Welcome, Skips!

Thank you for taking on a leadership role as a skip this season. Your Executive will be reaching out to you directly on occasion to help disseminate information and ensure we are all “singing from the same songbook”. Below you’ll find some info, updates, and reminders about spare rules, burned rocks, and broom heads. 

Please be sure to encourage your team to be aware of and follow the rules to ensure smooth and effective game play. Good curling!

Spare Fees

  • Any non-member can spare up to 2 times per half session (i.e. before and after Christmas break) at no cost. Each additional game per half session is $20 per game (up to a max of $180), and should be paid to any member of the executive prior to the start of the game.
  • Skips should coordinate non-member spares with the opposing team skip prior to the start of the game.
  • The spare list should be used as often as possible to find spares. The spare list is on the Riverdale website: https://toronto.pridecurl.ca/riverdale/
  • Please ensure that spares from outside the league have signed a waiver before they play. There is a link to the waiver on the home page if you need it.

Start Time Rules (Canadian Curling Association Standard)

If a team does not commence play at the designated time (barring overruns from previous draws):

  • If the delay of the start of play is 1-15 minutes, then the non-offending team receives one (1) point and will have last stone in the first end of actual play. One (1) end is considered completed;
  • If the delay of the start of play is 16-30 minutes, then the non-offending team receives one (1) additional point and will have last stone in the first end of actual play. Two (2) ends are considered completed;
  • If play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending team is declared winner by forfeit. The final score shall be recorded as ‘W’ and ‘L’ (win – loss).

Bell Rule

  • After 1 hour and 35 minutes of play, the “bell” is considered rung. This is true regardless of whether the bell is (physically) rung or not.
  • Once 1 hour and 35 minutes have elapsed, teams are allowed to complete the end they are on and then complete one more end. Following that end, the game will be over.
  • The end is considered completed if the last rock of an end has left the last thrower’s hand before the bell is rung.
  • This rule is crucial to ensure that the draw stays on schedule. It is especially crucial now that there is time for ice maintenance between draws 3 and 4. 
  • If you are unclear on the bell rule, please speak to a member of the Executive.

Spare Rules

  • Spare Rules Diagram: https://toronto.pridecurl.ca/riverdale/riverdale-spare-rules-diagram/
  • Fifth players: can play any position on your team, but must spare at the lead position when playing on other teams.  
  • If you are getting a spare, you should inform the skip of the opposing team as a courtesy before starting the game.
  • Rotating teams:  all members that rotate positions are considered to be the highest position in the rotation when being considered for sparing on another team; when replacing a rotating member, use the official team list and spare chart to consider an appropriate replacement, and have the spare play the official position as listed.

Broom Rule

You can find the specifications for broom heads in our orientation guide here: https://toronto.pridecurl.ca/members/Riverdale_Orientation_Guide.pdf, and here is the section quoted from our orientation guide:

“Hairbrushes and Hardline brooms with their plastic inserts cannot be used for sweeping. If you wish to use a Hardline broom for sweeping, the plastic insert must be removed. You may be challenged by the opposing team to prove that you have done so before or during the course of play. Hairbrushes may be used for sliding purposes only.”

Burned Rock Rules

  • https://www.curling.ca/about-the-sport-of-curling/getting-started-in-curling/rules-of-curling-for-general-play/   
  • (3) Between the tee line at the delivering end and the hog line at the playing end:
    • (a) If a moving stone is touched or is caused to be touched by the team to which it belongs or by its equipment, the touched stone is removed from play immediately by that team.
    • (b) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched by the opposition or by their equipment or is affected by an external force:
      • (i) If the stone was the delivered stone, it is re-delivered;
      • (ii) If the stone was not the delivered stone, it is placed where the team to which it belongs reasonably considers it would have come to rest had it not been touched.
  • (4) Inside the hog line at the playing end:
    • (a) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the team to which it belongs, or by its equipment, all stones are allowed to come to rest, after which the non-offending team has the option to:
      • (i) Remove the touched stone and replace all stones that were displaced after the infraction to their original positions, or;
      • (ii) Leave all stones where they came to rest, or;
      • (iii) Place all stones where it reasonably considers the stones would have come to rest had the moving stone not been touched.
    • (b) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by the opposition or by their equipment, all stones are allowed to come to rest, after which the non-offending team places the stones where it reasonably considers the stones would have come to rest had the moving stone not been touched.
    • (c) If a moving stone is touched, or is caused to be touched, by an external force, all stones are allowed to come to rest and then placed where they would have come to rest if the incident had not occurred. If the teams cannot agree, the stone is redelivered after all displaced stones have been replaced to their original positions.
    • (d) If a moving stone is touched by a stone deflecting off the sheet dividers, the non-delivering team shall place the stone where it reasonably considers the stone would have come to rest had the moving stone not been touched.

If you have any questions, you can reach out to any member of the Executive. We’ll also have a table for the first day of curling with further information about the league and to welcome curlers back for the new season.  

Thank you, and good curling!