League Rules

• Ideal clothing is warm and lets you move. Layering is a good idea.

• If you don’t have curling shoes, bring CLEAN running shoes.

  • Shoes should be put on just before entering the rink. Use the rotating brush outside the door and the sticky strip inside the door to ensure that they’re as clean as possible. Dirt/salt/debris will ruin the ice

• If you don’t have your own curling broom, plenty are available at the Sportsplex.

  • Clean your broom at regular intervals using the brush near the garbage pails at either end of the ice

• We have league sliders to share. You only need to use a slider while you throw a rock. Please try not to mix our sliders up with the Sportsplex’s.

  • When you’re wearing a slider, remember: your stickiest foot should always be the first on and the last off the ice!

• For curlers with mobility issues, delivery sticks are available at Sportsplex - these look like brooms with an attachment that “grabs” the handle of the rock, and allow you to remain standing while you deliver the rock.

• Safety first! 

  • Watch out for other curlers, rocks (moving or stationary), and any other obstacles when you’re on the ice. 

  • Wear a helmet if you wish.

  • No running! 

• Play begins at 7:15pm sharp!

• Games are 4 ends long. (Teams may play a longer game if they agree ahead of time.)

• The rink’s buzzer will sound at 9:00 - this is the signal to finish the end you’re playing. The game will finish there, regardless of how many ends have been completed. 

• If your game has ended but the buzzer hasn’t sounded, feel free to stay out on the ice and practice!

• If teams are tied at the conclusion of 4 ends, the outcome will be decided by a shootout. 

• It should take 20 minutes at most to play an end (15 minutes is ideal). 

• Avoid whole-team meetings - only the skip and vice should be in the house to strategize at any given time.

• No game may end in a tie. If tied through 4 ends, proceed to a shootout.

• Teams throw one rock each until a team scores. No player can throw twice until every other player on the team has shot. You can shoot in any order.

• No takeouts - leave a rock in place unless it has to be moved for an incoming shot. If it's moved and teams can't agree on which shot was closer, the shootout continues.

  • Examples:

    • Skip A scores, Skip B misses - A wins

    • Skip A misses, Skip B misses - next round. Vice A misses, Lead B scores - B wins

    • Skip A scores, Skip B scores - closest to the button wins

• This rule exists at some levels of curling to allow teams to set up guard stones as part of an offensive strategy. It states that for the first few shots in an end (typically 3 or 5), no guards can be taken out. 

• The SBCA will not use this rule for the 2025-26 season.

• When a rock is thrown, any number of players from that team may sweep it. 

• You may sweep your own team’s rocks at any time, even if it's the other team's turn (e.g. if the other team accidentally hits it and you want to sweep it into the house).

• You may only sweep the other team’s rock below the tee line. 

  • Only one player may sweep the other team’s rocks (all other players on the non-throwing team should be outside of the end zone).

• When a rock is thrown, if any player on the thrower’s team touches it while it is in motion (e.g. with a broom or their foot), the rock is burnt and must immediately be removed from play. 

• Curling depends on the honour system, and teams are expected to self-police burnt rocks. 

• If a rock that is in play (but is not the thrown rock) is accidentally touched/moved by either team, it stays in play and should be returned to its original position. Both teams should try to agree on where the rock’s original position was. Teams’ vices have the final say.

HOGGING THE ROCK

• When a curler is delivering a rock, they must let go of it before they reach the near hog line (the thick line). If they touch the rock as it crosses the hog line, they have “hogged the rock” and it must be stopped and removed from play. 

• If a shot does not make it fully across the far hog line, this is also “hogging the rock,” and it must be removed from play. (Most curling clubs have a cowbell that the other team can ring when this happens, to embarrass the shooter. I’m not kidding.)

• EXCEPTION: if a thrown rock makes contact with a rock already in play (ie. a guard), and does not fully cross the hog line as a result, it is considered to be in play and must be left in place. The same applies to any subsequent shots that make contact with a stone in play that has not crossed the hog line. 

SIDELINES

• The moment a rock touches the sideline, it is out of play and must be removed immediately, even if it is in motion. (Consider that the sideline is standing in for a wall.) 

BACK LINE

• A rock must fully cross the back line in order to be removed from play.

If teams are uncertain whether a rock should be removed from play, the vice/third on each team will discuss and decide together. No other player’s opinion should be taken into account, and all other players should give the vices space while they decide. 

PLAYER ABSENCES

• As early as possible, notify your team contact (likely your skip/captain) that you will miss a game. Your team contact will notify the league.

• When a player opening arises, notifications will go out to players on their bye week as well as any substitutes registered with the league. 

• Priority will be given to teams with two or more absent players.

• When a sub is playing, they must play the lead position (i.e. they will deliver their rocks first). 

• If you know an outside player who may want to sub, have them contact Taylor in order to join the league. (All potential subs must register with the league in order to be eligible.)

DEALING WITH ABSENCES

• Teams must have at least 3 players in order to play. If a team has fewer than 3 players, their opponents may accept their forfeit, OR lend them a player in order to complete the game as scheduled.

  • If a team lends a player to their opponent in order to play, the end result still stands!

• When a team has three players, two players will need to throw three rocks each end while the remaining player throws two. Teams must rotate this responsibility (ie. the team’s best shooter can’t throw three rocks in every single end; they must take turns).

• If both teams have three players, they may choose to throw six rocks per end instead of eight; i.e. each player throws two rocks. (Because this is much faster, teams may want to play six ends as a result.)

• Not your team’s turn to throw? Move to the side of the sheet to make room, and stay between the hog lines. (If it’s your turn to throw for your team, step off the ice behind the hack.)

• When it’s your turn to throw, get ready to throw your rock before the prior shot has landed. Bring your rock to the hack, clean it off, and get ready to deliver!

• After you’ve thrown your rock (or if you fall down), stand up as quickly as possible - don’t let any body parts (knees, hands, butts) remain on the ice. Body heat will melt the pebbled ice quickly!

• Once the game ends, winners buy the first round of drinks!