Improving Your Game - Slow Play

Editor: unknown
Date: 2013-01-06

Posted: Jan 6, 2013
Contributed: Colin Sinclair

Every time we met them in league play we were unhappy before we even got on the ice. Not because they were rude or great players, but because they were Slow (capital ‘S’ Slow).

Every end was like an hour in the dentist’s chair. I’d try my best to handle it but I found myself gnashing my teeth and trying to speed up the game. I’d even snap at my teammates to pick up their pace. Meanwhile my opposition would plod along and by the close of the 5th end my team would all be begging for the pain to be over!

I don’t think we ever won a game against them. I also don’t think we ever got in eight ends… or even seven. It felt like our opposition won the game by freezing us out or putting us to sleep.

As much as I’d like to say that this might be an excellent ploy to win games - FORGET IT!! Slow play is a killer. In general, two hours should be more than enough time to play eight ends. Remember you are not playing in the Brier or Scotties (besides… they have a time limit too). Every shot does not require a great debate.

The following ideas will help you and your team to be part of the solution rather than the problem. Put as many as possible into practice.

• Be on the ice five minutes before game time. This allows for handshakes, warm-up slides, coin toss and still allows you to start on time. If you can’t do this on the ice do as much as you can in the lounge before your game
• Sweepers should get out their own player’s next rock. It’s courteous and efficient. Why not get their rock out while you’re waiting?
• Do not pull out the opposition’s stones. It’s poor etiquette and also could pose a tripping hazard.
• As soon as the opposing player has released their stone, the next player to throw should move quickly to the hack so they can be ready to throw as soon as the skip takes control of the house. The sweepers can watch what happens with the opposition’s rock. The thrower should be cleaning the rock and setting up so they are ready to go when the skip takes control of the house.
• At the beginning of an end, if you do not have hammer, the lead should find their first rock, get in the hack, clean the rock and be prepared to throw as soon as the skip is at the other end. Let the others put the rocks away.
• Front-end players should not be espousing strategy unless asked. Be ready to offer an opinion when asked but otherwise, keep it to yourself. Even the thirds need to think about when and how many times that they are giving advice. Constant second-guessing undermines the skip and slows down the game.
• Play a ‘clean end’ up and down the sheet – lots of hits – it’s fun!!
• Other than at the end of the game, rocks do not need to be put away in order (this one is hard for many people to let go of). Simply putting the rocks neatly in the corners and not worrying about number order saves a lot of time. Throwers – know your rock number!!
• If you are compulsive about putting rocks away in order, skips can help by putting rocks that are out of play in their appropriate place as the end progresses.
• Rocks don’t have to match up with the colour of the rock boxes until they’re put away at the end of the game. It will not affect the game so there is no need to waste time switching corners.
• Skips must stay focused on the next shot and not be chatting with the opposing skip or players on adjacent sheets.
• Skips could call a simpler game. Simpler strategy usually means simpler shots with a higher execution rate – that’s good for our confidence as club level curlers. It also means there is less likelihood of having a ton of rocks in play which leads to complicated situations where too much deliberation about the next shot takes place.
• Skips don’t wait until the opposition’s rock comes to a halt before you start thinking about your next shot call – you should already know – plan ahead. Think while the opposition is playing their shot. Think 2 shots ahead.
• Vices - if you look at rocks twice and can’t decide which is shot – GET THE MEASURING STICK – there is no need to keep looking back and forth umpteen times – if it’s close - measure – don’t waste time.
• The team that is throwing second in the next end should put the measuring stick away after a measure – don’t waste time.
• Vices after you throw your last rock get down to the other end to talk with your skip – don’t waste time – watch your shot as you’re traveling down the ice.

Please look at these points and make sure that you and your team are not guilty of slow play – you know it’s always ‘the other team' that is playing slow.

Don’t be a game killer - Stop slow play!