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CURLING TERMS


Bonspiel
Curling tournament

Broom
The instrument used to sweep the ice.

Curl
A twist of the stone handle upon release makes the stone curl, or curve, as it travels down the ice.

Delivery
The body motion of a curler as the rock is being shot.

Draw
A rock that stops in front of or in the house.

End
Similar to a baseball inning. One end is complete when all 16 rocks (eight for each team), have been thrown to one end. A game usually has 8 ends. Championship games are 10 ends. After each end the score is posted.

Freeze
A draw that finishes in front of and next to another rock.

Guard
A rock between the hog line and the house used to prevent the opposition from hitting a rock in the house.

Hack
A rubber foot hold from which curlers deliver the rock.  It is about 125 feet from the house.

Hammer
The last rock of each end.

Heavy ice
When the ice is "slow" and the rocks have to be thrown harder.

Hog lines
Located 21 feet from each tee.  A rock must be released before the near hog line, and travel beyond the far hog line, or it is removed from play.

House
The scoring area, 12 feet in diameter, with concentric circles of four and eitht feet in diameter inside.

Hurry
A command shouted by the skip or the shooter to tell the sweepers to sweep.

Keen ice
When the ice is "fast" and less momentum is needed to get the rock to the desired target.

Lead
The player who delivers the first 2 rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent's lead.

Narrow
A rock delivered inside the intended line of delivery.

Raise
A draw that raises, or moves, another rock into the house.

Rink
A curling team, which consists of four players: the skip, third(or vice skip), second, and lead.
All players are involved in every shot, with one shooting, two sweeping, and one calling strategy.  Two rinks play against each other.

Rocks
Also known as stones, curling rocks are made of rare, dense, and polished granite quarried only on Ailsa Craig, an island off Scotland's coast.  Each rock weighs about 42 pounds.

Scoring
Only one rink scores per end, that being the rink with the rock closest to the center of the house.  Points are awarded for each rock closer to the center than the opponent's.  The maximum number of points that can be scored per end is eight, which is very rare.  Typically one to three points are scored per end.  The team with the highest total at the games's end is the winner.

Second
The player who delivers the second two rocks of each end for his/her team, alternating with the opponent's second.

Sheet
The 146 foot long ice playing area.  The sheet's design allows play in both directions.

Skip
The player who holds the broom as a target for shots by the other three players.  Skips are also the team strategists and must study, or read the ice: anticipate the amount of curl, and then call the shots.  Skips usually throw the last two rocks of each end.

Slider
Worn over the shoe on the sliding foot in the delivery of a stone to allow for a long, smooth motion and follow through.  Specifically-made curling shoes have sliders built in.

Straight ice
When ice conditions do not allow the stones to curl much.

Sweeping
Players sweep to make the rock travel farther or to keep it from curling more than desired.  Good sweepers can increase the distance a stone travels by as much as 15 feet.  Sweeping creates a thin film of water under the rock, allowing it to glide easier.  Two players are ready to sweep each shot.

Swingy ice
When the ice conditions cause stones to curl greatly.

Take out
A type of shot that removes another rock from play.

Tee
The center of the house, also known as the button.

Third
The player who delivers the third two rocks of each end, alternating with the opponent's third.  Also known as the vice skip, this player holds the broom, or target, when the skip shoots, and also helps the skip with game strategy.

Wide
A rock delivered outside the target line.

Bottle skip (an unpublished term)
The fifth person on the team or alternate who is in charge of refreshments for the rest of the team until he/she is called upon to curl for someone who is injured or unable to play.