Licence to steal in curling club action

January 14, 2015 · 0 Comments

Vice Debby Johansson for Team Bones throws her rock during the Tuesday night Ladies league.
Photo by Shellee Morning

By Shellee Morning
They say blood is thicker than stone. Well in the game of curling, family blood can be just that – rock hard.
To have a team of players who all come from one family is a unique dynamic that most of us don’t always see or understand. It’s a bond that can be shared only between them-selves. The Witherspoon family, who has volumes of curling experience, is one of those teams.
The Men’s league returned to action this week with the Witherspoon team playing against Team Livingstone. Skip Ian Witherspoon along with David, Ken and Doug pushed out of the hack with a colossal start gaining a 5-2 lead. Skip David Livingstone and crew of (spare) Peter Salome, Robert Pizzicarola and Richard Boutin managed to keep control of their emotions and slowly picked away at the board. After a few near misses by team Witherspoon late in the 6th, Livingstone was given a chance to capitalize and was deservedly rewarded tying the game at 6-6.
The standard theory for scoring in a curling game is to earn your 2 points when you have last rock, but only allowing (or forcing) the opposition to a single point when they have the final throw. Therefore, you regain the last rock advantage, but keeping just ahead on the score. There is always the opportunity for a steal; collecting a point without the last rock.
Livingstone orchestrated a well thought out plan of rock placement in the final end, leaving the Witherspoon Skip a one-way ticket into the house. With a licence to steal, Livingstone now waited for the opposition’s final throw. Skip Witherspoon had a chance to close the deal with his last rock in the 8th, but missed by a millimeter, leaving Livingstone a count of 3 and stealing the win by 9-6.

Ladies League

The Rockettes were also back in action during Tuesday night Ladies League and as always, the competition was alive and fierce. Stealing ends was clearly marked on the menu for the taking as well during ladies play on their return to action this past week.
On sheet 4 the game between Sheardown and Russo was a close, back and forth battle that highlighted great shots from both squads. The exchange for lead on the score board looked more like a tennis match, turning heads in both directions for most of the game. Fast ice with a big curl outside the centre line, formulated a weight sensitive game for both teams. In the end, it would be the Russo team claiming victory after a hard fought last rock end.
At the opposite side of the rink, teams Morning and Bones performed their own rock swap that kept the score board busy for 7 ends. Bones secured 3 points in the first for the lead. Morning followed with a collection of 2 in the 2nd then stole one in the 3rd after a near miss by Bones for the tie. Bones came back with one more in the 4th after an astounding draw by Vice Debby Johansson. They held Morning to a single in the 5th keeping it close and regained the hammer. Team Morning stole one in the 6th after a beautiful come around by her vice Kaye Groen, then stole one more in the 7th for the opening round victory.
Other winning Rockettes included Teams Oakley and Gorseline.

Curling Clinics

King Curling Club offered the first of a few curling clinics this past weekend to new curlers and to those that need some refresher tips and groom their curling skills. There was a great turnout of participants keeping the coaching staff busy in learning the basics of the game, including a bit of fun along the way. Beginners began with stretching and balancing exercises that eventually led up to throwing the stone and aiming at the broom.
The Intermediate Curling Clinic will be held next Saturday at the club, and anyone interested in registering can do so online at kingcurling.com or speak to any league director for details and availability. The clinic runs 9 a.m. to noon and costs $10.
King Curling also offers recreational curling during the weekday and will be offering a morning event running 9:30-11:30 a.m. and a women’s recreational afternoon event from 1-3 p.m. on Jan. 22. Light snacks and basic equipment will be provided for registered participants. Space is limited so register early. Anyone wishing information for either of these events can go to the club website at kingcurling.com.