board are the colours for each team.
  
  For example, if the Red team scores 3 in the first end, the card with number 1 goes over or under the score of 3. If the Blue team scores 2 in the second end, then the card with 2 goes under the number 2 on the board. It the Red team scores 4 in the 3rd end, then the number 3 card goes over the 7 on the scoreboard to show that, at the end of 3 ends, the Red team is leading 7 to 2 over the Blue team.
  
  NOTE: THE VICE SKIPS POST THE SCORES:
  The winning Vices post the score the next time they are near the scoreboard.

TIP #3 - HOG LINE RULE:

• Sliding delivery. The rock must be released from the hand before it touches the near Hog Line.
• Stick delivery. The rock must be clearly released from the stick before it touches the near Hog Line.

In both cases, the player and the stick may come to rest over the Hog Line after the rock has been released.

ADDITIONAL RULE FOR STICK PLAYERS: The curler must initiate the delivery from the appropriate hack and advance toward the Skip’s brush in a direct line. No going to the side of the sheet to get a better angle. (This is considered unsportsmanlike)

Hog Line infractions are identified by the offending team and the rock is allowed to come to rest and then the non-offending team removes the stone and replaces all affected stones. Failure to do so is also considered unsportsmanlike.

TIP #4 - WHO DECIDES THE SCORE:

ONLY THE 2 VICES should be in the house until they have decided the winner of the end and the score. 

• If there has to be a measure, the Vices measure. ALL OTHERS stay out of the house. Do not move the rocks until the Vices have agreed on the score.
• The Leads should be getting ready to throw for the next end by putting their sliders on and ready to deliver the first rocks.
• THE SKIPS SHOULD BE AT THE OTHER END READY TO CALL THE FIRST ROCK

• NOTE: NO WARMING UP THE ICE. You cannot start to sweep an opponent’s rock until it touches the “T” line.
• Both players (one from each team) can sweep either teams rock.
• The team to which the stone belongs has first right of sweeping their stone. HOWEVER, neither team can block the other person from sweeping a rock by not really trying to sweep. This is unsportsmanlike.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SWEEP?

• On the delivering team, any one including the Lead or Second can sweep. Normally it is the person holding the brush (the Skip or Vice who is in the house). Remember only one person from that team can sweep.
• On the non-delivering team, only the Skip or Vice can sweep. The Lead and Second on that team should be outside the hog line.

PENALTY: IF IT IS DECLARED BY THE OFFENDING TEAM. 

• The non-offending team can place the extra swept rock as close as possible to the position it would have come to rest had it not been swept or leave it where it comes to rest. 
• THIS IS WHY IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ONLY THE PERSON HOLDING THE BRUSH IN THE HOUSE DURING DELIVERY SHOULD SWEEP.
• NOTE: It is unsportsmanlike for the delivering team’s Skip to stand at the “T” line to block the opponent from sweeping.

TIP #6 – REDELIVERING A ROCK: 

YOU MAY REDELIVER A ROCK ONLY IF:

• The rock is pulled back and does not reach the near “T” line.
• You can stop your delivery and hold the rock back or push it back as long as it does not touch the near “T” line.
• An external force interferes with the rock as it moves down the ice. For example, a player or a brush or a rock from another sheet.
• A player from the non-delivering team obstructs the sight line of the thrower.
• NOTE if re-delivering a rock, it must be the same called shot with the same amount of ice.
• NOTE: you cannot redeliver a rock if you have thrown the WRONG COLOUR. Let the rock come to rest and the 2 skips will then exchange the rock with the correct colour.

A moving stone is considered “burnt” if the delivering team touches the rock before it has come to rest. This can be a touch from a brush by the sweepers, a foot, or any piece of equipment such as a hat or glasses. 

• Note: if the curler delivering the rock retouches the rock after it is initially released, e.g. to try to put a curl on it or more speed, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED BURNT if the re-touch occurs before it touches the hog line.
• If the moving stone is touched before it touches the far Hog line, it must be removed from play immediately. There is no other option.
• If any moving stone is touched inside the far hog line at the playing end, you must let the rock come to rest. The non-offending skip has 3 options.

1. Let the play stand.
2. The burnt rock is removed from play and all other rocks affected AFTER the infraction is committed are placed as close as possible to their original position.
3. The non-offending skip can place all stones affected as close as possible to where they would have ended up if the infraction had not occurred.

This rule applies to all stones set in motion and not just the delivered stone.

NOTE: If a rock is touched that is already in play but not in motion, the non-offending team repositions the rock as close as possible to its original position.

TIP #8 – FREE GUARD ZONE:

The Free Guard Zone is the White Area in front of the house and includes the white area beside the house up to the “T” line. A rock is in the Free Guard Zone if it does not touch the house or the “T” line. Before the next shot the 2 skips must agree as to whether a rock is touching or not touching the house or “T” line. They may use the “6 foot” measuring device to verify that the rock is in the free guard zone. Only the first 5 rocks delivered fall under this rule. NOTE: The Curling Club of Collingwood play by the five rock rule.

Basically the leads CANNOT take out an opposition rock in the Free guard Zone. They can take their own rock out of play. They also can move the opponents rock around as long as it remains in play.

If one of the opponent’s rocks that lies in the Free Guard Zone is moved out of play for any reason then an INFRACTION HAS OCCURRED.

PENALTY: (THERE IS NO DEBATE) the delivered rock is removed from play and all other rocks are repositioned to their original spot as determined by the non-offending skip.

SWEEPING RULE. Only the person in charge of play for the non-delivering team can sweep their own stone set in motion during the delivery of the first 4 stones. This means that if the delivering team tries a tick on a rock in the free guard zone, only the person in charge of the end for the non-delivering team, can sweep their stone out to force an infraction.

NOTE: The seconds can take out any rock.

TIP #9 – WHERE YOU STAND:

ON THE NON-DELIVERING TEAM

• The Lead and Second should stay outside the hog line and not be in the house during play.
• The Skip and Vice can stand behind the house but must remain motionless and keep their brushes off the ice so as not to distract the player delivering the rock.
• When walking back after sweeping a rock, stay close to the sidelines. And be aware of where the opposition’s broom is set so that you do not block the sight line.
• Do not cross the ice when the opposition is ready to shoot. 
• Do not walk on the adjacent sheet and impact their sight line.
• Do not walk inside the hog line to get ready for your next shot until the current shooter has released the rock. This is distracting to the shooter and is not sportsmanlike.
• Be still until the shot has been released.
• Sweepers should be at the delivery end except when sweeping their own stones.
• If the next shooter is on the back board they should not be directly behind the shooter nor should they move and thus distract the shooter.

• Both skips should watch for rocks from other sheets that may interfere with the rocks in your house.
• Both skips should be aware of errant rocks from their game about to interfere with the adjacent sheets.
• The delivering team (sweepers and skip) are responsible for all rocks put in play and are about to interfere with another sheet. They must prevent them from going across the sideline into the other house.
• Both skips and vice skips should communicate with the opposition as to who is catching rocks about to hit the backboard hard or go over the hacks. The Ice Maker will appreciate preventing damage to the hacks.

TIP #11 – ROCKS IN PLAY:

• A rock must be completely over the hog line to be in play.
• If a rock hits another rock in play but does come to rest on the hog line, IT IS STILL IN PLAY.
• At the backline, the rock must be completely over the line. We have two lines at the back of the sheet. The rock must be over both lines to be considered out of play. It must be moved to the backboards immediately. If a rock goes over the back line and spins back into play IT IS STILL OUT OF PLAY.
• A rock that touches the sideline at any time must be removed from play. You should attempt to ensure that it doesn’t touch other stones in play. If it touches or moves a stone in play, then the non-delivering team’s Skip replaces the affected rocks as close as possible to their original position.
• Suggestion: use a credit card etc. to determine if a rock is in or out of play at the hog line or backline, although this is not in the rules.
• YOU CANNOT MEASURE ANY OTHER ROCKS UNTIL THE END IS OVER, with the exception of using the 6-foot stick to determine if a rock is in the free guard zone.

TIP #12 – WHO CAN SWEEP A ROCK PUT IN MOTION:

• All 4 members of the delivering team can sweep any and all of their rocks put in motion ahead of the “T” line. All 4 members can sweep separate rocks.
• Behind the “T” line, only ONE member of the delivering team can sweep and they can sweep any colour. This can be any member of the team. On the non-delivering team, only the skip or vice skip can sweep.
• On the non-delivering team, only the skip or the vice can sweep their rocks put in motion. Basically the lead and the second should be outside of the hog line (and at the delivering hog line) and not in a position to sweep.
• For the first 4 rocks, ONLY the person in charge of the house for the non-delivering team may sweep their rocks put in motion.

TIP #13 - KEEP YOUR HANDS AND KNEES OFF THE ICE:

• Keep your hands and knees off the ice after delivering your shot. We have great ice but some folks are fouling it up by leaving their hands and knees on the ice after delivering their rocks. This leaves a slow spot on the ice. This will affect all subsequent stones and will deteriorate the enjoyment of the game. PLEASE lift your hands off the ice and either crouch or stand up to prevent leaving a knee print. Everyone would appreciate this.

TIP #14 - KICKING A ROCK INADVERTENTLY:

• If you kick a rock inadvertently regardless of colour, the non-offending skip can place the rocks as close as possible to their original position. No rock is removed from play. If this happens during a measurement and involves the stones to be measured, the non-offending team is awarded the measurement. 

TIP #15 GENERAL SWEEPING RULES:
With the introduction of brooms with swivel heads, sweepers are often sweeping at angles or front to back. This is now acceptable, but you may not leave debris in the path and the final motion must be away, or off to the side. This means that you can sweep 1/2 of the path.

TIP #16 ETIQUETTE AND SPORTSMANSHIP:

• DELIVERY: Sliding over the near hog line. The stone must be released from the hand or the stick before the stone touches the hog line. The shooter can continue to slide or walk over the line after the release. PENALTY: the non-offending team shall remove the stone and replace all affected stones.
• SWEEPING: Sweeping the opponents stone before it touches the T-Line in the house is not allowed. PENALTY: A team declares its own violation and all stones are allowed to come to rest. The non-offending team can do 3 things, 1- let it stand, 2- remove the unfairly swept stone and replace all affected stones, 3- place the stones where they would have come to rest had the infraction not occurred.
  
• OBSTRUCTING: The sight line of the shooter in the hack. It is poor sportsmanship to walk from the hog line to the hack while a player is in the process of delivering. It is also poor sportsmanship to block the view of the shooter to the skip’s broom by walking between the hog lines and not being aware of the direction of the shot.

TIP #17 - SPEED OF THE GAME:

The leads from both teams should be ready to throw their rocks immediately after the last rock has come to rest. They should go to the end boards and put on their sliders (or remove slider foot gripper). Let the Vice Skips decide the score and let the other members of the teams move the rocks off the rings.

The Lead whose shoots first (i.e. from the team which won the end) should get immediately in the hack with Rock number 1.

Let the Seconds and the Vices arrange the rocks at the side. Do not arrange the rocks in order. Even the pros do not do this because it takes too much time from the game.

THE SKIPS SHOULD NOT HANG AROUND TO WATCH THE SCORING BUT SHOULD BE AT THE OTHER END READY TO START THE NEW END.

The front end is encouraged to set up the rocks for the skip to save time.

TIP #18 - START THE LAST DRAW OFF RIGHT:

Now is the time to inspect your grippers and broom heads. They probably need a good cleaning. 

The brush heads can be easily removed and cleaned with clear water then let dry for a day.

Inspect your grippers for wear and tear. Wash inside and out to get rid of the impacted dirt and loose rubber. If they appear worn buy a new gripper. New ones are inexpensive and will help you stay on your feet. You should have a new gripper every year and many times depending on your number of games in the year.

While we are on the topic of on-ice balance, consider a helmet. Falls can be critical if your head hits the ice.

Always remember to clean your outdoor shoes before going anywhere in the curling club. Some clubs suggest removing your outdoor shoes at the door and putting on indoor shoes.

Lastly check your sweaters and pants for loose lint that easily falls off and interferes with the rock delivery.

We have great ice and we want to keep it that way!

TIP #19 - SPEEDING UP THE GAME:

The skip can play an important role in speeding up the game. We are rarely ever in a critical game. When we are, we usually have a time clock for each team and a timekeeper. Other than that. we are not playing for key money or a trip to the Briar. We do have a time limit on each game to keep our extremely busy facility on schedule. Therefore, speed of the game is essential.

Although I have mentioned before of the speed of the game, I have noticed lately that a big hold up is the skip. Specifically, after the last shot is delivered, there is no need for the skip to go to the house to check the score. The both skips should remain ready to call the first shot of the next end. The 2 leads should be ready to throw, leaving the vice and second to clear the end just completed. This would help in increasing the number of completed games.

Try this and you will notice a big difference.