If you are new to curling, you will be delighted to know that the Chatham Granite Club will welcome you and make it easy for you to get out onto the ice having fun all winter long!
Curling is a game that can be played and enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It can be competitive or purely recreational, as part of a set team or with different friends each week. There is skill, strategy and some luck involved, making each game different and exciting.
The Club offers learn to curl programs for young and old and a variety of leagues that will get you involved at the interest and skill level you want.
Curling is not only a sport. There are numerous occasions for social interactions and camaraderie that the Chatham Granite Club excels at, with après-curling social time and events throughout the year.
Contact us to find out how easy it is to join us and start having fun!
Curling Fundamentals
The necessary personal equipment is quite limited, consisting of warm comfortable clothing, gloves or mitts, sport shoes and a broom. Other available equipment such as sliding stabilizers, slip-on ice grippers for shoes and push sticks have now extended the accessibility of the sport to many more people. Protective headwear is recommended and many curlers have purchased specialized curling shoes, gloves, pants and jackets as they advance in the sport.
The game is played on a sheet of ice that has been “pebbled” to make it easy for people and rocks to slide. The curling rocks are 44 pounds (20 kg) and made of granite. Each of the 4 people on each team “throw” (push) two rocks each from one end to the other, with the objective of getting more of their rocks than the other team’s 8 rocks closest to the centre of the 12 foot diameter circles (the “house”) at the other end. When thrown, the rocks are rotated (“turned”), which causes them to curve or “curl” left or right depending on the direction of rotation. Aside from keeping the ice clean, sweeping makes the rock travel further and curl less.
Throwing or delivering the rocks can be accomplished by either pushing off a rubber pad called the “hack” and sliding out with the rock, or by walking out and pushing the rock with a stick.
Teams are composed of 4 people, the Skip, Vice, Second and Lead. The Skip directs the strategy of the game by asking the other players to throw their rocks to a certain location or to bump and “take out” an opponent’s rock. When all 16 rocks have been thrown by the two teams, points are counted and that “end” is complete. Games usually consist of 6 or 8 ends, which takes between 1 ½ to 2 hours.
There are additional rules about what rocks count, where rocks can be swept and when they can be removed from play. Links to more detailed information are provided below:
Curling Canada: The Basics of Curling: https://www.curling.ca/about-curling/getting-started-in-curling/the-basics-of-playing-the-game/
Curling Basics: https://www.curlingbasics.com/en/index.html
Curling Basics: https://www.dummies.com/sports/curling-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/
A Curling Game Variation – Sturling: https://www.sturling.net/
Curling Etiquette
Curling has always been known for the prevalence of good sportsmanship and the friendly courteous rivalry that exists on the ice. The courtesies suggested are practiced by curlers who understand the true spirit and tradition of the “roaring game.”
- Every curling game begins with a hearty handshake or greeting of friendship and goodwill to both team mates and opponents.
- Be on time. Seven other people will be depending on you.
- Clean your shoes before stepping onto the ice. Clean your brush regularly during the game. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the sheet of ice clean.
- Be ready to throw your stone immediately after your opponent’s stone has been delivered. Make sure that you cleaned your stone first.
- In no way should you disturb a player in the hack or during delivery or until he or she watches the stone come to a stop. You should stand still on the sideline and between the hog lines when your opponent is delivering a stone.
- Stay out of the way of opposing sweepers.
- Sweepers should be on the sidelines, alert and ready to sweep immediately, if called upon. They should stay with the stone all the way to the house, sweeping or not. Once the rock has stopped move to the sideline and walk back. Do not block the centre of the ice, as the other skip and shooter are visually communicating to each other and you will block their view of each other.
- When in the house, skips and thirds should keep their brooms behind them and stand still while opponents are throwing.
- No one should deliberately delay the game.
- If you have personally touched (fouled or burned) a moving stone, you should be the first one to so declare.
- If you have personally moved a stationary stone, say so immediately so that it may be replaced (put into original position) to the satisfaction of the opposing skip.
- Congratulate opposing players, as well as members of your own rink, when they have made a good shot. Never, by word or deed, be guilty of any action that would embarrass a player who has missed a shot.
- Every curling game ends with a hearty handshake or acknowledgement of friendship and goodwill to both team mates and opponents.
Etiquette courtesy of Leaside Curling.
