| ROCK DELIVERY TIMING In this discussion, timing
means the "time" in seconds as it relates to rock speed necessary to reach
the rock terminal point/rock-stop or for "hit" weight timing to perfect the
various "weight" speed hits, i.e. backline, hack, board, normal or peel.
Conventional timing:
This is the historical "experience" method in which the
brusher estimates the speed necessary to make the shot. Of course, the shooter has already
estimated his slide-out delivery speed during the delivery. In the event the rock is
delivered slow or too fast in the judgment of the brushers, they will brush or let the
rock run it's path. The brushers immediate job as they start brushing is to shout to the
skip their best estimate of the rock speed by saying, "midway, top 12, T-line, back
four foot, backline, hack, board" or several other "weight"/speed
descriptions to aid the skip in figuring the amount of curl and terminal point to expect
with the related rock speed.
Clock Timing General
Visit www.rockwatcher.com
for a view of their "on the brush" attachment and timers.
There is no doubt in my mind, that any curler with serious intentions of
being an advanced curler should use a timer watch with the limitations
specified below.
I wish they made a timer
with Really BIG numbers for
us old folks.
What is clock timing? This type of rock speed timing is simply stop
watch timing between known reference points on the sheet.
Common reference points are measured in seconds of travel between:
1. Backline to release hogline
2. Backline to far T-line
3. Backline to centerline {an imaginary line or "GMC" type logo) at
mid-ice.
4. T-line to hogline.
5. T-line to T-line.
6. Hogline to hogline.
7. Hogline to far T-line.
8. Hogline to top 12'.
9. Hogline to back 12'.
10. Hogline to hack.
11. Hogline to boards.
12. Sheet centerline to house-end T-line when there is some marker at mid-ice. Can be used
very successfully by the skip to cross check brushers' backline to hogline estimate.
In general, stop watch timing can be used by the skip and brushers.
Since I throw with two hands, I can test backline to hogline or hogline to hogline myself
with a stop watch. I don't use this method in a game since it might be considered unfair.
I am not aware of any competitive rule barring the practice however.
Clock timing is a very important "reference" timing method.
Smart brushers do not put 100% faith in the various clock timing techniques but also rely
on recent "walk along the rock" timing experience.
If you are on multiple sheets and the first rock is about to be thrown
on an adjacent sheet, then I suggest you "walk" their rock or clock time it
before your teammate shoots so as to give the shooter some initial reference "best
guess" delivery speed. If you won the "toss" then the other lead rock will
give an indication of needed delivery speed. Care, again, must be used after a rock (on
new pebble) has passed down a particular path as the pebble will be "sheared"
and that exact path can be1/2 second or more faster meaning your shooter must slow the
delivery if the skip asks for the same shot and the shooter uses the exact slide out
sequence.
Many games (non-competition) are won or lost in the first 4 rocks
due to playing on new unstudied pebbled ice. In competition, the ice is sheared and
studied during the "warm up" allotted times.
How often, as a lead, has my skip put me out on "new" pebbled
ice (no rocks have passed) instead of allowing me to use the "safe" path where
the pebble has been knocked down and I have a "feel" for the weight needed. This
scenario can occur even to the 4-5th or latter ends!
The second end is of great importance in the "pebbled ice"
scenario. Some skips seem to always ask for a shot into new pebble. The skip and
brushers MUST remember where the rocks traveled in the last end and also remember if that
path was brushed. A path that has had 1-3 rocks traveled over with brushing will be very
nearly at "full keen" which depends on what full keen means for your ice
situation, i.e. when was the sheet shaved - single or double -and the type/number of
pebble applied.
Should a skip ask for a shot in a "traveled" path, be
sure to backoff on weight. On 14+ second hog-hog ice, it essential to count out of the
hack aloud or in your head for delivery timing or you will be heavy! How do you do this?
For every delivery, game or practice, you must learn the "count-out" timing
method. This method means you count out in seconds and tenth's of seconds. Contrary to
what a level 4 CCA coach told me, you can count out from the
hack. This same coach, prior Brier curler, dares not curl against me for money.
Particularly those curlers who curl and practice on home ice, slow 13-
second ice, and then play on fast ice, 13+ hog-hog ice during a competition, must learn
this technique because that "engrained" in the mind heavy ice timing will
destroy their chances at a competition with fast ice. This "ice speed" fact is
the main reason curling teams from small clubs, (that can't afford or don't know how to
make fast ice) almost always lose at competitions when their actual curling skill is as
good or better than those who play regularly on fast ice.
The number 2 reason for failure is the lack of "reading the
ice" skills if you don't play at several curling club sights. In the city, curlers in
competitions regularly play at many clubs and get more practice in learning to read
different ice conditions. If you play at one club, you learn its eccentricities and then
forget to continuously study ice conditions. Kiss your high level competitiveness goodbye. |
Clock Timing --
Causes of Inaccuracy
Stop watch timing can be very misleading in the "times" measured.
First off, each person will have a different "natural time"
of punching the timer button and re-punching to stop the timer. Two brushers who use the
same system will need to compare numbers so as to relate to the shooter, skip, and each
other an "average" time.
Timing to 0.1sec. from backline to hogline is possible which correlates
to 3-6 feet of rock stopping points at the far end.
Another point of stop watch timing error is caused by the shooter
allowing the rock to slide off (with friction slowing the rock) his fingers rather than
releasing "crisply." An astute shooter will say, "I pulled it back" or
something similar to notify the brushers their clock time will be wrong, fast/lower number
in this case.
Knowing the shooter "pulled back" on the shot may tell the
brushers to brush immediately rather than wait for a "walk" the rock speed
judgment which leads to late brushing. This scenario is caused by the shooter
"coming-out" too hot and pulling the rock back to kill its speed.
The shooter might put on the brakes by toe drag or brush drag.
The shooter may hold onto the rock and release closer than normal to the hogline. This is
also a slowing scenario since after the shooter leaves the hack the rock and shooter is in
a slowing mode. The brushers must visually note these changes in delivery or better yet be
notified by the shooter so they can re-evaluate their stop watch timing. I play with one
skip with 25 years curling "experience" (1 yearx25). He has not yet learned that
the body (slide speed) throws the rock and NOT the Arm.
The CCA manual does not deal with this subject adequately. His delivery
sequence goes like this. He always slides out hot and always pulls the rock back to
control delivery draw weight velocity. He curls at a "middle of the road skill"
for a small club curler and will NEVER improve even with mega hours practice.
I have learned to not give advice unless asked for because of poor PR
consequences. More than 70% of CCA taught curlers including CCA certified coaches, curl
with a bent arm and "boost/pull" their shots.
Another factor in arriving at wrong timing is caused by a curler
"boosting" the rock. Anyone who delivers with a "cocked arm" in the
shape of an "L" will almost always pull or boost a shot to some degree. It
is virtually impossible to time such a shooter. This style shooter, still done in the
pros., never has consistent "draw" weight. A shooter with the "L"
shaped delivery arm will also always have difficulty with hitting the brush. They
inadvertently crossfire or "push out" the rock in the direction of turn. They
can't help "throwing out" or "pulling in" the elbow. You often
hear the TV commentator say, "He got the rock started, that's why it curled
more." Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The commentator is being polite. The actual fact is: The shooter
crossfired while applying the turn moving his target alignment. The rock DOES NOT CURL
MORE!!
The bent elbow is one of the major delivery faults in curling. Failure
to initially "start" the rock on its course and following is the other fault. I
can guarantee a stop to the bent elbow syndrome. E-mail me if you care or wait
for
another web page in 2000 (it's here: bent arm stop.}
Another cause of this "thrown-out" elbow syndrome is due to
the shooter holding the brush out to the side as taught by the CCA Learn to Curl
Manuals. The right shoulder is dropped and the elbow is bent out/in causing a
crossfire. You will note that practically NO pros. (only 2 of 100 that I studied) still
use the outstretched brush balance system. They use a parallel brush balance system. You
no doubt noticed Colleen Jones using "the crutch" last week, Dec., 1999, in the
women's' cash spiel and 2000 Hearts. After 30 years using the CCA taught method, she
finally realizes its shoulder dipping hazards and has changed her delivery!!!
I boost or pullback on occasion with my two
straight arms delivery! How? I finger
"boost" or "pull" the rock to adjust rock delivery speed when my
slide-out speed is wrong for the shot. A late delivery and toe drag usually takes care of
slowing my rock rather than using "pull-back." Boosting with the fingers
allows a small 4' boost while minimizing the thrown-out and pulled-in elbow syndrome which
causes misalignment with the brush and NOT more or less curl.
Under the "Brushing" chapter, I mention using two
grippers for improved pressure and cycles applied to the brush. Wearing two grippers is
extremely important when "walking" the rock to judge rock speed. If you use a
slider while brushing, you are detracting from your game skill in two areas:
1. You can not apply maximum pressure on the brush with high cycles with minimum energy
expenditure.
2. When you scoot slide alongside a rock while attempting to compare rock speed with the
stationary ice, you "fool" the inner ear balance system. What happens is, you
accelerate and decelerate with each push off and slowing slide. The rock is slowing at a
steady pace while you are accelerating and slowing with each scoot/slide. The inner ear is
transmitting faulty comparison information to the brain.
Isn't curling EASY and FUN when you know neat stuff?
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