Curling Skip Shot Signals

These are signals used the curling skip to communicate to his team what shot is being called:

If you're not sure of what the skip wants you to do, stand up outside of the hack and ask the skip to repeat the signals!!!!

Repeat the signal!

 1. Corner Guard 

The shot is indicated by tapping the area at top of the house where the rock is expected to stop, followed by crossed arms.

Centre Guard

 2. Freeze 


For the freeze (shooter comes to rest exactly in front of another stone), the skip taps the ice immediately in front of the stone he wants frozen. 


For takeouts I call three standard weights: that's it, Bumper, Peel and Hack. Also known as Control, Board, and Normal respectively)

 3.  Takeout - Bumper weight (weight sufficient to hit the button) sometimes called 'control' weight 

For the takeout, the skip taps the rock that your shot is to remove from play and holds his broom on the desired line.  Skip holds his hand across his stomach touching the opposite wrist, it means he wants the stone thrown lighter than normal - control weight. 

Note: 


I realize this one is controversial. People use the term bumper and board interchangeably.  In the C leagues, I don't feel it is reasonable to get the curlers to judge more than three weights so I'm sticking to this for the time being.  

 

 4. Takeout - Peel Weight (weight sufficient to hit the back board) 

For the takeout, the skip taps the rock that your shot is to remove from play and holds 
his broom on the desired line.

If the skip places his hand across his shoulder, that means he wants his teammate to 
throw the stone very hard (PEEL WEIGHT)

 5. Takeout - Hack Weight ( weight sufficient to hit the hack and stop) sometimes called 'normal' weight  

For the takeout, the skip taps the rock that your shot is to remove from play and holds his broom on the desired line. The skip's hand is held across his chest touching opposite elbow, it means he wants normal takeout weight. 

Note: A rock that will slide beyond the Hack, also has sufficient energy to remove another rock.  This is normal takeout weight.

6.  Draw - In Turn 

The skip taps the ice where the rock is expected to stop and holds the broom vertically over the target spot on the ice that the thrower aims for.  The skip holds out his right arm he wants an inturn (stone rotates clockwise)

 

Note: this is an out turn signal for "LEFTIES"

7. Draw - Out Turn

The skip taps the ice where the rock is expected to stop and holds the broom vertically over the target spot on the ice that the thrower aims for.Skip holds out his left arm he wants an outturn (stone rotates counter clockwise)

 Note:this in an in turn for "LEFTIES"

8. Raise (Tap back)

For the raise (gently moving a rock), the skip taps the stone and then holds his broom across his chest with both hands. The distance between his hands is the approximate distance that he wants the stationary stone to move. He will next tap the spot where he wants you to bump it. For all intents and purposes this is bumper weight.

9. Tick

10. Split

For the split, the skip will tap the stationary stone and the ice on either side of it. This indicates that he wants both the shooter and stationary rock to stay in the house.









The slower the rock, the more it tends to curl and conversely, 
the faster it travels, the straighter it goes.