Curling 101��Week 5!!�The Grand Finale!

Week 5 Agenda�

• 1. Review reading ice
• 2. Strategy discussion
• 3. Warming up
• 4. To the ice!

Review Reading Ice

• Always watch how stones move, both teams
• On target?
• How much curl? Break point?
• Consistent curl? �(curl early? curl late?)
• Ice will change during game �- usually gets faster
• Watch pairs of rocks for inconsistencies

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Strategy Concepts

• Overall game strategy, end strategy, shot strategy
• Useful at club level as well as high performance
• Play to your team’s strengths
• Usually play the easiest shot which does the job
• Force opponent to play shots & turns they don’t like
• Think ahead! Plans can change as per shot/end results

Strategy Concepts

• No single strategic plan for all �situations - guidelines
• You will see exceptions to �everything we tell you at all �levels of competition
• Strategy based on skill level

Strategy Concepts�Conservative vs aggressive

• Conservative
• Keep it clean �remove guards, �go after opponent stones
• More basic shots

Strategy Concepts�Conservative vs aggressive

• Conservative
• Keep it clean – remove guards, remove opponent stones to limit score
• More basic shots
• Aggressive
• Can get messy – call guards, use guards, sometimes ignore stones
• May try to score vs limiting opponent score
• May try harder shots – freezes, raises, double take-outs

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock?

Opportunity to score multiple points

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock? Opportunity to score multiple points
• What end is it?
• Early 🡺 aggressive (time to recover)

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock? Opportunity to score multiple points
• What end is it?
• Early 🡺 aggressive (time to recover)
• What’s the score?
• Behind 🡺 take more risk; ahead 🡺 keep open

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock? Opportunity to score multiple points
• What end is it?
• Early 🡺 aggressive (time to recover)
• What’s the score?
• Behind 🡺 take more risk; ahead 🡺 keep open
• How’s the ice?
• Straight 🡺 taps; curls 🡺 come arounds

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock? Opportunity to score multiple points
• What end is it?
• Early 🡺 aggressive (time to recover)
• What’s the score?
• Behind 🡺 take more risk; ahead 🡺 keep open
• How’s the ice?
• Straight 🡺 taps; curls 🡺 come arounds
• How good are they?

Strategy Concepts�What to think about for each shot

• Who has last rock? Opportunity to score multiple points
• What end is it?
• Early 🡺 aggressive (time to recover)
• What’s the score?
• Behind 🡺 take more risk; ahead 🡺 keep open
• How’s the ice?
• Straight 🡺 taps; curls 🡺 come arounds
• How good are they? How good are you?

Strategy Concepts�Further thoughts

• What’s the upside vs downside of each shot?
• What if the shot misses?
• What shot is the opposition likely to �call next?

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Strategy Concepts�Further thoughts

• What’s the upside vs downside of each shot?
• What if the shot misses?
• What shot is the opposition likely to call next?

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• Adjust ice for team member who’s always wide or narrow?
• Maybe useful short term, should fix problem long term
• Also watch for this in opposition – force those shots

Strategy Concepts�Early/late in the game

• Early – conservative first end, then aggressive to get a lead
• Get to know the ice, the teams
• Don’t want to give up a big end and get behind
• Keep it clean – takeouts

Strategy Concepts�Early/late in the game

• Late – play aggressive �if you’re behind
• More guards and draws, more �stones in play
• Last end if you need 1, doesn’t �matter how many you give up

Strategy Concepts�Last rock

• Theory is that team with last rock can take 1
• Better to use last rock to take �more than 1!
• We can increase the odds of �taking 1 or more:
• Keep an open channel �to the button
• Split the house versus �guarding shot rock

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Strategy Concepts�Last rock

• Try to keep a basic shot for last �rock – avoid the circus!

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Strategy Concepts�Last rock

• Without last rock try and steal �🡺 center guards
• Want to bury a stone on the 4’

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Strategy Concepts�What’s the score?

• Way ahead 🡺 keep it clean
• More takeouts, no guards
• Late in the game consider �throwing lead stones through

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Strategy Concepts�Ice conditions

• Straight ice – tap instead of come around draw
• Consistent ice? No 🡺 less risky (simpler) shots
• Do you know the ice? No 🡺 less risky shots
• Ice speed
• Fast ice – good for draws, sweeping can take stones further than on slow ice (also easier to oversweep!)
• Fast ice – more action on hits make them harder to keep the shooter in play

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Strategy Concepts�Ice conditions

• Conditions change during the

game!

• Watch for curl break point, straight �spots, frost, etc
• Watch for spots which �are difficult to get to

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Strategy Concepts�Final thoughts

• Watch for the ‘B’ shot
• Stones in front of tee line �vs behind
• Sweeping communication is vital!
• Respect your opponent!

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To The Ice!

• Grippers
• Grab a broom
• Slide/delivery practice
• Game time!

Warm Up Time!

• Step – Stretch – Slide
• Step
• Walk on the spot, bum kicks, step up/down
• Stretch
• Neck movement, shoulder rolls, golfer’s twist
• Leg swings, half lunges, heel raises
• Slide (on the ice ….)