Delivering Curling Stones as a Team

Curling players work together to deliver their stones to the target. The skip makes the call, the curler hurls the rock, and the sweepers guide the stone to the target. Every member of the team unites, as they move the stone down the lane to the house, and hope to win the points for the end.

With a broom in one hand, and a curling stone held firmly by the handle in the other, a player gets into position to hurl his stone down the lane. He secures one foot firmly on the hack for stability. Then he dives forward, as if he were bowling. His goal is to thrust the stone down the ice, according to the directions of his team captain.

Mechanics

The right handed player holds the stone firmly in his right hand by the handle. His right foot stretches back, behind him, and is pressed against the hack. The hack is a brick, usually made of rubber that has been frozen in the ice. As he pushes off from the hack, his left knee is raised to his chest in a forward lunge. He then raises the stone, moving his arm forward. As he does this, the player twists his wrist to the right or left, according to the direction of the skip. In a swift motion, he carefully releases the stone, before sliding too far up the lane. Players using their left hand deliver the stone in the opposite manner.

The Role of Skip

The skip, or team captain, chooses the desired target for the player throwing the stone. He stands at the opposite end of the lane, and uses a broom to direct the shots. Keeping in mind that the stones turn and curve in a curling fashion when they land on the ice, the skip determines the best strategy to get the stones to the intended target.

He places a broom firmly on the spot where he wants the stone to land. As he does this, he calls the shot. He may tell the curler to make a draw shot, and aim directly for the spot he has targeted. The skip could also choose a take-out shot, where the curler is expected to deliver the stone, while removing an opponent's stone from the playing area. A third alternative is to call a guard shot. Guard shots are played to protect stones already in play.

The other role of the skip is to decide when to use sweepers. As the stone glides down the ice, it curves from the bumps that are an intended part of the playing surface. The skip will direct the sweepers to clear the ice in front of the stones with their brooms. Because of his vantage point, he is able to see if the stones need to move in a certain direction. His role is to adequately communicate this to the sweepers.

The Role of Sweepers

The goal of sweepers is to help deliver the thrown stone as close to the target as possible. They are called into play after the curler has thrown the stone. If the skip gives the command, "sweep" or "yes," the other 2 players on the team rush onto the ice. They begin frantically sweeping across the front of the stone to smooth out the ice. As they do this, the skip continues giving commands like, hurry, hurry hard, or clean. These instructions tell the sweepers what they need to do to deliver the stone to the house which is the target.

Delivering a curling stone takes team effort and cooperation. The curler who throws the stone must pay attention to the signals of the skip. He needs to be aware of team strategy so that he can deliver the stone with the correct twist and momentum. The sweepers must work quickly, listening to the commands of the skip, and cooperating with each other to help the stone reach its target. The skip determines how to get each stone delivered to the house, sharing his strategy with his fellow teammates.