To The WEB WORD CURLING CLUB
                        THE WORLD CURLING ALLIANCE space6.jpg (7210 bytes)TO PERFECT and PROMOTE
CHAPTER 7 STRATEGY
THE SCIENCE of PLANNING (WEBSTER)

Strategy is a team effort and should be thought of as a "fun" rewarding part of the game. To stimulate the psyche, and not necessarily to stimulate the senses is the ultimate lasting human experience!
Outsmarting the opponent, especially with lower player mechanical skills, should be exalted.
It takes a team effort. There are simply too many variables to evaluate for one person/skip. There should be a hierarchy/pecking order in the transmission of helpful information during the game. The skip/captain has too many factors to consider without superfluous inputs by several teammates. The lead and second will have pertinent technical input (ice timing and curl) which should be discussed with the third for evaluation and relay to the skip. When brushing -- all lead players communicate with the skip directly.
TEAM:                                                                 AS VIEWED BY SKIP
                                                                                                                
                                                flagman.gif (4502 bytes) 

          Lead                        Second                                    Third                           Big Boss -- SKIP 

                           AS VIEWED BY TEAM                                 


  Cherub.gif (27897 bytes)        Cherub.gif (27897 bytes)            Cherub.gif (27897 bytes)
           Lead                        Second                          Third                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               THE SKIP
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                           
 Good strategy starts before the season begins. The season goals must be evaluated in light of team technical knowledge, desire, and physical curling skill. So, for the serious team, planned practices and strategy techniques are considered long before the first game.

    Player interaction is of utmost importance. You each must have the ultimate confidence in the other while knowing all will make mistakes. Strategy encompasses every area of your game and life. Physiology/psychology of all team members will make a difference in the outcome of your season.

    Knowledge at the scientific level of the game's human and physical environment-- ice, rocks, delivery techniques, brushing science, and personal equipment will make a difference in quality play at the club or professional level.
In short, everything in this book plus every experience your team can bring together for discussion should be evaluated.
SKIP STRATEGY:
    Analyzing your players' delivery techniques will enable you to properly place the brush. You can be assured, very few skips have thought of or analyzed the point of origin of the rock delivery and its pertinent effect on hitting the properly placed brush.
    The charts located in "STRATEGY" "Curling 2000 -- Curling Self Taught" turnbook.gif (1625 bytes) ( book is now free on the web) are intended to open an inspection into this new area of curling expertise which has formerly been overlooked.
    If you intend to be a skip and KEEP your curlers, when placing the brush, show the same interest your shooter is showing. Do not insult your shooter by: Do not turn and talk to the other skip! Do not gaze across the arena! Do not look back at the crowd!
     Concentrate on the shot only and stand in the golf "presentation" position until the rock is released and THEN squat and align your brush on the actual delivery line to: 1. Notify the shooter of the actual delivery line AND, 2. Notify the brushers immediately, physically, at release of the shot delivery alignment so they take appropriate line brushing (if inside the brush release).