Bob Weeks

Curling has a rich history with many traditions that continue to this day. Though the origins of curling are unclear, most people regard Scotland as curling’s birthplace.Today, curling is played around the world, largely thanks to its introduction into the Olympics in 1988. Because curling can seem complicated if you don’t know a lot about it, this Cheat Sheet summarizes the basics, from curling terminology and the roles of each position on a team, to how scoring and other elements of the game work, and why curling is such a great sport to play.

Curling, probably more than any other sport, has its own unique terminology (like hurry hard and burning a rock, among others). Here are the key curling words and phrases you need to know to blend in at your next bonspiel: Blank end: An end where no points are scored. Bonspiel: A tournament in which curlers compete.

In curling, the team you play on is called a rink. The rink is made up of four players: the lead, the second, the third (also called the vice, vice-skip, or mate), and the skip. Each player has specific duties: Lead: The lead throws the first two rocks of the end and then sweeps the next six. The lead must be very good at throwing guards and a strong sweeper.

Why should you take up curling? People who curl seem to share a certain fun-loving attitude toward this winter pastime. Even at national and world championships, players in the middle of a high-stakes game have been known to share a few laughs. (Imagine seeing that at a hockey or football game!) Here are some of the best reasons to curl: You can play at any age.