Grandeprairiecurlingclub.com is no longer available here. Please visit gpcurling.ca instead.
Curling is an ice game that is played in teams. It is a trendy game in Canada and is also growing in popularity in other parts of the world.
The game is played on ice, where the players have to slide what are called stones (rocks). These are large round discs with a handle on them. The player must slide the stone, so it slides within four circles (house) at the other end of the lane.
Each player has the job of throwing two stones. The game's object is for the winning team to accumulate as many points as possible over and above the other team's score.
The score is accumulated by getting as many stones as possible close to the center of the house.
Each time a player throws a stone, they strive to knock out one of their opponents' stones. As the game progresses, the house area becomes more congested with the stones. This increases the challenge of getting to the center.
When a player throws a stone, two other players from their team sweep the ice in front of the sliding stone with brooms. This is to create friction so the stone will reach its destination. The harder the players sweep, the more friction is created. They have to develop skills that allow them to apply just the right amount of sweeping so the stone will stop within the house.