Uxbridge & District Curling Club Curler Information
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Uxbridge & District
Curling Club
Curler Information
Updated: September 2013
www.uxbridgecurlingclub.comTABLE OF CONTENTS
A BRIEF HISTORY............................................................................................... 3
CLUB OPERATIONS ........................................................................................... 3
THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF CURLING ............................................................ 5
THE OFFICIAL RULES OF CURLING ................................................................. 7
Delivery of a Stone ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Sweeping ........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Touched Running Stones ............................................................................................................................. 8
Free Guard Zone .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Scoring ........................................................................................................................................................... 8
THE UXBRIDGE LEAGUE RULES ...................................................................... 9
LEAGUE PLAYOFFS ......................................................................................... 11
DUTIES OF PLAYERS ....................................................................................... 12
Lead ..............................................................................................................................................................12
Second ...........................................................................................................................................................12
Vice ...............................................................................................................................................................12
Skip ...............................................................................................................................................................12
A WORD ABOUT EQUIPMENT ......................................................................... 13
2This booklet offers some of the general guidelines and background information that will
help you get the most out of your membership. If you are a new curler and or a new member, this
book will give you some important information about the club and its operation. If you are an
experienced curler and or member already it will help refresh your memory. We have tried to be
as accurate as possible with the information. If you find omissions or inaccurate information
please contact one of the committee members and we will revise as necessary.
A Brief History
In 1960 a number of Uxbridge area curlers, who had been curling in Sunderland,
decided that Uxbridge should have a curling club of its own.
Harvey Acton, Murray Taylor and Earl Harman held the first Uxbridge and
District Curling Club meeting in the Uxbridge Fire Hall. Committees were formed to
select a site and to raise money for the building fund.
Elgin Park was first considered as a site but was eventually rejected as it would
reduce the much needed space for the annual Fall Fair. It was decided that as the original
hockey arena on Marietta Street did not have an artificial ice plant it would be most
economical to locate the Curling club next to the arena and share the cost of the ice plant.
Since then the arena has been moved and replaced with the seniors’ centre and the plant
is only used for the curling club.
The first sets of curling stones were purchased in Regina for $70 per pair. The
cost of the building and the club was $89,000. On November 16, 1960 the club opened its
doors to over 180 members.
Club Operations
The Uxbridge Curling Club is owned and operated by its members. The Club has a rich
history of volunteerism. Although we have some key contract positions (Ice Making,
Cleaning, Bartenders) many of the other critical functions are performed by volunteers.
The Board of Directors, consists of 5 people who are elected from the membership for 5
year terms. They manage the long term goals of the club and look after the building fund
accounts.
The club executive committee is also elected from the membership for 3 year terms.
They look after the general day to day running of the club. Positions on the executive
include President, Vice President, Treasurer, Bonspiels, Membership, Match & Rules,
OCA, Bar and Ice & Buildings.
Countless members volunteer their time to perform a wide variety of activities.
3(examples: carpentry, electrical, cleaning, painting, coaching, organizing and assisting
with bonspiels, creating & maintaining the web site, decorating the club for special
events, organizing social functions, assisting with registration, .. the list goes on)
Our club could not survive without volunteers. All club members should consider ways
that they can contribute to the club as a volunteer. We should all acknowledge the
contribution that volunteers make to our club, temper our criticism of volunteer efforts
and offer constructive suggestions to ensure the club gains maximum benefit for our
volunteer contributions.
If you wish to volunteer your services to the club, please approach any member of the
club executive to discuss getting involved. We need assistance in many areas of the club.
Some activities require special skills but most volunteer activities simply require a desire
to help make our club a success.
The Club Roster is published at the end of each October. It contains the names and
phone numbers of all active members. It also contains a list of Special Events, Bonspiels,
the Board of Director and Executive Committee names.
There are two meetings each year that every member should plan to attend. One is in
May, the other in September. The financial status of the club is reviewed as well as
reports from the various committees. It’s a good way to find out what’s going on and
how you can be involved in the future.
There is a Club Communications bulletin board in the upstairs lounge. Check it often.
There are also boards in the halls for Bonspiels, OCA events and a small board near the
entrance to the downstairs lounge for member’s business cards.
Club members receive a discount on facility rentals. Contact the Ice & Buildings person
if you are interested in booking the club.
Club policy is that no alcohol is to be brought into the club. This includes special wines
etc. for rentals. All alcohol must be purchased with the clubs liquor license and served
by club bartenders. Please don’t put our liquor license in jeopardy.
4The Unwritten Rules of Curling
In addition to the official rules of the game which you’ll find on the following pages,
there are rules of etiquette which every conscientious curler should observe. These
unwritten rules make the game much more enjoyable for everyone and help to retain the
historic dignity of the game. Every highly respected curler observes these courtesies.
1. Don’t be late. When you are scheduled to play in a Curling event, be ready to
step on the ice at the designated time. When you are late, remember you are
holding up 7 other curlers. If for an unavoidable reason you will be late or cannot
play, let your Skip know as soon as possible so he/she can take appropriate action.
2. Skips must advise the opposing team of a no-show. As the Skip of your team,
you are responsible for informing the opposing Skip of a player substitution or in
the event the team can’t make a game.
3. Help out new curlers. New curlers are vital to the future of our Curling Club, so
experienced curlers must do all they can to help them feel welcome in our Club.
4. Greet the other team. As soon as you arrive at your sheet, make sure you
introduce yourself to each member of the opposing team with a hearty handshake
and wish them ‘good curling’.
5. Be a team player. It is up to each member of team to support each of his team
mates and to keep the morale of the team high.
6. Keep your distance when the opposing team is in the hack. Don’t gather
around the hack when the opposing team is preparing to make a shot. When your
team is not shooting, stand quietly on the sideline and well outside of the hog line.
7. Don’t get in the way of opposing sweepers. Further to rule #6, give the
opposing sweepers plenty of room to move. This avoids collisions and
unnecessary falls.
8. Always be ready to throw your stone. As soon as your opponent has delivered
his stone, clean your stone and take your position in the hack. This speeds up the
game and keeps players on their toes. Delays detract from the game.
9. Pay attention to every shot in play. Stay alert and watch every stone being
played—even the ones of your opponents’.
10. Always be ready to sweep. As soon as your team mate releases his stone, be
ready to sweep. Don’t be in the position of having to run down the ice to catch up
to a stone to begin sweeping. (Keep in mind that new curlers may not have
mastered the art of sweeping.)
511. Skips! Stand still! An opposing skip standing in the house should keep perfectly
still, with his broom out of sight and avoid doing anything which will disturb the
concentration of the opposing player in the hack.
12. Compliment good play when you see it. Be quick to compliment a good shot by
either side. A curler should never make an adverse remark about a poor shot or
smile at an opponent’s misfortune.
13. Be a good sport. At the end of the game whether you win or lose, give each of
your opponents a hearty handshake, thank them and arrange to meet them in the
lounge for refreshments.
14. Be an even better winner. A common tradition is winner offers to buy the first
round of refreshments and the loser should reciprocate and buy the second.
6The Official Rules of Curling
An official set of Ontario Curling Association Rules is kept at the Club for
reference; however the following are excerpts from those rules to cover the basic
areas of the game.
Delivery of a Stone
Right-handed players shall deliver from the back on the left of the centre line and
left-handed players from the hack on the right of the centre line.
In the delivery of the stone, the handle shall be clearly released from the hand
before the stone reaches the nearer hog line.
Where a player delivers a stone belonging to the opposing team, a stone belonging
to his team shall be put in its place.
Sweeping
Between the tee-lines, a running stone or a stone set in motion by a moving stone,
may be swept by any one or more of the team to which it belongs.
Between the tee-lines no player shall sweep an opponent’s stone.
Behind the tee-line, the players of the delivering side have first privilege of
sweeping their own stone. If their choice is not to sweep, they shall not obstruct or
prevent their opponent from sweeping their stone.
Behind the tee-line, only one player from each team may sweep at any one time.
This may be the Skip or Vice Skip of either team, or the Lead or Second of the
delivering team.
A Skip or Vice Skip shall not sweep an opponent’s stone until it reaches the tee-
line.
The sweeping motion shall be from side to side across the entire surface in front
of a running stone and shall finish to either side of the stone.
The sweeping motion shall not leave any debris in front of a running stone.
When sweeping with a brush, the handle at its junction with the head must be
moved from side to side across the running surface of the stone and shall finish to
either side of the running stone.
7Touched Running Stones
If a running stone is touched by any player or equipment of the team to which it
belongs, the stone shall be allowed to continue until it comes to rest. The opposing
skip shall be informed of the touched stone. Where in the opinion of the opposing
team, removing the touched stone and replacing any stones that were touched would
not be beneficial, the stone shall be placed by the Skip of the opposing team as nearly
as possible to a position where he considers it would have come to rest, and similarly,
reposition any stone or stones the touched stone would have displaced had it
concluded its normal course before it was touched.
If a running stone is touched by any player of the opposing team, that player’s
equipment, or he has caused that stone to be touched, the stone shall be placed where
the Skip of the team to which it belongs, considers it would have come to rest if it had
not been touched.
Free Guard Zone
The free guard zone is the area between the hogline and the tee line, excluding the
house. Any opponent’s rock cannot be removed from play in the Free Guard Zone
until the fifth shot of the end. Either team may remove their own stone from the Free
Guard Zone at any time.
Scoring
A game shall be of such length or duration as is stated in the rule governing the
competition.
A game shall be decided by a majority of points.
A team scores one point for each stone that is nearer the tee than any stone of the
opposing team.
Every stone that is within 6’ (1.83 metres) of the tee is eligible to be counted.
Measurements shall be taken from the tee to the nearest part of the stone.
An end shall be considered as decided when the Skips or Vice Skips in charge of
the house at the time agree upon the score for that end.
8The Uxbridge League Rules
(no exceptions)
League Curling offers a wide variety of play to accommodate all types of curlers.
Men’s, Ladies, and Mixed schedules are available.
Single curlers may sign up for mixed Curling and be assigned a partner. Curlers
may also sign up as a “spare”. This allows a curler to fill in for a player who can’t
make a scheduled game, while still enjoying the sport when other commitments do
not allow full participation. Curlers may also split a schedule with another curler.
Again this allows two curlers the opportunity to share the playing time of one position
on a team.
Curlers, who are not as competitive, may also, enjoy the Monday and Wednesday
Daytime Fun League, where teams are drawn up each week based on the number of
curlers who attend. Practice times become available during the season when sheets
aren’t in use. Don’t forget to encourage the younger set to get involved in Junior
Curling at the local schools
In addition to the Official Rules of Curling and the Unwritten Rules, the following
Uxbridge League rules must be observed:
1. The 7:00 p.m. draw is to start sharply at 7:00 p.m. with the last end not to
start after 8:50 p.m.
2. There will be a penalty of 1 point and 1 end assessed against the late team for the
first 10 minutes and 1 point and 1 end for each additional 5 minute period. The
late team also gives up the last stone in the first end played.
3. To help maintain clean ice, players must enter the ice area by the door closest to
the main entrance. Either door may be used as an exit from the ice area. Curlers
should not unnecessarily exit the ice area during a game.
4. A team must have 2 or more regular players and at least 3 players in total, or must
forfeit the game.
5. On a 3 person team, the Lead and Second must deliver 3 stones each. If both
teams should only have 3 players, Skips may agree to play 6 stones per team.
6. Should a team of 4 players “lend” a player to the opposing team of only 2 players,
the team with 4 is the winner of the league game, and the 2 person team registers
a default.
97. The absence of a regular Skip and/or Vice Skip is an excellent opportunity for any
other members of the team to gain experience as Skip or Vice. In absence of a
regular team member, all other members are required to “move up” with rovers
playing the Lead or Second position, except in the case of a first/second year
curler who may remain in their regular position.
8. If a player withdraws from a league after the schedule has been started, the Match
& Rules Committee will attempt to find a replacement player. If the only
replacement player available is over qualified for the position he/she will play, the
team will be advised that this player will not be eligible to play that position in the
playoffs and standard playoff replacement player rules will apply.
9. The Curling season will be divided into two separate schedules, with new teams
drawn for each schedule.
10. All games are to be 6 or 8-end games and must be played as scheduled, except
where ice time may be required for O.C.A. playdowns or Bonspiels. If both
teams can agree on a new ice time, a game may also be rescheduled for other
reasons. A game may also be conceded earlier than the 8 ends if one team feels
they have no opportunity to win however it is required to play at least six ends.
11. Vices are to record the scores as follows:
Win - 3 points
Tie - 2 points
Loss - 1 point
Default- 0 points
Bye - 2 points
12. As in O.C.A rules, only the Skip and the Vice Skip are allowed in the house.
13. New curlers should be encouraged to ask questions and Skips and Vices be
receptive to helping new curlers during a game, without delaying the game.
14. In mixed curling leagues, the teams must ensure that the players alternate
positions by gender (eg. Man, Woman, Man, Woman or Woman, Man, Woman,
Man) whenever numbers permit.
10League Playoffs
1. All games shall be 8 ends, but may be conceded at any time if a team feels they
have no chance to win.
2. A tie will be broken by the playing of a full end, with last stone going to the team
who did not count the last point.
3. Games are played when scheduled, unless both teams can agree on a new time as
determined by the Match and Rules committee.
4. Any team member who is not able to make a scheduled play-off game must notify
a Match and Rules representative as quickly as possible. The Match and Rules
committee will assign replacement players to teams that lack four players.
5. Once a replacement player is picked he/she will continue to play until the regular
player returns to the team. If an assigned replacement player is unable to
participate in subsequent games, the Match and Rules committee will assign a
new replacement player.
6. A replacement player should be a regular league player whose team is not
currently playing in the playoffs. He/She should have regularly played the
position they are filling or a lower position. In the first playoff game, replacement
players shall be selected from the highest ranking team eliminated from the
playoffs. If that player is not available, the player from the second highest
ranking team eliminated from the playoffs shall be selected. This method shall be
followed until all eliminated teams have been exhausted. Once the first playoff
game has been played, replacement players shall be selected from the team
defeated by the team requiring a replacement player. If no suitable league player
is available to serve as a replacement player, registered spares for the league shall
be used. It is not always possible to enforce this rule, due to time limitations
when the Match and Rules committee is looking for Rovers.
11Duties of Players
Curling depends upon the combined efforts of all four curlers on a team. The
contribution of each curler is equally important. It is vital that each team member
knows his position’s responsibilities, enjoys his role and respects other curlers
positions. The following is an explanation of each position:
Lead
The lead delivers the first two stones for their team in each end. A lead is usually
required to make consistent “draw” shots and helps determine the draw weight of the
ice. The Lead sweeps stones thrown by all other team members.
Second
The second delivers the second set of stones for their team each end. A combination
of “draw” and “take-out” shots are important for the Second to be an effective curler.
The second sweeps stones thrown by all other players.
Vice
The Vice delivers the third set of stones each end. They are often the best shooter on
the team in competitive play. A Vice sweeps stones delivered by the lead and second
and may sweep his teams stones in the House. A Vice may also sweep the
oppositions stones once they cross the tee-line in the house. A Vice assists the Skip
in direction of a game and is in control of the house when the Skip delivers his/her
stones. The Vice also plays a key role by providing advice and help to new curlers on
the team. The Vice participates in the coin toss at the start of the game to determine
which team will have final stone. The Vice of each team determined which stones
count and then hangs the score count on the score-board. They must also record wins
and losses on league schedules.
Skip
The Skip delivers final stones in each end of play and directs all shots made by other
players on the team. As the director of the game, a Skip is often the most experienced
curler in league play and should make every effort to help his team members learn
about the game and traditions of curling.
A Skip generally sweeps only in the house but may come out of the house to assist
team members in trying to sweep a stone into the house. He may sweep both his
team’s stones and those of his opposition once they are past the tee-line. A Skip will
usually call each team member at the start of the schedule to advise them of the time
of their first game. A Skip should also organize his team for play-off times as
required.
12A Word About Equipment
Each player on a team should have their own broom. It is necessary for sweeping and
it assists in delivery of a stone. It is important to use a broom in good condition for
maximum effect. Keep the head of the broom up off the carpeted surfaces as each
end of the ice to avoid picking up debris which could be transferred to the ice.
Curling shoes are not a requirement, but will greatly assist the curler in moving about
on the ice during delivery and sweeping. Curling shoes are also designed for use in
cold weather and will provide comfort and warmth. A slider on a shoe and a gripper
on the other shoe provide the necessary mechanism to push and slide on the ice. A
slider can be purchased in a strap on version and can be used with a running shoe or
other appropriate footwear. Street shoes must never be worn on the ice surface.
Curling shoes, or other shoes used for curling should be protected when worn off the
ice to prevent scratching of the sliding surface. Damage to the slider will impede play
and can damage the ice. Grippers tend to wear out and may need to be replaced if
they leave debris on the ice.
Gloves are usually worn for warmth and protection when sweeping. Many styles are
available, with leather being the most popular due to its grip and durability. Gloves
designed specifically for curling are available and usually provide the best results.
Warm, loose clothing is necessary when you play the game of curling on a frozen ice
surface. Depending on the amount of sweeping in a game, a player can become
quite warm and therefore, layering of clothing is recommended. Players are usually
most comfortable in stretch pants. All curling equipment is available for purchase at
the Uxbridge Curling Club. Please see an executive member if you require
equipment.
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