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House Call: Mid-Season Check Up
This week I witnessed one minor injury, a major one, a broken rock handle, a broken broom, and a lot of dangerous behaviour. Call it a fluke, call it a crazy week, call it whatever you want but I think it’s a sign we all need a little reminder about safety.
This is the time of year when we start to get comfortable, perhaps even complacent. I catch myself now and then roaring down the ice on my slider at breakneck speed to get something from the other end. And for what? Will I gain super hero status for being faster than a speeding bullet when it comes to retrieving forgotten sliders and grippers? They sure as heck won’t be handing me a cape and mask if I show up in the ER and explain my heroic stupidity!
So let’s review:
- DO NOT PULL OUT THE OPPOSITION’S ROCKS! Just leave them alone. It’s not a courtesy, it’s a hazard!!! Really.
- Make sure your gripper fits nice and tight, if it falls off you’re goin’ down!
- Wear a gripper when you sweep.
- Step on the ice with your gripper first and off with you slider first.
- SLOW DOWN, there are no extra points awarded for speed on your slider.
- Don’t worry about how far you go when you deliver, there are no extra points awarded for sliding to the far end.
- Don’t follow your rocks. Your sweepers are quite capable of handling the situation.
- Keep your equipment out of the way. The ice is dangerous enough; nobody needs to trip over a bag or a jacket while on the boards.
- If you’re skipping wear a gripper. It’s hard enough to think of strategy, why add in the danger of trying to keep your balance too. It’s like trying to walk and chew gum!
- Be aware of the rocks and where you and everyone on your sheet are. This is especially important if you don’t have sideboards.
- It’s important to know the emergency procedures at your club just in case. If you’re not sure about something speak to the club manager, icemaker, or curling pro.