Speed of Play Tips

Speed of Play Tips

Ready, Set, Curl - Tips for your Speed of Play

• As soon as your opponent has released the rock, get down and set up your shot. Clean your rock and get your pre-shot routine done while your opposition rock glides to a halt. This means that once your skip has put his/her broom down you can square up and go. Saving 15 seconds every shot is 4 minutes an end, and that is the difference between six and eight ends in two hours!
• Lead players should be ready to play as soon as the ice is cleared, and should NOT become involved in clearing the stones from the previous end. Seek out your number one rock and get it set up while everyone else finishes clearing the house.
• Once the final rock has come to a stop in an end, the seconds and thirds can start to clear away any and all rocks which are not affecting scoring.  (Do not handle the rock use your feet and broom….Covid 19 Protocol).
• Other than at the end of the game, rocks do not need to be put away in order (this one is hard for many people to let go of). Simply putting the rocks neatly in the corners and not worrying about number order saves a lot of time. Throwers – know your rock number!!
• Skips may make the calls, but everyone can think ahead on the shots. The further skips think ahead for strategy, the quicker decisions can be made. This is the single largest time eater on the ice. Save time on the easier decisions so you can think over the difficult ones. As the other players throw, you can mentally prep and line up your shot even before your skip has placed his broom down.

Try and focus on one or all of the points above and it will quickly become habit. Using your time wisely on the ice can make everyone's time more enjoyable.