This document contains the wordings for Teams from the General Rules of Curling from Curling Canada. The document has also been marked up with highlighted wordings that specify how London Curling Club will deviate from those rules. This document has been reviewed by the Conveners of LCC’s Competitive Leagues for the 2024/2025 Season.
This LCC policy is only relevant to Competitive Leagues (Leagues that have the opportunity to enter the Club Playoffs to earn the Club Championship). All other leagues can adopt whatever Sparing policy they find suitable.
Teams
(1) A team is composed of four players. LCC allows 1 alternate player per team (i.e. five-person team)
(2) Each player delivers two stones in consecutive order in each end while alternating with an opponent.
(3) Unless otherwise specified in the special rules of the competition:
(a) The teams opposing each other in a game shall toss a coin to determine which team delivers the first stone in the first end. The winner of the toss has the choice between playing the first or second stone of the end.
(b) The team that plays the first stone of the end has choice of handle colour.
(c) In the second and subsequent ends, the winner of the preceding end shall play the first stone of the end.
(d) If an end is blanked (no score), the team delivering the first stone in the blanked end, shall deliver first in the next end.
(4) The delivery rotation declared by a team prior to the start of a game shall be followed throughout that game except as provided for in Rule 5(5), 5(6) or 5(7).
(5) Unless otherwise specified in the special rules of the competition:
(a) A team shall include a minimum of two (2) players from the original team and a substitute player(s). Plural indicates that 2 spares are allowed. For league play, LCC allows 2 spares. For the Club Championship LCC allows only 1 spare.
(b) A substitute player shall be:
i) A team’s designated alternate;
ii) A player from a players’ pool, or; For league play, LCC allows spares to be drawn from any LCC member. Each league has a list of spares that are LCC members. For the Club Championship, LCC allows 1 spare from Enrolled Players of the SAME LEAGUE ONLY (spares are not paid league players).
iii) Other eligible player as provided for in the rules of the competition.
(c) A team may play with three (3) players with the first two (2) players each delivering three (3) consecutive stones in each end. Under no circumstance may a team play with fewer than three (3) players delivering stones.
(d) A substitute player who joins a team prior to the start of a game may deliver stones in any position of the delivery rotation of the team. The team shall declare their delivery rotation at this time. Spares at LCC can call the game. Spares can only throw lead rocks (rocks 1 and 2) or second rocks (rocks 3 and 4). In the event of a 3 person team, spare must throw rocks 1, 2 and 3.
(e) A substitute player who joins a team between ends may deliver stones in any position of the delivery rotation of their team. The team may re-declare their delivery rotation at this time. lead or second rocks only
(f) During an end in play, if a player(s) is unable to complete the delivery rotation declared by the team at the start of the game, the team may activate a substitute player(s) subject to:
(i) A substitute player may only enter a game during an end if they deliver a stone within that end.
(ii) A substitute player(s) who enters a game during an end shall replace the sidelined player(s) in the team’s delivery rotation for that end. lead or second rocks only
(iii) At the beginning of the next end, the substitute player may deliver stones in any position of the delivery rotation of their team. lead or second rocks only
(iv) The replaced team member may not return to the game.
(6) A team that commences a game with three (3) players and expects the fourth player to join the team, the fourth player may enter an end already in progress providing they are able to deliver a stone within the team’s established delivery rotation. Prior to the next end, the team may re-establish the delivery rotation.
(7)
(a) If a player delivers their first stone of the end and is unable to deliver their second stone of the end and the rules of the competition allow the team to continue play with three players and the team chooses to play with three players, the following procedures shall be followed:
(i) If the lead player, the second player shall deliver the stone;
(ii) If the second player, the lead player shall deliver the stone;
(iii) If the third player, the second player shall deliver the stone;
(iv) If the fourth player, the third player shall deliver the stone.
(b) If a player is unable to deliver both their stones during an end and the rules of the competition allow the team to continue with three players and the team chooses to play with three (3) players, the following procedures shall be followed for the end in progress:
(i) If the lead player, the second player shall deliver both of the lead player’s stones and one of the second player’s stones, and the third player shall deliver one of the second player’s stones and both of the third player’s stones.
(ii) If the second player, the lead player shall deliver the first of the second player’s stones, and the third player shall deliver the second of the second player’s stones and both of the third player’s stones.
(iii) If the third player, the lead player shall deliver the first of the third stones and the second player shall deliver the second of the third player’s stones.
(iv) If the fourth player, the second delivers the fourth’s first stone and the third delivers the fourth’s second stone.
Penalty: If a team declares its own violation of Rule 5(5), 5(6), or 5(7), all stones shall be allowed to come to rest before any action is taken. At this time, the non-offending team may allow the play to stand or remove the stone just delivered from play and replace all affected stones as close as possible to their original positions.
