League Rules

I. Overview:
All draws will be governed by the World Curling Federation's Rules of Curling and Competition, July 2023, unless otherwise defined within these rules and/or additional rules distributed to teams prior to and/or during a league. While there are pieces taken from the WCF Rules of Curling for context in our League Rules, All NCC league curlers should review and be familiar with these rules.

A. “Spirit of Curling”

1. All NCC league curlers are expected abide by the spirit of curling as described by the World Curling Federation:

2. "Curling is a game of skill and of tradition. A shot well executed is a delight to see and it is also a fine thing to observe the time-honored traditions of curling being applied in the true spirit of the game. Curlers play to win, but never to humble their opponents. A true curler never attempts to distract opponents, nor to prevent them from playing their best, and would prefer to lose rather than to win unfairly.

3. Curlers never knowingly break a rule of the game, nor disrespect any of its traditions. Should they become aware that this has been done inadvertently, they will be the first to divulge the breach. While the main object of the game of curling is to determine the relative skill of the players, the spirit of curling demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling and honorable conduct.

4. This spirit should influence both the interpretation and the application of the rules of the game and also the conduct of all participants on and off the ice.”

II. Team rosters:
A. Team Composition

1. Teams may contain any mix of men and women curlers.
2. Teams consist 3 or 4 rostered curlers with the ability to have a 5th (alternate). Positions in a team lineup include Lead, Second, Third (Vice), and Fourth (Skip). Please see WCF Rules for further information.
3. In a Doubles league, teams consist of 2 rostered curlers.
4. An alternate curler may be included on the roster, but is not required. The Alternate can play anywhere in the lineup during the regular season (see the Draw Play section below for more on the league season). The 5th player would be expected to pay full league fees.
5. In 4 person league format - teams must field at least 2 rostered curlers for a draw, and doubles league must field at least 1 rostered curler for a draw. If a team cannot field the required number of rostered curler(s), they should reschedule the draw (see the Rescheduling Draws section below) or forfeit. If, and only if, the game cannot be rescheduled, the ice is still paid for and may be used during the original time slot for practice or a pickup game.

B. Forming Teams

1. “Team leagues”: Teams (minimum three curlers) register together. However, curlers may register as free agents. Free agents will be placed together in teams of three or four members, depending on the number of free agents. If needed, teams of three might be approached to add a free agent to their team.
2. “Individual sign up leagues”: Curlers register individually and teams are generated based on the number of curlers and experience, without preset teams or other grouping. However, in some individual sign up leagues, there may be an option to request being paired with a specific curler, which will be honored based on availability.
3. “Beginner leagues”: In general, beginner leagues will be an individual sign up league. Teams will be formed with a goal of at least one experienced curler (i.e., 2+ years of curling) on each team.

C. Substitute Curlers

1. A minimum of 3 curlers (2 curlers for Doubles) per team are needed to play. Teams may locate a substitute curler(s) to complete their team and play.
2. Locating a substitute is the team’s responsibility. Substitutes are not readily supplied by the league or NCC. The NCC Board recommends that the Discord “spare list” channel be used for locating substitutes. Discord access is available to all NCC members.
3. In order to sub for a team in league play, local curlers must be NCC Members. Curlers from out of town are also permitted, given they have acceptable experience. The board requests that out of town curlers are given priority but it is not a requirement.
4. Substitutes must play the lead or second position and cannot be vice or skip, unless agreed upon by both Skips. If the team originally had 3 members and 2 curlers are subs, the original member would be required to skip.
5. Championship draws or any other playoff draws that can lead to a championship appearance: For teams of 4, if a team has 3 rostered curlers available, the team is to play with only those 3 curlers. If the team has only 2 of their rostered curlers, then up to 2 substitute curlers are permitted.
6. In the spirit of curling, the NCC Board requests that a team informs the other team of substitutions before the draw and practice fairness and sportsmanship in selecting a substitute.
7. In the event of an injury where one (or more) curlers are hurt and cannot continue play (or one teammate must transport another for medical attention), the team with the injured curler may find a substitute curler(s). This is also applicable when any curler must leave for unforeseen/emergency needs. Substitute rules must still be followed. This may result in players switching positions within a game.

III. Scheduling Draws
A. Draw Schedule

1. The League Manager will generate and share the schedule prior to the first week of league. The schedule will be created based on the number of teams and availability of ice sheet rental.
2. While not the norm, league schedules can change throughout the season for a multitude of reasons. The league manager will do their best to update members, but it is ultimately the individual’s responsibility to check the posted schedule frequently.

B. Rescheduling Draws

1. When a team cannot field the minimum rostered members (see the Team Rosters section above), the draw should be rescheduled, if possible.
2. The teams must communicate with the League Manager and Tee Line at least 48 hours before the original draw to assess the ability to reschedule.
3. If rescheduling is possible, both teams must agree to a time and date that is convenient for both teams, NCC, and Tee Line.
4. In the spirit of curling, the NCC Board asks that both teams communicate/negotiate in good faith when rescheduling.
5. The League Manager must be informed of the decision in writing (e.g., via Discord and/or email).
6. Draws in the regular season must be rescheduled and played by the end of the current league’s regular season, meaning before the final round robin game. The only exception is if it is the final week’s game that needs to be rescheduled. This is to provide enough time to plan for playoff scheduling in consideration for everyone’s individual schedules.
7. Playoff draws should be rescheduled before the next draw due to time constraints.
8. Championship draws should be rescheduled as soon as possible. However, only the draw between 1st and 2nd place can be rescheduled; all other draws during the final week do not have the option to be rescheduled.
9. If a draw cannot be played or rescheduled, the team that had to reschedule the original draw will forfeit and receive a loss for that draw.

IV. Draw Play
A. Start of Play

1. All draws must start at their scheduled times or as soon as the ice is ready. The draw’s "start of play" will be at the scheduled draw time or when the ice is ready, whichever is later.
2. The skips are responsible to keep track of the start of play.
3. An end starts when the final stone of the previous end is released from the shooter's hand.
4. At the 1 hour and 45 minute mark from the start of play, the current end will be the final end of regulation play. Ideally, draws will consist of 7 ends. In the spirit of curling, curlers should keep a quick but safe pace to the draw.
5. Teams should make every effort to be off the ice no more than 2 hours from the start of play.

B. Delays

1. Any anticipated delays in draw times due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., ice problems, weather issues, etc.) will be communicated at least 15 minutes (if possible) before the draw time, both in house and through digital communication (e-mail and/or Discord).

C. Delays (Late Arrival) by Curlers

1. To begin play, a team must have at least 3 curlers (2 for Doubles).
2. If curlers are late and a team does not have the minimum number to play, thus causing a delay of the draw, the tardy team forfeits 1 point and 1 end for every 15 minutes of delay. If the team is more than 45 minutes late, the team must forfeit the draw.
3. If both teams are late, 1 end will be dropped for each 15 minutes late.
4. If neither team can field a team after 45 minutes, skips should report to the league manager or another board member if the League Manager is not available. Communication will then ensue to see if there is a possibility to reschedule due to the emergency/unforeseen circumstances, but no guarantees due to above mentioned reschedule policy.
5. If a team is waiting for the arrival of their fourth player, they may start the draw with 3 players. The late curler is able to start play in the next end at any position.

D. Free Guard Zone (FGZ) - Only applies to Four Person Format Leagues

1. Per the World Curling Federation, “A stone that comes to rest between the tee line and the hog line at the playing end, excluding the house, is deemed to be within an area designated as the FGZ. Also, stones that are in play, on or before the hog line, after striking stones in the FGZ, are deemed to be in the FGZ. If, prior to the delivery of the sixth stone of an end, a delivered stone causes either directly or indirectly, an opposition stone to be moved from the FGZ to an out-of-play position, then the delivered stone is removed from play, and any displaced stones are replaced, by the non-offending team, to their positions prior to the violation taking place.”

E. Measurement

1. There are multiple tools available for measurement.
   • Two metal measuring devices (kept in the closet of ice shed)
   • One laser measuring device that will be brought out during league play
2. Please see WCF Rules of Curling for specific information on measurements.
3. The League Manager or any other present NCC Board Member may be called upon to settle any scoring disputes.

F. Breaking A Tie (“skip stones”)

1. If a draw is tied at the end of regulation, skip stones will be thrown to determine the winner.
2. One member from each team will deliver one stone each, with the goal of getting their stone closest to the button. The team who scored the last point will throw first.
3. Sweeping will be allowed by the delivering team but opposing skips on the playing end will not be allowed to sweep the stone past the tee line (i.e., defensive sweeping).
4. The stone must be on (in) the house for it to count towards a victory.
5. When a stone is in the house, a measurement will be taken, and a marker placed on the ice if possible. The stone will be removed to create a clear house for the other team to throw.
6. If neither of the curlers from each competing team gets a rock on the house, a different curler from each team will attempt a throw to the button to claim victory. These throws continue until one team scores the winning shot.
7. A substitute may not throw skip stones.

G. Handshake / Surrendering

1. A draw will be considered over when any of the following occur: i. Allotted time runs out and the current end is completed ii. The losing team is mathematically eliminated iii. A team concedes the draw
2. However, a minimum of 5 ends must be played
3. At any time, the skips may agree to a handshake and may continue to play/practice without scoring as long as they are off the ice by the time allotted for the draw as mentioned above in the draw time section.

V. League Standings and Format
- There are two stages/phases of each league: Regular Season and Playoffs

A. Regular Season

1. The goal is for each team to play all other teams at least once but this is subject to scheduling needs.
2. Draws will not be officially scored unless they are filed and recorded with the League Manager.
3. At the end of the season, teams are ranked in a first-to-last style bracket based upon their win/loss record. These rankings are used to determine the bracket for the playoffs. If teams have the same win/loss record, the tiebreaker will be as follows: i. Head-to-head win record ii. If there is a possibility of a tie for a playoff position that cannot be resolved by head-to-head win before the last draw of the regular season, the League Manager will ask the relevant teams to do a draw to the button at the conclusion of their last draw. The throw will be measured and the distance used as a tiebreaker. The team can pick any member of the rostered team to throw and the rock can be swept. The opposing team may not sweep the rock after the tee line.

B. Playoffs and Championship Draws

1. The playoff format is dependent upon the number of teams in the league and will be communicated before the league starts.
2. If there is only one week of playoffs, the top 2 ranked teams will play for the championship title (subject to change due to the number of teams). Additional teams will be scheduled to play during this championship week but they will not be eligible for the championship. Depending on the number of teams, the third and fourth ranked teams will play each other; fifth and sixth; and so on. In the event of an odd number of teams, all but the last place team will have a scheduled draw for this final week. If a sheet is available, a pick-up draw will be scheduled for the last place team to play against other league members.
3. If there are two or more playoff weeks, the League Manager will communicate the playoff format.

VI. Disputes

1. All disputes will be decided by the League Manager or another NCC Board Member in attendance. If the dispute includes the League Manager, a different Board Member will be asked to mediate.