Curling has always been known for the prevalence of good sportsmanship and the friendly courteous rivalry that exists on the ice. The courtesies suggested are practised by curlers who understand the true spirit and tradition of the "roaring game."
Speed of Play and Etiquette Posters
- Every curling game begins with a hearty handshake of friendship and goodwill to both team mates and opponents.
- Be on time. Seven other people will be depending on you.
- Clean your shoes before stepping onto the ice. Clean your brush regularly during the game. It is everyone's responsibility to keep the sheet of ice clean. However, you may not remove any foreign object from beneath a moving stone or from one that has come to rest.
- Be ready to throw your stone immediately after your opponent’s stone has been delivered. Make sure that you cleaned your stone first.
- In no way should you disturb a player in the hack or during delivery or until he or she watches the stone come to a stop. You should stand still on the sideline and between the hog lines when your opponent is delivering a stone, even if you are the next shooter. Do not stand at the back of the hack - after you shoot, head to the hogline to wait until your opponent releases the rock, then head in to get your rock and get set up in the hack.
- Stay out of the way of opposing sweepers.
- Sweepers should be on the sidelines, alert and ready to sweep immediately, if called upon. They should stay with the stone all the way to the house, sweeping or not. Once the rock has stopped move to the sideline and walk back. Do not block the centre of the ice, as the other skip and shooter are visually communicating to each other and you will block their view of each other.
- When in the house, skips and thirds should keep their broom heads off the ground and stand still while opponents are throwing.
- No one should deliberately delay the game.
- If you have personally touched (fouled or burned) a moving stone, you should be the first one to so declare.
- If you have personally moved a stationary stone, say so immediately so that it may be replaced (put into original position) to the satisfaction of the opposing skip.
- Congratulate opposing players, as well as members of your own rink, when they have made a good shot. Never, by word or deed, be guilty of any action that would embarrass a player who has missed a shot.
- Every curling game ends with a hearty handshake of friendship and goodwill to both team mates and opponents.
