Provincial Curling Championship

Pre- Game Protocols

Practice Ice/Coin Toss:
The coin toss shall occur 30 minutes before game time, allowing teams to determine who has first practice. Winner of the toss has choice of first or last practice OR stone colour. If a team is not present they will be deemed to have lost the coin toss.

     - Teams are allowed 5 minutes of practice time.
     - First practice will begin 20 minutes prior to game time.
     - An official will signify the beginning and conclusion of each practice session allowing
       for teams to switch over.

20 mins before game time – 1st practice begins.

15 mins before game time – 1st practice ends & 1st team draws for hammer.

10 mins before game time – 2nd practice begins.

5 mins before game time – 2nd practice ends & 2nd team draws for hammer. 

Last Stone:
Last stone will be determined by a draw to the house at the completion of the team’s practice. The draw to the button should be thrown towards the viewing area. All draw measurements will be done and decided by the official.

Each team has one opportunity to draw to the house; if neither team hits the house a coin toss will be used to determine hammer.

Tie Breaking Procedure: 

Two teams tied:

Head to head match up will determine tie breaker.

Three or more teams tied: 

1. Head to head record of each team against the other teams that have tied. If one team has a better record, they would be declared the winner. If there is still a tie;

2. Point differential in each match against the other tied teams. The team that has the largest point differential should be declared the winner. If there is still a tie;

3. Use total points scored against the other tied teams. If there is still a tie;

4. Use total points scored against all teams. If there is still a tie;

5. Coin Toss.

1.     DEADLINE DATES

ONLINE ROSTERS must be submitted by JANUARY 19. All teams must be entered online regardless of whether they will be participating in the Provincial Championships. Separate rosters must be created for each team within the school, this includes separate rosters for each mixed doubles, boys and girls teams.

ZONE/INTERZONE Playoffs must be completed by Thursday, FeBRUARY 1.  Zone Convenors must notify the MHSAA office at 925-5642 or greg@mhsaa.ca as soon as the zone representative is known. Some zones may be involved in an interzone game.

2.      FORMAT & RULES

A) Format: 
Boys & Girls: there will be a sixteen (16) team round robin of four (4) pools of four (4) teams. Play-offs will have top 2 from each pool advance to an eight (8) team single elimination bracket.

Mixed Doubles: there will be a sixteen (16) team round robin of four (4) pools of four (4) teams. Play-offs will be a sixteen (16) team single elimination bracket.

B) RULES:
Curling Canada Rules will be used unless special playing rules are put forth by the MHSAA. In this case, the MHSAA rules will take precedence.

Before provincial play commences for girls and boys play, a spare or fifth may be named (must be on curling eligibility sheet).  If a player cannot continue to play in a particular game, they can be replaced by an alternate (fifth) player for that game only.  Once the alternate player enters the game, they must remain playing for the entire game.  In subsequent games, any four (4) players may start.  For Mixed Doubles no alternates are permitted you must curl with the same partner you qualified with.  

All boys & girls games will be eight (8) ends using the thinking-time system.  In the event of a tie, at the end of the 8th end, an extra end is necessary and shall be played in rotation until a winner is declared.

Thinking time will be 32 minutes.  For mixed doubles, all games will be six ends using the thinking-time system.  Thinking time will be 22 minutes.  

Warm-up – boys and girls teams will have 5 minutes and mixed doubles teams 3 minutes of warm-up time and will complete a single draw to the button at the completion of warm-up to determine who has hammer.  If neither team’s draw reaches the house a coin toss will be used to determine who has hammer to start the game. 

The Curling Canada broom moratorium will not be in effect for the MHSAA provincial curling championships.

Time-Outs – In the boys and girls curling teams may call two sixty second time outs per game.  For mixed doubles curling teams may call one sixty second time out per game.  The coach may confer with the team at that time.  A player or coach of the team whose clock is running may only call a time out.  The team that called the time out may access the playing surface with their coach.  The team that did not call the time out may confer with the coach, but they shall not access the playing surface.  For boys and girls curling this will be in addition to the five-minute break after the 4th, and for mixed doubles to a three-minute break after the 3rd.  Before the first extra end, there will be a two- minute break, where the coach is allowed to go onto the ice to talk to their rink.  

If a team is unable to commence play at the designated time, it shall be assessed a penalty of one point and one end shall be considered played for the first 5 minutes the team is late.  One penalty point shall be considered for each additional five minutes the team is late. When the game commences, the non-offending team will be given the choice of last rock.  After thirty minutes have elapsed, the non-offending team shall be declared the winner.  

Scorecards will be placed behind each sheet.  The winning team must sign the card and turn it into the umpire immediately after the game.

Thirds make their own measurements.  If there are any concerns, the umpire can be summoned to assist.

Uniform Rule: Style and colour of uniform must be consistent throughout the team.   Uniforms must also be representative of their school.  No multi-colored pants, jeans or club affiliated clothing permitted. Any curler, team member or coach deemed in violation may be subject to a  violation up to $200 assessed to the school.

Advertising on uniforms must adhere to guidelines as outlined on pages 136-137.

Coaches should be advised that if the uniform rule is not adhered to, the team may not be allowed to compete and may be fined up to $200.  The school may also be put on probation (probation being that if the school violates the infraction again, the school may be fined $200 and be suspended from all MHSAA activities).

It is expected that all teams attend opening ceremonies and related functions.    Non-attendance may result in fines and/or further sanctions against the school.  

No smoking on the Provincial sites.

3.      AWARDS

In each division, the championship team will receive the Association championship banner, first place medals and Championship T-shirts (max. of 6).

The runner-up team in the championship event will receive the Association finalist banner and second place medals (max. of 6).