Communication is the backbone of successful curling. As someone who’s spent years teaching and playing this sport, I’ve seen how proper on-ice communication can make or break a team’s performance. When everyone knows their role in the conversation, shots become more precise, confidence builds, and the game flows smoothly.
Let me break down who should be saying what during a curling shot, because this confusion is one of the most common issues I see with new teams.
The Skip’s Leadership Role
First and foremost, it’s the skip’s job to call the shots. While other players might have input, they should generally let the skip do their thing. This approach builds the skip’s confidence and maintains a good pace of play.
The skip must clearly communicate three critical elements to the thrower:
- The weight they want to see
- The rotation or turn they want
- The final destination of the stone
For example, when calling a hit and roll, the skip needs to tap their broom exactly where they want that shooter to roll to. This visual guidance is essential for precision.
The Communication Chain
After the skip calls the shot, the other players confirm the ice conditions. If you’re throwing a draw out wide in the frost, you might hear a sweeper say, “It’s a bit slower here,” signaling the thrower to add a little extra power. This type of information gets everyone on the same page before the throw.
Once the stone is delivered, the first person who should speak is actually the thrower. They have the best insight into what they just did with that rock. Their feedback should be super short and concise – “It’s heavy,” “Felt good,” or “Maybe light.”
Then the sweepers take over. Their primary job is to communicate the speed of the stone to the skip – essentially predicting where the rock will end up. This weight judgment is crucial information.
Common Communication Mistakes
I’ve noticed many teams struggle with role confusion during sweeping. As a sweeper, you shouldn’t try to call line or sweep for curl without the skip’s instruction. This creates confusion and often leads to mistakes.
Remember this division of responsibilities:
- Sweepers: Judge and communicate weight
- Skip: Process that information, factor in curl, and direct sweeping for line control
For example, during a control weight takeout, if sweepers say “it’s light,” the skip knows that rock will likely curl more and can ask sweepers to start sweeping to hold the rock straight.
Weight Shots vs. Line Shots
Here’s where things get interesting. For open draws to the house (weight shots), sweepers can make independent decisions based on weight without specific instructions from the skip. If the thrower is light, sweepers should start sweeping immediately.
The skip then processes this situation and can either encourage continued sweeping to reach the house or switch to Plan B – perhaps calling sweepers off to create a guard instead.
For line-critical shots, the skip maintains complete control of sweeping instructions.
Practice Makes Perfect
Communication patterns need practice before you face high-pressure situations. During important shots, there shouldn’t be a moment of silence. Everyone has a role in the conversation.
Sweepers should constantly look up for hand signals and facial expressions from the skip. The skip should use clear, consistent terminology like “hard line,” “has to curl,” or “line’s good” – all line-related instructions since the skip isn’t judging speed.
I’ve found that teams who master this communication framework perform better under pressure and make fewer mistakes. Just like in life, communication is key in curling. Know your role, practice it consistently, and watch your team’s performance improve dramatically.
