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Curling Tip
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"Spirt Fair Play" print
Curling is a game of skill and traditions. A shot well executed is a delight to see and so, too, it is a fine thing to observe the time-honored traditions of curling being applied in the true spirit of the game. Curlers play to win but never to humble their opponents. A true curler would prefer to lose rather than win unfairly. The spirit of the game demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling and honorable conduct. Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure “Spirit fair play.” |
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"Delivery Rock Play" print
A sound curling delivery requires accomplishment in four technical areas: Alignment, Timing, Balance and Release. |
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 ALIGNMENT: Keep your palm off the handle and your wrist high. Turn the rock in toward your body for in-turns, and out away from body for out-turns. The position should be at 10:00 or 2:00 o’clock depending on the turn.
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TIMING: There are three major movements during the delivery: Press, Drawback, and Slide. |
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| Press: |
Move the rock ahead a few inches down the line of delivery, basically to initiate motion and get the rock "unstuck" fro the ice. |
| Drawback: |
Your body weight is anchored and about evenly distributed on both feet. The toe of your sliding foot is now about as far back as the heel of your foot in the hack. |
| Slide: |
The transition from the drawback to the forward slide involves a significant weight transfer. Keep the timing and movement controlled in one fluid motion. |
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BALANCE: Your sliding foot must be flat to the ice and centered under the chest to achieve a balanced slide. A balanced delivery means you won't be leaning on the rock, broom or trailing leg, but on your sliding foot.
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RELEASE: Your throwing arm remains slightly bent and the position of the rock handle is still turned at 10:00 or 2:00 o'clock. Turn the handle to 12:00 o'clock as you simultaneously extend your arm. Release the rock cleanly and follow through so that your hand finishes in the "handshake" position. The rock should rotate about two-and-a-half times during the draw shot. A draw shot released at the top of the House will travel a different path and will have more time to curl than a rock released near the hog line. A more rapidly rotating rock will travel a straighter path than a slow turning rock. Consistent rotation and point of release makes it easier for the skip to read the ice. Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure "Delivery Rock Play." |
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"Sweeping Power Play" print
Sweeping is what makes curling a team sport. To be an effective sweeper pay attention to the rock's five-inch running edge. Any excessive movement of the broom outside of the rock's path is wasted energy. Speed and pressure generates friction on the ice which allows the rock to glide further and/or a straighter path. Skips will tell you the line of the rock and the sweepers need to know the weight. Sweepers need to get a feel for the ice, observe the distance the rock will travel, the speed, and the rate at which the rock is slowing down. Clean the line of delivery before every shot, stay with the rock until it comes to a complete stop, and be prepared for alternate shot calls "Plan B". Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure "Sweeping Power Play". |
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"Curling is a Chess Game on Ice" print
Strategy of curling comes down to the draw game or the take-out game. The Free Guard Zone, the area in front of the house, cannot remove a rock from play by the opposing lead. This plays into the Draw game and allows for higher scoring because the Take-out game cannot be implemented until after the leads have thrown. The Draw game is offensive or aggressive play, where guards, raises, come-arounds, and freezes are either in front of or in the house. The Take-out game is a defensive style of play in which the house is kept free of opposition rocks and the front is kept as open as possible. Make an objective analysis of each team member’s ability to; draw, take-out and sweep before your team formulates an overall strategy. Implement the tactics that play to your team’s strengths and your opponent’s weaknesses. The last rock advantage (the “Hammer”) gives you the opportunity to become more aggressive. Skips will attempt to score more than one point. Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure “Strategy Mind Play”.
There are four types of Ice Conditions: Heavy, Fast, Swingy and Straight. The worse the ice conditions the more aggressive you can be. Earlier this season we had swingy ice, this makes take-outs more difficult because weight and line of delivery are critical. What type of ice do we have now? |
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"Ice Conditions" print
Generally speaking, the worse the ice conditions the more aggressive your strategy becomes. Use the ice as your ally, as your opponent struggles to overcome it. Here are some strategies to deal with various types of ice:
- On heavy ice, draw rocks inot the house. Let our opponent try the bomber-weight take outs.
- On fast ice, establish your team's draw weight as soon as possible and keep take-outs on the quiet side. Get ready for a lot of sweeping.
- On swingy ice, take-outs are more difficult because weight and line of delivery are critical. An aggressive style of play is called for. Get your rocks in play and let your opponent shoot at them.
- On straight ice, a take-out game is encouraged. Offense must be generated with freezes and raises.
Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure “Strategy Mind Play”. |
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"Types of Shots" print
There are two basic shots in curling - a draw and a take-out. A draw stops in front of or in the house. A take-out involves hitting and removing another rock form play. There are several variations on these two basic shots:
- Guard - A draw between the hog line and the house, used to prevent the opposition from hitting a raock in the house.
- Come-around - A draw that curls around a guard and into the house.
- Freeze - A draw that finishes in front of or next to another rock.
- Raise - A draw that raises another rock into the house.
- Hit and Stick - A take-out that remains very close to the position of the removed rock.
- Hit and Roll - A take-out that rolls some distance from the removed rock, often behind a guard.
Taken from the USA Curling Association Brochure “Strategy Mind Play”. |
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"Safety concerns"print
- Stretching and warming muscles before going out onto the ice can help prevent injury.
- Step onto the ice with your gripper foot first, never step onto the ice with your slider.
- Always put your slider foot up first when stepping off from the ice.
- Never stop a rock with your hand. Your fingers can be crushed.
- It is not recommended to use your foot to stop a rock because you could lose your balance. Use your broom to stop a rock.
- Always carry your broom, which can be used to avoid or break a fall.
- Watch for stray rocks and prevent them from sliding into people when clearing the house of rocks.
- Keep rocks on the ice at all times, slide the rocks, never lift them.
- Keep your feet on the ice, walk or slide, do not hop or run.
- If you can’t keep up with a fast moving rock while sweeping, stop.
- Never go onto the ice when your balance is impaired from sickness, excessive alcohol, etc.
Taken from the USA Curling Association “Spirit Fair Play” brochure. |
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