Curling Rental Pre-Read

Wikipedia – Curling:

Curling is a team game with similarities to bowling and shuffleboard, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice. Teams take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the target (called the house). Two sweepers with brooms accompany each rock and use timing equipment and their best judgment, along with direction from their teammates, to help direct the stones to their resting place. The complex nature of stone placement and shot selection has led some to refer to curling as "chess on ice."

Origin and history:

• The game of curling is thought to have been invented in late medieval Scotland, with the first written reference to a contest using stones on ice coming from the records of Paisley Abbey, Renfrewshire, in February 1541.

• The first curling club in the United States was organized in 1830 only thirty miles from Detroit, at Orchard Lake, Michigan. The Detroit Curling Club was started back in 1840 when Michigan only had a population of 212,000 and had only been in the Union for three years. Olympic curling:

• Curling has been an official sport in the Winter Olympic Games since the 1998 Winter Olympics. In February 2006, the International Olympic Committee retroactively decided that the curling competition from the 1924 Winter Olympics (originally called Semaine des Sports d'Hiver, or International Winter Sports Week) would be considered official Olympic events and no longer be considered demonstration events. A demonstration tournament was also held during the 1932 Winter Olympic Games between four teams from Canada and four teams from the United States, with Canada winning 12 games to 4. Curling was also a demonstration sport at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

Playing Surface:

• The curling sheet, by World Curling Federation standards, is an area of ice 146 to 150 feet (45 to 46 m) in length by 14 feet 6 inches (4.42 m) to 16 feet 5 inches (5.00 m) in width, carefully prepared to be as close to level as possible. A key part of the preparation of the playing surface is the spraying of water droplets, called "pebble," onto the level ice. Due to the friction between the stone and pebble, the stone turns to the inside or outside, causing the stone to "curl."

• It takes a curling club volunteer about 60 minutes to prepare the ice for each league evening or rental event.

Rental Format

What I need to prepare for the Rental

· Assemble at the Midland Curling Centre 15 minutes prior to the start of the event (located on the Midland Community Center campus). · Introduction of Coaches · Table Top Overview of (15 minutes): o Curling, Equipment, Delivery, Safety, Etiquette · On Ice Practice (30 to 45 minutes) · Demonstrate/Practice Basic Delivery · Demonstrate/Practice Swiping · Basics of the game · Scoring · Curl (~ 1 hour) o Play 3 or 4 ends. · Socialize after curling in the club house.

· BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN !!!! · Wear loose fitting, warm clothing, gloves, dress in layers, although you will be indoors, the temperature in the rink is 38F, dress for an outdoor activity. · BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN !!!! · Bring a pair of gym shoes to change into, the shoes should have clean, soft soles that you feel will give you grip/traction on ice. · BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN !!!! · Optional volleyball knee pads, this will save a few bumps on the knee that might be experienced during the delivery. · BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN !!!! · All necessary equipment will be supplied at the curling club. · BE PREPARED TO HAVE FUN !!!!