Future of Curling - Curling Day In Canada

My name is Tom Bennett and I was a “Rink Rat” at Mcpherson Curling Center in Burnaby B.C. from 1965 to 1979. We had two floors of ice with eights sheets per floor. Back in the old days we shoulder threw rocks, ( swung by lifting the rocks). As the hacks were sunk into the ice sheet we were constantly repairing rock damage between the hacks and the edge of the twelve foot circle. The owner, Al Cameron asked the crew if we had any ideas to reduce this type of damage to the ice surface. We decided that because of the back of the hack was above the playing surface the curlers couldn’t come onto the ice at a shallow enough angle to stop the rocks from the dreaded “bounce” damage. I had an idea that I was allowed to install in the curling sheet and I had asked some of the top curlers of the club to try, and after a few throws their comments were it was much smoother coming out of the hack and they could get the concern of hitting the hacks out of their mind. As rock delivery has changed over the years I think this hack “adjustment” would improve the accuracy of the shot making. In the old days the rock target line started on the centerline of the hacks and todays delivery starts on the toe of the hack foot. So here is the idea from the 1960’s. One hack installed in the center line of the sheet. This position would work for “righty’s and lefty’s” and help the thrower to follow the target line easier.
Secondly, the thrower could pre-accelerate the rock at the start of delivery to increase the rock speed on take outs. It would only be about twelve to sixteen inches of arm movement, but every little bit helps. I thought I would share this with everyone as it may be the next step in the evolution of the best game in the world. The only thing I miss on todays curling sheets were the ashtrays were spaced twenty five feet apart between the Hog Lines so it was easy to time the rock speed.
Thanks
Tom

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