Curling Season Starts Monday October 7 / Safety Tips and Reminders

Safety Tips

YOUR SAFETY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

• Warm up before the game. Stretching and warming up muscles before going out on the ice can help prevent injury.
• Never use street shoes. Always change your street shoes to appropriate curling shoes. It is highly recommended that you wear a gripper on your sliding foot when sweeping for more stability.
• Step onto the ice gripper foot first. Never use your slider foot to step onto the ice.
• Always be careful when stepping off the ice. Always put your slider foot up first.
• Never stop a rock with your hand. Your fingers can be crushed, especially if the rock hits another rock while you’re trying to stop it.
• Never use your foot to stop a fast-moving rock. You could lose your balance and fall. Use your broom to stop a rock.
• Watch for stray rocks and prevent rocks from going onto another sheet.
• Keep the rocks on the ice at all times. Slide the rocks, never lift them.
• Keep your feet on the ice. Walk or slide, never hop or run.
• If you can’t keep up with a fast-moving rock while sweeping, stop and step aside to allow your fellow sweeper to continue.
• Never go onto the ice when your balance is impaired from sickness, excessive alcohol, etc.
• Always keep walkways ‘clear’ of equipment – place unused brooms, grippers, etc., as far away from the ice as possible.

Other Reminders

• Stand up immediately. Body heat causes depressions in the ice which can negatively affect the path of curling stones.

• Curling Canada’s Rules of Curling for General Play can be downloaded in PDF format at https://www.curling.ca/about-the-sport-of-curling/getting-started-in-curling/rules-of-curling-for-general-play/

1. Please be ready to start your games on time.
2. When the other team has thrown their rock immediately get in the hack and prepare to throw your rock. You should be ready before the opposing rock that your opponent has just thrown crosses the far hog line.