advanced strategy 4

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The WEB WORLD CURLING CLUB Presents

Advanced STRATEGY 4
Technique and physics discussed
The World Curling Alliance To Perfect and Promote

Rock Timing vs. Rock Slide Distance
Rock delivery timing is of primary importance to aiding the skip in placing the brush accurately.
Your shooters should practice known, recognized by all on the team, weights:
Physical indicators are important because they remain the same with different ice speeds (H-H).
1. Guard -- long and short
2. Top12'
3. T-line
4. Back 12'
5. Hack
6. Bumper

7. Control=bumper +5' (approximately 10 sec. H-H on 14 sec. H-H ice). Control infers the brushers can brush control the rock while heavier/faster shots "eliminate" the brushers ability to control the rock's travel.
After you run out of physical indicators, it is necessary to use some watch timing method recognized by the team. During the 2000 Brier "Normal" shots varied from 8 seconds to 11 seconds and at the 2000 Hearts, "normal" varied from 9-12 seconds ON THE SAME TEAM. It is easy to see that the skip doesn't have a clue where to place the brush when the team has not standardized on a "weight calling" system AND then practice it.
8. Normal (approximately 9secs.)
9. Peal (approximately7-8 seconds on 14 second ice)
Many teams peal at 5-7 seconds. These teams do not make it to the Brier every year! (ARM BOOSTING)

Reading the ice: Brush Placement
The ice at the 2000 Brier was about 14 seconds H-H with 4' of curl.
    Note the above approximate "slide distances" for each weight of shot. The rock slides past the t-line about 5' for each second subtracted from 14. On consistent ice, it is should be possible for the skip to ask for a 12 second shot and expect to get it.
   Note too, that for each second faster, the shooter rock curls about 6" less at the desired point of impact. All rocks (regardless of speed) will curl about the same overall if the sheet behind the hack was long enough for the rock to slide to a stop.
    Note the above approximate brush alignments for each draw and tap weight shots back to bumper. In other words, if you throw a rock 1 second heavier than asked for by the skip, you will miss the intended stopping point line by 6". If you are light by 1 second H-H, you will over curl the target line by 6".
    Not making the hit shots called for by WEIGHT, is the primary reason (assuming you hit brush) for not completing the hit or tap shot accurately.
    We assume you hit the brush target, which of course is the other major cause of missing the shot.
Skips can estimate if the shooter is throwing the right weight by the amount of hit and roll or the rock distance traveled from a pure miss. The knowledgeable skip times his shooter from backline to hog release so knows what tap line to expect if the shooter hit the brush.
    There is very little communication from skip to shooter in relaying this weight information because the skip is worried about hurting his/her teams' feelings! Shooters should be glad about the advice (line and weight) and not take it as personal criticism but as helpful shot improvement information.