Curling Glossary

Rink: The building where curling takes place.

Rink: Four players who form a team.

Rink: The area of ice that a game is played on.

Sheet: The area of ice used for Curling

Hack: A hole cut in the ice or a wooden block covered with rubber to provide foot traction when delivering a stone.

Team: Four players.

Lead: The first player who throws first and second stones. It is usual for the Lead to toss a coin to decide which team plays first. The Lead who wins the toss has the option and it is usual for him to invite the opposition to play first so that his side will retain the last stone of the end which is always an advantage.

Second: Plays third and fourth stones for the side and also keeps the score card and looks after the score board.

Third: Plays fifth and sixth stones and usually takes over from the skip when it is the skips turn to play.

Skip: Plays seventh and eighth stones and has full control and direction of the team. The skip may play in any position he may care to choose but the rotation of play during the first end must be observed throughout the game. It is generally accepted that the skip shall play last and that the third player shall act on his behalf when it is the skips turn to play.

House: The target area made up of circles which are 12 feet, 8 feet, 4 feet and 1 foot in diameter.

Hog-line: A line drawn across the rink 33 feet from the hack. A delivered stone must be released from the hand before it reaches the near hog-line and it must clear the far hog-line to be in play otherwise it must be removed from the ice, unless it has struck another stone which was in play then it can remain on the ice and be considered in play.

Tee-line: A line drawn parallel to the Hog-line through the centre of each house.The far Tee-line is located 26 feet from the delivery hack, and the near Tee-line is 12 feet from the delivery hack. A stone may be replayed if in the act of delivery it has not reached the near Tee-line. Only skips can sweep behind the Tee-line. End: After all 16 stones have been played and the skips have agreed the score an end has been completed.

Bonspiel: A curling competition.

Draw or Curl; The amount a stone curves while sliding along the ice.

Draw Shot: A shot played with enough momentum to reach the house.

In Turn: Make the stone rotate clockwise.

Out Turn: Make the stone rotate anti-clockwise.A draw shot should only rotate two and a quarter turns.

Take-out: A stone delivered with enough speed to knock out an opponent's stone.

Weight: The speed of the stone.

Burned Stone: A running stone which has been touched by a member of the throwing side.

Skips Calls

In Turn: Indicated by the Skip holding out his right hand

Out Turn: Indicated by the Skip holding out his left hand.

Draw: Indicated by the Skip giving the ice a tap with his brush where he wants the stone to come to rest.

Take-out: Indicated by the Skip tapping the top of the stone he wants removed with his brush.

Guard: Indicated by the Skip holding his brush shoulder-high and parallel to the ice.

Freeze: A played stone coming to rest touching another stone.

Promote/Raise: A stone played to hit another to move it forward to the desired spot.

In Wick: To strike the inside of another stone and roll the striking stone in towards the centre.

Out Wick: To strike the outside of another stone and roll the struck stone in towards the centre.

Tee-high: Indicated by the Skip holding the brush perpendicular with the right hand across the top forming a 'T'.

Recognition of stones in play: For an opponent's stone the Skip will rest his brush on top of the stone and point outwards with his hand.For his own stone he will point inwards towards his chest.

Variation of length: The Skip will point to the back line if he wants the stone played a little faster.He will point to the hack if he wants it played faster still and he will point to the barrier if a very fast stone is required.