The article below outlines how to prepare ice for league play. It is crucial that everyone helps out to make the most of our ice time. If you're not sure what to do, ask an experienced curler.
For Spring 2024 league, draws start at 5pm, so arrive and be prepared to take the ice by 4:45. If we get the ice later than our scheduled start time (5pm), we need to note the time the Zamboni driver leaves the ice after shoveling the snow off by the Zam door, then adjust all of our times to that as our start time.
ICE SETUP PROCEDURES
Before we get the ice
- (1-2 people) Fill the coolers and pebblers with HOT water while the Zamboni does the dry cut. This is currently done using the hose in men's locker room 1 (closest to the Zamboni).
Once we get the ice
- 2 people: Sweep with the large brooms, up one side of each sheet, then back down the other. The regular floor mop should go first, followed by the fuzzy mop. (Leave the mops out, with their heads off the ice, because we will use them between draws.)
- 2-4 people: Set hacks. We will use all 5 sheets every night, so set them all. There are marks on the ice where the hacks should be set, but they are not always easy to see. Hacks should be dipped in hot water for 5-8 seconds maximum, and only so the bottom metal part is in the water. Do not submerge the rubber part. Once the hack begins melting into the ice, stand on it for about 30 seconds, then put two stones on it to help it stay in place while the temperature equalizes.
- 2 people: Pebble the ice. As soon as the second sweeper clears the first sheet, we can start pebbling. The rectangular can should go first, followed by the backpack. The backpack person should wait until the first pebbler has finished the sheet to start their pass.
- 1 person: Run the rock box. As soon as the backpack pebbler finishes the first sheet, run the rock box up one side and back down the other of each sheet.
- EVERYONE ELSE: Get out equipment. We need the sheet 5 stones first for the rock box. Then get out all the other stones, the scoreboards (which are color-coded for each sheet), and two sliders and two stabilizers for each sheet (one at each end.)
Between draws
- Winners of each game: Sweep your sheet. Go up one side and down the other, regular mop first, followed by the fuzzy mop.
- Skips from winning teams: Enter your result on the schedule on our website.
- Someone playing in the second draw on each sheet: Pebble with the backpack pebbler if you choose. This should be someone who is playing in the second draw. We won't run the rock box again, so teams should probably push the stones to the opposite end to start.
- Broomstack! Remember that curling etiquette dictates that the winning team buys the first round for the losers. TK Bar on the corner of Gowan and Eisenman is the preferred spot. (If you play against a junior curler, you could offer to buy them a milkshake at Burger King, if they are open.)
After the final games
- Skips from winning teams: Enter your result on the schedule on our website.
- Everyone: Put away the equipment. Don't forget to lock the freezers and dump out the coolers and pebblers. When you take up the hacks, try to use enough hot water so that you don't have to break them out of the ice.
- Broomstack!
A few final points
- Please make sure you are not bringing debris onto the ice. Best practice for those that don't have curling shoes is to bring the shoes you will curl in and change into them once you're in the arena. Try to avoid wearing clothes that will shed fibers onto the ice. That fuzzy sweater may be warm, but if it's dropping little fuzzballs on the ice, it's affecting the game. Jeans have also been shown to leave fibers on the ice more than other types of clothes. Also, if you have a dog that sheds a lot, maybe use a lint roller or something to get the hair off your clothes so it doesn't end up on the ice. For those who don't know, anything that falls onto the ice can cause a stone to "pick", which changes the direction of the stone and takes away some of the fun of the game.
- We have access to locker rooms 1-4 for anyone who wants to change, or who doesn't want to leave their things sitting on the bleachers.
- If the first draw games end at the far end of the sheet, there is no need to push all the stones back down the sheet. You can just leave them at the end where you finish and the second draw teams can start from there. The exception is the sheet that does not have a game in the second draw. That sheet should be put away by the teams that play on it in the first draw. There is no such sheet this week.
- End of game procedures. It's important that the first draw be off the ice by 7:00 so that the second draw can re-pebble and get started. A bell will ring with 30 minutes left in the session. When the bell rings, teams should finish the end they are playing and play one additional end. The only exception is that no end should start after 6:45 for the first draw or 8:45 for the second. See League Guidelines for more info.
