League Rules

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  Updated October 20, 2022

Play will be in accordance with the Canadian Curling Association rules. Teams cannot agree to waive any of the Club rules listed in this section.

    1. Start Times and Penalties: First rock to be thrown by the scheduled start time. If a team is late by 5 minutes, the non-offending team receives 1 point, will have hammer and choice of color. One end will be considered completed. If the start of play is delayed by a total of 15 minutes or more, another point will be awarded, and 2 ends will be considered completed. If you are unable to field a legal team after 25 minutes you must forfeit the game.
    2. Buzzer Will Sound: To start play, 5 minutes after scheduled start time to determine if a team has a Penalty, and near the end of the session to signal you to finish the end you are on and complete one more.  For the 7:00 PM draw, final buzzer sounds at 8:40 PM (you must adhere to the buzzer even with no late draw).  For the 6:45 PM and 9:00 PM draws, final buzzer is at 8:20 P.M. and 10:40 P.M.  An end shall be completed when the Thirds agree upon the score for the end.  All PLAYOFF games will play 8 end games (IE: NO final buzzer for PLAYOFFS) and Tie games will go to an extra end to declare a winner.
    3. Score Sheets: Thirds should mark “W” for a win, “T” for a tie and “L” for a loss on the score sheet immediately after your game.  Points will be distributed equally over the number of games you play against each other.
    4. Notice of Cancellation: If you cannot field a team (at least two registered players and at least one spare) for a scheduled game, you must forfeit the game. PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR OPPOSITION AND LEAGUE COORDINATOR AS SOON AS YOU KNOW YOU WILL NOT BE PLAYING.  No make-up games are permitted, with the exception of games where a team is representing Chestermere in the Curling Club Championships and it conflicts with a league game. In this case this team has the right to request a date to reschedule their league game to a mutually agreed upon date with their opposition.
    5. Spares: For ALL League and Playoff games you must play with at least two registered team members. Spares can play any position other than skip but cannot play in a higher position than the regular position of the individual they are replacing.  Spares can hold the broom and/or call the game.  No Charge to Spare but you must Register Online using the Curling I/O program in order to sign the Waiver.
        • Please identify any spares to the opposing skip prior to the game.
        • Only men are allowed to spare in the Monday Men’s League
        • Only women are allowed to spare in the Tuesday Ladies League
        • In the Wednesday Mixed Modified League only the Skip and Third must be of different genders. In the Thursday Mixed League, teams must consist of male and female players in alternating positions unless forced to play with only 3 registered players in which case they can play their normal positions.
        • No gender restrictions apply to the Open Leagues

      For All League Play: Players from other teams can be used as spares during regular league play only.
      For Playoffs In All Leagues: Individuals listed with a team are ineligible to spare for any other team in the same league for the entire playoffs.

    6. Additional Team Members: After Feb. 1, the curling executive must approve any roster changes.  No changes will be allowed after the playoffs begin.  All members added to your team throughout the season must purchase a current community membership and Register using the Curling I/O Program in order to sign a waiver and pay their $13.00 CA Fees.
    7. 5 Rock Free Guard Zone:  Any stationary stone(s) belonging to the opposition that is located within the free guard zone shall not be removed from play prior to the delivery of the sixth stone of an end.  If an opposition’s “free guard” is inadvertently removed from play, the delivered stone is removed and any displaced stones are replaced, by the non-offending team, to their positions prior to the violation taking place. TIP: The Skip should count 5 stones at the delivering end of the sheet prior to calling for a take-out of a guard.
    8. Burned Rocks:  Between the tee line at delivering end and hog line at playing end, if a moving stone is touched (burned) the touched stone is removed from play immediately. Inside the hog line at the playing end, if a rock is touched the rock must be allowed to continue, the non-offending team has the following options:  a) allow the play to stand or b) remove the touched stone and replace all affected stones as close as possible to their original position or c) placing the touched stone and all stones it would have affected where they reasonably consider the stones would have come to rest had the violation not occurred.
    9. Exhibition Game:  When time permits, the first game of the season will be an exhibition game with no points awarded.
    10. For Playoff games you do not have to follow the buzzer rule, teams will be allowed to play 8 ends. Tie games will go to an extra end to declare a winner.
    11. Should 2 or more teams be tied in total points at the end of LEAGUE PLAY, the following Guidelines are used to determine their final ranking:
      1st – Points in all games against each other.
      2nd – Number of total wins.
      3rd – Whichever team(s) lost to the lowest ranked team will be ranked the lowest.
      Once 1 or 2 teams can be ranked, start over with the first guideline to break any remaining ties.