Curling..the rules can and should change

 

Curling as a sport is in trouble The average age is too old and the rules are antiquated.

My prediction is that the rules will change to specify 8 ends and each player will rotate through each of four positions during the game.

Each player will throw, lead stones twice, second's stones twice, third's stones twice and skip's stones twice. This makes play more dynamic and demanding of each player

I know, his is radical, but things change.

It also requires players to learn more of the game and it requires great planning and cooperation and coordination.

A curling brief

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/I7voH

Scientific American explains the physics of stone movement

https://www.facebook.com/ScientificAmerican/videos/10159891516085246/

Curling skips assessment of delivery

Troubleshooting

Applies to right handed curlers. Lefties mirror images

Symptom                         Problem                          Correction
Unbalanced delivery       Sliding foot misaligned     Move sliding foot under chest
Drifting to the right         Not balanced                  Move sliding foot left
My rocks curl more         Soft release                    Apply turn faster
Short release                  Recalibrate closer to hog
Turning in at release      Establish grip and maintain
LOD outside/in                Maintain LOD 
rocks curl less                Turned out at release      Establish grip and maintain
Hard release                   Apply turn slower
LOD inside/out               Maintain LOD
Not generating power    Weight not shifting           Shift weight back
Hips not elevated            Bring hips up and back
Improper body drop        Delay sliding foot
Too little leg drive           Push during body drop
Draw weight stinks         Delivery lacks tempo       Step back onto foot 1-2-3
Delivery too low             Raise House and torso
Can't hit the broom         Delivery too high             Lower House and torso

Curling skip's expectations of their own play

The skip:

Responsibilities: 

The skip's role is to provide overall leadership and strategic direction to the team. 

The biggest responsibility of the skip is to "close" the end. This 

could be the final execution of the tactics developed for the end. 

The skip is called upon to throw maintenance shots like guards, open takeouts, open draws 

etc. However, in many cases the skip is called upon to make key offensive shots like 

come-arounds, freezes, hit and rolls, and four foot draws under pressure.

Profile: 

The skip must have a stabilizing influence over the rest of the team. Even if 

the skip is not the best shooter on the team, he/she must be able to calmly execute the 

final shots. After the skip throws, the end is over. Because of this, the pressure of any 

given shot may be extremely high. 

The team must have the confidence that the skip will close the end (and sometimes the game) successfully.

Curling Skips expectations of the Vice Skip

The Vice Skip:

Responsibilities: 

The vice is called upon to make every type of shot from guards to peels, from freezes to doubles. The vice skip must have the skills to throw any type of shot at any time. The vice is often asked to make the "kill" shot. This is the shot that seals the end. In addition to shot-making skills, the vice must have excellent 
knowledge of strategy, house management and posse's good spatial skills for line calls. 

This is the most difficult job on the team because the vice is expected to make flawless sweep calls on the skip's rocks- only two shots per end. In most cases, the vice is the most well rounded player on the team.

Profile: 

The vice skip must also be a true team player. Because their skill level parallels the skip, they must support and have confidence in the skip as the team leader. 

The third has very few delivery problems. 

The vice skip controls the Score Board

The vice skip of the scoring team is responsible for posting the score after each end. On 

the curling scoreboard, numbers 1 through 16 (possibly 17, 18, 19 etc.) are painted 

horizontally from left to right. These numbers represent the rocks scored. At one end of 

the scoreboard, there is a stack of individual numbers from 1 to 10. These represent the 

ends and are hung either over or under the painted numbers. Since teams throw different 

colored rocks, the ends are hung above or below the painted numbers depending on color. 

In curling, the rocks scored are posted cumulatively, meaning two rocks scored in the 

second end are added to the what ever was scored in the first end (if any)

Curling skip's expectations of the second

The Second

Responsibilities: 

The second's primary responsibility is to maintain the tactical initiatives developed by the skip and set up by the lead. There are a wider variety of shots at the second position. 

The second often is asked to make the first offensive or aggressive move. This could be the first come-around of the end. 

Playing the free guard zone rule, the second is usually the one to "get under" first, meaning the first player 

to draw behind a guard or guards. On the other hand, the second may also play the role of 

clean-up person depending on how the lead performed. If the lead missed one or two shots, 

the second may be called upon to clear the area with heavy hits or double take outs. The 

second should have the ability to throw heavy weight take-outs while still being able to 
aim properly (hit the broom).

Profile: 

The second, like the lead,  fully understands the role and is a team player. Since the shot-making requirements are broader than the lead, the second must possess a well-rounded set of shot-making skills. 

The second is the position with strong power generating (long foot delay) potential. The delivery must still be fluid in the other categories for consistent draws.