League Profile:

• Teams consist of two players, any gender.
• Youth may play, provided:
  • They are at least 15 years of age
  • Are a member of OCC
  • Have at least three years of curling experience
• All team players must be members of the Oakville Curling Club in good standing, and eligible to play in the Sunday Evening Doubles League.
• Registration is through the OCC website. 
• Games are played on alternate Sunday evenings, unless the league is full, in which case some games will be scheduled every Sunday. 
• In the event that all entries cannot be accommodated the order of precedence will be determined by the date of entry.

SPARES

Detailed Club Sparing Rules are outlined in the Rules for Play & Member Conduct policy document which is posted on the Club's website;

• Spares must be members of the Oakville Curling Club, eligible to play in the Doubles League and must be a minimum of 15 years of age as of December 31 of the current season.
• In arranging spares, preference should be given to members who have requested their names be added to the published Spare List.
• Condensed Sparing Rules for the Doubles League are:

1. 1. If you play on a regular team within the Doubles League you can spare for the open position in your own Division, or any higher Division. You may not spare in a lower Division. 
      1. • IE. An A-Dvision player cannot spare in B-Divsion or below. 
   2. Any non-Doubles League member who’s name is on the published Spare List may spare at the same Division as the highest League Division or above that they currently compete in. Any Doubles League member may have their name published on the Spare List, however will follow the guideline for Doubles League members.
      1. • IE. An A-Division Mixed/Men's/Women's cannot spare in B-Divison Doubles League or below. 

Rules of Play:

• The scoring shall be the same as in a regular game of curling. The “positioned” stones that are placed before the beginning of each end are eligible to be counted in the scoring.

• Each team shall deliver five (5) stones per end. The player delivering the team’s first stone of the end must also deliver the team’s last stone of that end. The other team member shall deliver the team’s second, third and fourth stones for that end. The player delivering the first stone can change from end to end.
• Instead of walking the preplaced stones to the other end, at the start of each game each team shall be entitled to deliver one practice draw (only one per TEAM) with the turn of their choice. Sweeping is not permitted.

• Modified Free Guard Zone: NO ROCK can be removed from play until the fourth delivered stone. Think of it as a "three-rock-rule", but modified; you can't hit your own stones out either. If there is a violation, without exception, the delivered stone shall be removed from play, and any displaced stone(s) shall be replaced to their original position by the non-offending team.

• Before the start of every end, one team shall place their team’s “positioned” stone at the playing end of the sheet in one of two positions, designated A and B. The opponent’s “positioned” stone shall then be placed in whichever position (A or B) remains vacant. The location of these positions shall be as follows:
• 

• Position A: Placement so that the stone is bisected by the centre line and is either immediately in front of or immediately behind one of three (3) points in the ice. Teams will mutually agree on the location. The points are placed on the centre line:
  • At the mid-point between the hog line and the outermost edge of the top of the house 2.286 m. (7 feet 6 inches), or;
  • 914 m (3 feet) from the mid-point (i) closer to the house, or;
  • 914 m (3 feet) from the mid-point (i) closer to the hog line.
• Position B: The Position B stone is placed so that the stone is bisected by the centre line and is in the back of the 4-foot circle. The back edge of the stone is aligned with the back edge of the 4-foot circle (“see diagram”)

Power Play Option: 

• Once per game, each team, when they have the decision on the placement of the “positioned” stones, can use the “Power Play” option to position the stones.- The in-house stone, which belongs to the team with last stone in that end, is placed with the back edge of the stone abutting the front edge of the tee line, with half the stone in the 8-foot and half in the 12-foot circle.- The guard stone is positioned to the side of the sheet, so it would be bisected by a direct line between the middle of the in-house stone to the middle of the hack where the hack intersects with the centre line. The distance of this corner guard from the house will be the same distance that was determined for the centre guards and is either immediately in front of or immediately behind one of three (3) points in the ice.- The team with the stone positioned in the house (stone B), shall position the guard (Stone A)
• 

• At the mid-point between the hog line and the outermost edge of the top of the house 2.286 m. (7 feet 6 inches); then 1.07 m. (3 feet 6 inches) to the left or right of the centre line and the same side as the in-house stone, or;
• 914 m (3 feet) from the mid-point (i) closer to the house; then 1.09 m. (3 feet 7 inches) to the left or right of the centre line and the same side as the in-house stone, or;
• 914 m (3 feet) from the mid-point (i) closer to the hog line; then 1.04 m. (3 feet 5 inches) to the left or right of the centre line and the same side as the in-house stone, or;
• The corner guard can be placed on either side of the ‘spot’ (closer to the house or closer to the hog line) determined prior to the game. 
• OCC typically puts coins/dots in the ice for this specific reason. 
• The “Power Play” option cannot be used in extra ends.
• Teams will toss a coin for the decision in the first end.
• Following the first end, the team that did not score shall have the decision on the placement.
• If neither team scores in an end, the team that delivered the first stone in that end shall have the decision on placement in the next end.
• The team whose “positioned” stone is placed in Position A in both Figure No. 1 & No. 2 shall deliver the first stone in that end.
• While a team is in the process of delivery, that team’s non-delivering player may be anywhere on the ice surface.
• After delivery, either or both players may sweep their delivered stone and any stones set in motion belonging to their team anywhere in front of the tee line at the playing This applies to all the teams delivered stones.
• If a player delivers a stone out of proper rotation, the delivered stone is removed from play and any displaced stones are returned to their original positions by the non-offending team. Should the infraction not be discovered until after the delivery of a subsequent stone, play continues as if the infraction had not occurred; however, the player that delivered the first stone of the end can deliver a maximum of two stones in that end.

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This is a fun league, open to all! Enter as a Team or as an individual.

Rules

• This is a half season league; games are every other Sunday
• Games are 8 ends. Ties will not be broken
• OCC's bell rule will be in effect for our games - for details, see OCC's Rules for Play.
  Games are played with the "Five Rock Rule"
• Two 3-person teams may play a 6-rock game on skips' agreement
• Other rules are as per OCA and OCC Rules for Play
• Teams can be made up of any combination of males and females ie three men, 1 female or all females etc

Recording Results:

• Record win, loss, tie

Spares:

• Use the spares list first although "anytime" members may substitute in any regular games
• Spares should play their normal club position
• Notify your skip if unable to play and supply the name of the spare
• In keeping with the "Fun & Fellowship" rule, only one member of a team must be present for a regular series game.

Playoffs:

• Playoffs will be held should there be a sufficient number of teams and interest.

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LEAGUE PROFILE

• The league can accommodate a maximum of 80 Teams consisting of 10 Divisions (A to J) with a maximum of 8 Teams in each Division.
• Each Team is to be made up of 2 male and 2 female players.
• All Team players must be members of the Oakville Curling Club in good standing, eligible to play in the Mixed League and must be a minimum of 17 years of age as of December 31 of the current season.
• Prior to the start of the season, teams will be seeded based upon prior year’s results.
  A team’s position is retained by any two returning team members with priority given to the skip. Returning teams are required to have at least one team player registered and to have identified at least one other member of his team by the early payment deadline to continue to preserve this position.
• Individual or team entries will be accepted on a first come first serve basis by the Convenor (preferably via email) who shall assure the application date shall be maintained for this purpose. A minimum of three players must be provided to accept a new team on the waiting list. New teams will be seeded at the discretion of the league Convenor/Director. Keeping the total number of teams to an even number will be a priority.

RULES FOR PLAY & MEMBER CONDUCT

The Board of Directors has approved and adopted a formal Rules for Play & Member Conduct policy. This policy will encompass all League play. The policy document is posted on the Club's website under “Resources” / “Policies and Waivers” for ease of reference.  All games will be played under the OCC Policy Rules for Play and OCA regulations unless otherwise specified. 

PLAY / SCHEDULING

The regular season will consist of a scheduled 21 games over 3 Draws.

The schedule for each Draw and updated Team standings following each Draw will be posted/distributed as soon as possible following the end of each Draw.

• Regular game times will be Friday at 6:40 and 9:00 pm and Saturday at 3:30 pm, 5:45 pm and 8:00 pm. Game times and assigned sheets will be rotated on a best effort basis to ensure an equitable schedule for all.
• To play a regular season game, teams must have a minimum of three curlers with a maximum of two spares
• Teams must alternate male/female or female/male when delivering rocks even when curling with only three players. When playing with only three players, the first two players will deliver three rocks each.
• The five-rock rule is in effect (i.e. any of the first five rocks located in the “free guard” zone may not be removed from play by the opposing Team until the sixth rock).

LATENESS

The club clock is the official clock. If a Team does not commence play at the designated time (and has not cancelled the ice time and notified the opposing team) the following will apply:

• If the delay of the start of play is 5 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives last rock in the first end of actual play.
• If the delay of the start of play is 10 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. One end is considered completed;
• If the delay of the start of play is 20 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 additional point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. Two ends are considered completed;
• If play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending Team is declared winner by forfeit. The final score will be recorded as a "Win" for the non-offending Team and a "Loss" for the offending Team.

BELL RULE

The Club clock will be used for all games. The bell will sound to start the countdown clock at the beginning of each draw. For the first game of the evening, that will be at the scheduled start time. For other draws that evening, the clock will start when the last game on the ice starts.

• After 1 hour and 35 minutes the bell will sound again as a reminder for teams to finish the end in play and complete one more end.
• In the interest of safety, an end will be considered underway once the last stone of the previous end is in motion.
• The Club’s objective to have all games completed within 2 hours remains in place. Deliberately delaying a game while playing is not an acceptable practice and is not in keeping with proper curling etiquette.

CANCELLING / RESCHEDULING

Please login to the website to postpone and/or re-schedule games. Ice time is valuable and other teams may be able to utilize your sheet for make-up games. Any team member can do this but skips are responsible for ensuring this happens. There is a similar online process to book/cancel practice ice. If you do not have online access or are having difficulty with the process, contact the Club Office (905) 844-6982.

• Skips are responsible for the rescheduling of games.
• If a regular season game has to be rescheduled, the makeup game must be played prior to the Sunday on the last weekend of scheduled games for the current series. The cancelling team is responsible for finding a make-up time that works for their opponent. The cancelling team should mark the game as a "Loss" if they are unable to make-up the game for any reason (including not being able to find a time agreeable to their opponent). All teams should be as flexible as possible in scheduling make-up games. Marking a Tie for a game not played is discouraged. The Convenor will arbitrate any disputes.

SPARES

• Spares must be members in good standing of the Club and a minimum age of seventeen.
• Members who have registered on the Weekend Mixed Spare List should be given first priority when recruiting a spare.

Spare eligibility rules during the regular season

• As above, there must be at least one regular member of the team playing with a maximum of two spares
• A player must spare in the open position or lower (subject to Division rule below)
• Using the lowest ladder league Division played in as the guidepost (“Division Designation” in the grid below), spares can play any position within their own Division, no lower than two Divisions below their current divisional level or any higher Divisional level. Spares who are asked to play for a team which is more than two Divisions lower than their team’s lowest Mixed or other Ladder League standing must play front end. See the grid below for convenient reference.

“Division Designation	As a spare, what position can I play: AO – Any Open Position FE – Front End Only
Sparing in >	A	B	C	D	E	F		G		H		I		J
I am in A	AO	AO	AO	FE	FE	FE		FE		FE		FE		FE
I am in B	AO	AO	AO	AO	FE	FE		FE		FE		FE		FE
I am in C	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	FE		FE		FE		FE		FE
I am in D	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		FE		FE		FE		FE
I am in E	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		FE		FE		FE
I am in F	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		AO		FE		FE
I am in G	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		AO		AO		FE
I am in H	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		AO		AO		AO
I am in I	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		AO		AO		AO
I am in J	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO	AO		AO		AO		AO		AO

• Spares who are not part of a regular club ladder league may spare at any Divisional level at the position they are sparing for or lower.
• Please consider the opposition and respect the spirit of the game with spares. Sparing Rules are deemed to be “self-policed” but the league Convenor/Director will arbitrate any disputes.
• See PLAYOFFS heading below for supplementary rules in effect for these games.

SCORING

Tied games will not be broken.  Games will be scored as follows:

Division	Win	Tie	Loss
A	16	13.5	11
B	15	12.5	10
C	14	11.5	9
D	13	10.5	8
E	12	9.5	7
F	11	8.5	6
G	10	7.5	5
H	9	6.5	4
I	8	5.5	3
J	7	4.5	2

• A Team’s vice will be responsible for ensuring each win, loss or tie is recorded on the website.
• Upon completion of each series, teams will be awarded points in accordance with their win/loss/tie record as per the table above and teams will be re-seeded accordingly for the following series. If this is for series 1, then this point total will be their first cumulative point total. If this is for series 2 or 3, the current series point total will be added to one half of the previous accumulated points total to determine the new cumulative point total for each team.
• Should teams be tied in points after the W/L/T calculations, the seeding tie will be broken by:
  • The head-to-head record(s), where the winner is ranked higher
  • If still tied, the absolute number of wins this series, where the team with more wins (regardless of Division) is ranked higher
  • If there is still a tie, the teams will be seeded based on their ranking at the beginning of the round (higher ranked team at the beginning of this series will remain ranked higher at the end of this series).
• A team cannot move up or down more than two divisions at the end of a series.

PLAYOFFS

Playoffs for each Division will be scheduled following the end of the regular season.

• All Teams will participate in the Playoffs which will be a single knock-out format.
• Each team must ice a minimum of three players, two of whom must be regular team members.
• Higher seeded team will have hammer for each game
• Bell rule will be in effect except for Championship Final games.
• Spares:
  • may only be obtained from the published Spare List or from Mixed teams eliminated from the Playoffs.
  • from the published spare list must adhere to the “Division Designation” and ladder grid rule used for the regular season
  • from Mixed teams eliminated may only be obtained from Teams in the same Division or a lower Division with the exception of Divisions I and J which may obtain spares from Divisions up to two levels higher.
  • from other Teams must play their regular position or a higher position.

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LEAGUE PROFILE

• Each Team is to be made up of 2 male and 2 female players.
• All Team players must be members of the Oakville Curling Club in good standing, eligible to play in the Mixed League and must be a minimum of 17 years of age as of December 31 of the current season.
• Prior to the start of the season, teams will be seeded based upon prior year’s results. (Returning Skip/Third or Third/Second/Lead will be considered a returning Team.).
• New Teams will be seeded into vacant spots based upon experience and available openings at the discretion of the convener.

RULES FOR PLAY & MEMBER CONDUCT

The Board of Directors has approved and adopted a formal Rules for Play & Member Conduct policy. This policy will encompass all League play. The policy document is posted on the Club's website under “Resources” / “Policies and Waivers” for ease of reference

PLAY / SCHEDULING

The regular season will consist of approximately 21 games over 3 Draws.

The schedule for each Draw and updated Team standings following each Draw will be posted/distributed as soon as possible.

• Regular game times will be Wednesday at 11:45 AM.
• OCA Rules of Play will be followed as closely as possible.
• To play a game, teams must have a minimum of three curlers – at least one of whom must be a member of the published team.
• Teams must alternate male/female or female/male when delivering rocks even when curling with only three players. When playing with only three players, the first two players will deliver three rocks each.
• The five-rock rule is in effect (i.e. any of the first five rocks located in the “free guard” zone may not be removed from play by the opposing Team until the sixth rock).

LATENESS

The club clock is the official clock. If a Team does not commence play at the designated time (and has not cancelled the ice time and notified the opposing team) the following will apply:

1. a) If the delay of the start of play is 1-15 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. One end is considered completed;
2. b) If the delay of the start of play is 15-30 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 additional point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. Two ends are considered completed;
3. c) If play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending Team is declared winner by forfeit. The final score will be recorded as a "Win" for the non-offending Team and a "Loss" for the offending Team.

BELL RULE

The Club clock will be used for all games. The time-of-play will begin at the start of the first Draw, i.e. 6:40 pm on Friday and 3:30 pm on Saturday.

• After 1 hour and 40 minutes (15 minutes remaining on the clock) the bell will sound as a reminder for teams to finish the end in play and complete one more end.

• After 1 hour and 55 minutes the game clock will indicate 0:00 at which time the bell will sound for a second time indicating that regular time has expired and the teams should now be finishing play. No new ends are to be started after this bell.

• In the interest of safety, the 7th end will be considered underway once the final rock of the team with hammer crosses the delivering tee line in the 6th end.

• The Club’s objective to have all games completed within 2 hours remains in place.

• Deliberately delaying a game while playing is not an acceptable practice and is not in keeping with proper curling etiquette.

CANCELLING / RESCHEDULING

Please login to the website to postpone and/or re-schedule games. Ice time is valuable and other teams may be able to utilize your sheet for make-up games. Any team member can do this but skips are responsible for ensuring this happens. There is a similar online process to book/cancel practice ice. If you do not have online access or are having difficulty with the process, contact the Club Office (905) 844-6982.

• Skips are responsible for the rescheduling of games. Contact the Club Office (905) 844-6982 for ice availability.
• During league play, if a game cannot be played on the scheduled date, the cancelling team is responsible for finding a make-up time that works for their opponent.  The cancelling team should mark the game as a "Loss" if they are unable to make-up the game for any reason (including not being able to find a time agreeable to their opponent). All teams should attempt to be as flexible as possible in scheduling make-up games. Agreeing to a tie for an unplayed game is inconsiderate of other teams in the ladder as the next Draw’s team seedings are calculated based upon W/L/T points awarded.
• Any make-up games must be completed no later than the last Sunday of each Draw, or as indicated on the draw schedule should Sunday not be available.

SPARES

Detailed Club Sparing Rules are outlined in the Rules for Play & Member Conduct policy document which is posted on the Club's website;

• Spares must be members of the Oakville Curling Club, eligible to play in the Mixed League and must be a minimum of 17 years of age as of December 31 of the current season.
• In arranging spares, preference should be given to members who have requested their names be added to the published Spare List.
• Condensed Sparing Rules for the Mixed League are:

1. 1. Spares must fill the open position on the team or a lower position.
   2. If you play on a regular team within the Mixed League you can spare for the open position in your own Division, and up to two Divisions lower or any higher Division.
   3. If you play on a regular team within the Mixed League and you are sparing in a division more than 2 levels below your current team’s division, you must play front end. The members of the team you are sparing for will have to adjust their positions to accommodate your playing on the team.
   4. Any non-Mixed League member who’s name is on the published Spare List may spare at any Divisional level and at any team position. Any Mixed League member may have their name published on the Spare List, however will follow the guideline for Mixed League members.
   5. If you do not play on a regular team within the Mixed League and your name is not on the published Spare List of the Mixed League, you must deliver Lead or Second rocks, subject to meeting gender rotation requirements.

SCORING

Tied games will not be broken.  Games will be scored as follows:

• Win 2 points, Tie 1 point, Loss 0 points
• Each Team’s win, loss or tie is to be recorded by the Vice.
• For ranking purposes, 50% of the accumulated points from the previous Draw will be carried forward to the next draw.
• At the end of each series, teams will be re-seeded for the next draw / playoffs based upon their W/L/T results. Should teams be tied in points after the W/L/T calculations, the seeding tie will be broken by:
  • For a 2-way tie - head to head results. If two teams tied then the team with more wins will be seeded ahead of the other team.
  • For a 3-way tie - head to head amongst the three teams is used. If all tied then the team with the more wins will be seed higher. If they are still tied, then whichever team was ranked higher at the beginning of the series will remain ranked higher
  • For a 4-way tie - head to head amongst the four teams is used. If one team is ranked higher then they are removed and ranked 1st amongst the 4 teams and then a 3-way tie is used for final placings.

PLAYOFFS

Playoffs for each Division will be scheduled following the end of the regular season.

• All Teams will participate in the Playoffs which will be a single knock-out format.
• Each team to be composed of two female and two male players. Each team must ice a minimum of three players, two of whom must be regular team members.
• Spares may only be obtained from the published Spare List or from teams eliminated from the Playoffs. Spares from teams eliminated may only be obtained from Teams in the same Division or a lower Division with the exception of Divisions I and J which may obtain spares from Divisions one or two levels higher. Any spares from other Teams must play their regular position or a higher position.

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WEDNESDAY NIGHT WOMEN LEAGUE (WNW)

Rules of Play

1.1:      General

All games will be played in accordance with the current Rules of Curling for General Play, as set out in the Canadian Curling Association: https://www.curling.ca/rules/ In the case of any conflict between the CCA Rules and any item specifically listed in the Wednesday Night Women League Rules, the League Rules shall govern for that specific item only. Suggested changes to these rules can be submitted in writing to the Games Convenor.

1.1a:    No Tick Rule

WNW will currently not be implementing this rule. If teams wish to use this rule, they are welcome to as long as both skips agree to use it for that particular game.

1.2:      Ends

All games will be a maximum of eight ends in length, unless otherwise indicated. 

1.3:      Bell Rule

WNL will abide by the Oakville Curling Club’s Standard Bell Rule, which states:

• After 1 hour and 35 minutes the bell will sound as a reminder for Teams to finish the end in play and complete one more end;
• In the interest of safety, the 7th end will be considered underway once the final rock of the Skip with hammer is in motion in the 6th end.
• For the late draw, the game clock is not started until the last game has begun.(Approx 9:05)
• The Club’s objective to have all games completed within 2 hours remains in place.
• Deliberately delaying a game is not an acceptable practice and is not in keeping with proper curling etiquette.

1.4:      Teams

Each team must have a minimum of three (3) players, one of whom must be a regular team member. If any team has less than one original team member, the game shall be considered defaulted with the win being awarded to the non-offending team. All team members must be declared prior to the start of the first game of the season.

1.5:      Spares 

League play at the Club is focused on "fun & fairness" which is best achieved through a relatively level playing field. Sparing at an inappropriate level can significantly impact the outcome of a game and result in an unpleasant experience for the players involved. WNL shall abide by the following spare rules:

• A substitute player shall play in a position no higher than that of the player for whom they are substituting.
• Members whose names have been added to the Spare List of a respective Ladder League may spare at any Divisional level and may spare at any Team position within such Ladder League.
• Members who have registered on the WNL Spare Lists should be given first priority.
• Members who play on a regular Team in any of the Ladder Leagues can only spare in their own respective Division, one or two Divisions lower or any higher Division.
• For Members who do not play on a regular Team within WNL and whose names are not on the Spare List, sparing between is permitted as long as the sparing Member delivers LEAD or SECOND rocks.
• Junior members may be used as substitute players, provided they are at least 17 years of age as of December 31^st of the current curling season.

It is the joint responsibility of both the recruiting Member and the sparing Member to ensure the spare meets Membership and/or sparing eligibility requirements. 

Utilization of an ineligible spare may result in a "Loss" being recorded for the offending Team and a "Win" for the non-offending Team. 

1.6:      Lateness

Games are scheduled to begin at 6:40 pm and 9:00 pm. For delayed games the WNL league will abide by the Oakville Curling Club Rules for Play & Member Conduct, which states:

“If a team does not commence play at the designated time (and has not cancelled the ice time and notified the opposing team) then the following will apply:

1. If the delay of the start of play is 1-15 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. One end is considered completed;
2. If the delay of the start of play is 15-30 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 additional point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. Two ends are considered completed;
3. If play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending Team is declared winner by forfeit. The final score will be recorded as a "Win" for the non-offending Team and a "Loss" for the offending Team.”

1.7:      Delay of Game

Teams will make every effort to keep the game moving. There will be no coaching from behind the glass or electronically. Play will continue when a player must leave the ice surface for personal reasons; making adjustments as necessary (e.g. One sweeper/ vice moving into the house to call shots).

1.8:      Rescheduling

If a regular season game has to be rescheduled, the game must be played prior to the last scheduled game of the current series.

The cancelling team is responsible for finding a make-up time that works for their opponent. The cancelling team should mark the game as a “Loss” if they are unable to make-up the game for any reason (including not being able to find a time agreeable to their opponent). All teams should be as flexible as possible in scheduling make-up games. Marking a Tie for an unplayed game is strongly discouraged. The WNL Convenor will arbitrate any disputes.

1.9:      Scoring

The Vice for each team shall be responsible for the posting and verification of the results of each game in the club website games schedule. Scoring to be completed after each game and in the event of ‘blank’ entries, they will be recorded as losses. It is the responsibility of the Vice to ensure scoring is current.

The scoring will be recorded as follows:

Win	mark with a ‘W’
Tie	mark with a ‘T’
Loss	mark with an ‘L’

Points will be awarded to each team by the Games Convenor in accordance with the following:

Division	W	T	L
A	12	9.5	7
B	11	8.5	6
C	10	7.5	5
D	9	6.5	4
E	8	5.5	3
F	7	4.5	2

It is not necessary to record the actual game score on the score sheet.

Teams on a ‘bye’ will accrue point’s equivalent to a tie.

1:10:    Ties

Since the WNL Rules allow for ties, there shall not be any extra end(s) played in order to break a tied game, except in the case of a play-off game (Section 1:11). 

1:11:    Team Standings 

At the start of each new season, the team ladder will be determined by the position earned at the end of the third series of the prior season. These rankings are reserved for teams consisting of skip plus 1 returning player or 3+ returning players. New teams will be slotted into vacant brackets based on experience and available openings. In the event that all new teams cannot be accommodated the order of precedence will be determined by the date and time of registration for the current season.

Upon completion of each Series, the Games Convenor shall award points to each team in accordance with the Scoring rules set out above (Section 1.9).

Ties in the standings will be determined by the relative positions in the ladder prior to the rearranged ladder.

For ranking purposes, 50% of the accumulated points from the previous draw will be carried forward.

1:12:    Playoffs

Playoffs will be a single knock-out competition. Divisions B and D will have their first playoff game at 6:40 pm. Divisions A and C will have their first playoff game at 9:00 pm.

For Round 1

The bell rule is in effect for Divisions B, C, and D. Ties are broken by a single draw to the button with sweepers*. Division A will have no bell rule and an extra end will be played to break ties.

For Round 2 and 3 Division Finals

There will be no bell rule for all Divisions, and an extra end will be played to break ties.

Spares must come from the spare list, or from the same division or lower. Division D may obtain spares from Division C.  Any spares from other teams can play only their own position or higher.

1. Coin toss: There will be a new coin toss that will occur at the end of regulation play. The team winning the coin toss will decide whether they will throw first or second.
2. Each team will decide on 4 players to take part in the draw. 1 person will throw, 2 people will sweep and 1 person will “skip” to direct the shot. These positions will be determined at the time of the coin toss. Sweeping rules will follow regular game rules.
3. The first rock will be delivered, and the “skips” will decide on where the rock landed. The rock will then be removed to allow the second rock to be thrown at an empty house.
4. Once the second rock is thrown the same players will decide where the rock has landed and decide a winner. If no winner can be determined, the teams will repeat steps (iii) and (iv).
5. If no rocks land in the house, the teams will repeat steps (iii) and (iv). The same order will be maintained throughout the shootout.

 

 

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OAKVILLE CURLING CLUB – EVENING MEN’S LEAGUE RULEBOOK

 

SECTION 1 — REGULAR SEASON RULES

1. GENERAL RULE

The Evening Men’s League follows the Oakville Curling Club (OCC) Policy Rules for Play and the Ontario Curling Association (OCA) regulations unless otherwise stated in this document. These rules apply to all teams, players, and games throughout the regular season.

• All players must uphold OCC standards of sportsmanship, safety, and respectful conduct.
  • Skips are responsible for managing their team’s behaviour and resolving disputes calmly.
  • Rule interpretation issues should be discussed between skips before involving the Convenor.
• A team must have a minimum of three eligible players to begin a game.
  • If a team cannot ice three players by the 30‑minute lateness threshold, the game is forfeited (refer to lateness section).
  • A team may finish with fewer than three players only in the case of injury, and only if both skips agree.
• Spares must meet substitution rules.
  • Teams are responsible for confirming spare eligibility before the game.
  • Using an ineligible spare will result in an automatic Loss.
• All players must be OCC members in good standing.
  • Membership fees must be paid in full.
  • Suspended or delinquent members are not eligible.

 

2. TEAMS

Teams enter the Evening Men’s League through the club’s standard registration process.

• Each team must register four to six players, list all names and intended positions.
  • Positions may change during the season, but the registered roster determines playoff eligibility.
• If total entries exceed league capacity, precedence is determined by date of entry. However, the league convenor has the discretion to adjust team entries to ensure the proper competitive balance of the league.
• Returning teams are encouraged to register early.
• New teams are accepted after returning teams are placed.
• A player may not be registered on more than one Men’s League team.
• Teams must maintain communication with the league.
  • Skips must ensure their team receives schedule updates and rule changes.
  • Roster changes must be reported promptly.

 

3. TEAM SEEDING – START OF SEASON

Teams are placed into divisions (A–E) based on a structured seeding process designed to maintain competitive balance.

• Seeding is based primarily on the previous season’s final standings, prior to playoffs.
• Returning teams are prioritized based on roster continuity:
  • Four returning players = highest priority
  • Three returning players = secondary priority
• New teams are seeded by the Convenor based on:
  • Known skill level
  • Past performance
  • Division balance
• Teams switching nights (Tuesday ↔ Thursday) are placed in the lowest position of the division they finished in the previous year.
• Returning teams retain priority if at least one member registers before the early‑payment deadline.

 

4. LATENESS

The club clock is the official timekeeper. If a team does not commence play at the designated time and has not notified the opposing team, the following will apply:

• 5 minutes late: Opponent receives hammer.
• 10 minutes late: Opponent receives 1 point + hammer; first end considered played.
• 20 minutes late: Opponent receives another point (total 2) + hammer; two ends considered played.
• 30 minutes late: Game is forfeited.

• Additional notes:

o   Teams may begin with three players.

o   A late player may join at the start of the next end.

o   Lateness penalties are not negotiable.

 

5. RESCHEDULING – REGULAR SEASON

• Games must be played before the final scheduled game of the series to count.
• The team requesting the reschedule must propose reasonable alternatives.
• If teams cannot agree on a time:

o   The cancelling team records a Loss.

o   A tie may be recorded only if both teams agree and the Convenor approves. However, marking a tie for an un-played game is strongly discouraged.

• Unless played to a tie, the final round‑robin game of each series must have a winner.
• The Convenor will arbitrate disputes; the decision is final.

 

6. ENDS – REGULAR SEASON

• All regular season games are a maximum of eight ends.
• A new end is deemed to have started once last rock of the team with hammer is in motion.

7. TIES – REGULAR SEASON

• Ties are permitted.
• No extra ends are played.
• Each team receives the points associated with a tie.

 

8. FREE GUARD ZONE – REGULAR SEASON

• The 5 Rock Rule applies.
• No opponent stone in the FGZ may be removed until the sixth stone of the end.
• Violations result in:
  • Removal of the delivered stone
  • Replacement of all affected stones

 

9. NO TICK RULE – REGULAR SEASON

• Applies only to Division A.
• A stone touching the center line in the FGZ may not be moved off the centre line until the sixth stone.
• If a stone is moved off the centre line, the non-offending team has 2 options.
  • They can have the centre guard placed in its original spot, OR
  • They can choose to leave the stones where they rest.

 

10. ELIGIBILITY – REGULAR SEASON

Eligible players include:

• Full Members
• Intermediate Members
• Full‑Time Student Male Members
• All must be in good standing

Players must be registered with the OCC for the current season.
A player may only be registered on one Men’s League team.

Using an ineligible player results in an automatic Loss.

 

11. PLAYER REPLACEMENT – REGULAR SEASON

Permanent replacements may be approved if:

• A player resigns or transfers
• A player misses three consecutive games without notice
• A player suffers illness/injury causing three or more absences

Additional rules:

• If a team cannot find a replacement within three weeks, the league may assign one.
• Replacements must be approved before the end of the regular season.
• Playoff rosters are locked at the end of the regular season.

 

 

12. CLUB BELL RULE – REGULAR SEASON

Early Games (6:40 p.m.)

• Bell at 1:35 after start → finish current end + play one more.

Late Games (9:00 p.m.)

• Same rule as early games.

Safety Clarification

• A new end is deemed to have started once last rock of the team with hammer is in motion. i.e. the 7^th end is deemed to have started once the last rock of the 6^th end is in motion.

Deliberately delaying a game is not an acceptable practice and is not in keeping with proper curling etiquette.

 

13. SUBSTITUTIONS – GENERAL

Spares may come from any league within the club, provided the individual is registered as either a league member or a spare member. Practice Members are not eligible to spare in any league.

• It is the responsibility of both the Skip and the spare to ensure that all membership and eligibility requirements are met. Using an ineligible spare will result in an automatic Loss for the offending team and a Win for the non‑offending team.
• Sparing rules are considered self‑policed. Teams are expected to address and resolve any sparing concerns before the game begins. In most cases, placing a spare at lead will resolve eligibility issues.
• If a team believes that a rule has been breached—or may have been breached—the matter should be brought to the League Convenor, who will review the situation and take any action deemed appropriate.
• In‑game substitutions are not permitted. If a player must leave or cannot continue, the team may finish the game with fewer players, provided they are not already in a forfeit situation.
• A late player may join at the start of the next end.

When a team plays with three players,

• The Lead and Second each throw three stones, and the Skip throws two stones.
• If both teams are playing with three players, the Skips may mutually agree to play six‑rock ends.

Teams must follow both the letter and spirit of the rules.

 

14. SUBSTITUTIONS – REGULAR SEASON

Minimum and Maximum Players

• Must have minimum 3 players
• Must have one roster member present.
• Up to two spares may be used.

Spare Position Restrictions

• A spare must play the open position or lower.
• Only 1 spare can come from two or more divisions higher as they must play lead only.

Division Spare Matrix

Sparing in >	A	B	C	D	E
I am in A	Open or lower	Open or lower	Lead	Lead	Lead
I am in B	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Lead	Lead
I am in C	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Lead
I am in D	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower
I am in E	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower	Open or lower

Spare Eligibility

• Must be a registered OCC member.

 

15. TEAM LADDER POINT ALLOCATION

Points per game:

Flight	Win	Loss	Tie
A	12 pts	7 pts	9.5 pts
B	11 pts	6 pts	8.5 pts
C	10 pts	5 pts	7.5 pts
D	9 pts	4 pts	6.5 pts
E	8 pts	3 pts	5.5 pts

 

 

16. TEAM SEEDING – REGULAR SEASON (SERIES MOVEMENT)

Upon completion of each series teams will be ranked within their division based on the total cumulative number of points over the season.

• After ranking, the two top teams will move up a division (except in division A), and the bottom two teams will move down a division (except in division E). 
• A team cannot move more than one division at the end of a series. These points will then be used to order the teams within each new division.
• This ordering is most relevant at the end of series three going into the playoffs, when within each division the first playoff round will consist of team 1 playing team 8, team 2 playing team 7, etc.

Ties in team points at the conclusion of a series will be broken as follows:

1. 2-way tie: head-to-head record of the current series, the winner is ranked higher
2. 3-way tie: head-to-head record amongst the three teams in the current series is used first. If all three teams have beaten each other refer to step 4. 
3. 4-way tie: head-to-head record amongst the 4 team is used first. If one team is clear cut winner, remove them and proceed with 3-way tiebreaking. 
4. If still tied, absolute number of wins in the current series, where the team with more wins is ranked higher
5. If still tied, the higher ranked team at the beginning of this series is ranked higher at the end of this series.
6. A team moving up from the division below will be ranked lower, while a team moving down from a division above will be ranked higher.

If need be, the Men’s Convenor will determine any disputes in the ladder standings.

 

SECTION 2 — PLAYOFF RULES

17. TEAM SEEDING – PLAYOFFS

After the third series, teams will be reseeded based on total points accumulated throughout the regular season.  Teams will participate in a double-elimination knockout to determine which teams advance to the crossover playoffs.

• The two-up and two-down rule does not apply for Division Playoffs.
• However, a team cannot move up or down more than one (1) division.

 

18. HAMMER RULE – PLAYOFFS

Division Playoffs (Double‑Elimination)

• Higher seed → choice of hammer or colour.

Crossover Playoffs (Single‑Elimination)

Hammer determined only by LSD.

• Flip a coin for 1st Practice and Clockwise rotation LSD/or 2nd Practice and Counterclockwise rotation 
• The team with 1st Practice gets choice of colour.
• Each team gets two practice stones and then the third stone countsas final LSD (Sweeping can be used).
• If both teams put the rock on the button, another member must throw the next draw with no practice and no sweeping. 
• To expedite the timing of this process, each team should alternate throws.

 

19. EXTRA ENDS – PLAYOFFS

• Playoff games cannot end in a tie.
• A full extra end is played.
• Additional extra ends played if needed.

 

20. RESCHEDULING – PLAYOFFS

• Postponed games are not permitted.
• Games may be played early with Convenor approval.
• If a team cannot field a lineup based on the playoff substitution requirements → Forfeit.

 

21. BELL RULE – PLAYOFFS

Division Playoffs

• Bell at 1:35 → finish current end + one more.

Crossover Playoffs

• No bell applies.
• All games are played to completion.

 

22. TIES – PLAYOFFS

• No ties permitted.
• Extra ends are played towards the home end until a winner is determined.

 

23. FREE GUARD ZONE – PLAYOFFS

• 5 Rock Rule applies.
• Violations → removal and replacement.

 

24. NO TICK RULE – PLAYOFFS

• Applies only to Division A.
• If a stone is moved off the centre line, the non-offending team has 2 options.
  • They can have the centre guard placed in its original spot, OR
  • They can choose to leave the stones where they rest.

 

25. SUBSTITUTIONS – PLAYOFFS

To promote fairness, playoff spare rules are modified from the regular season spare rules. Failure to comply with the spare rules will result in a forfeiture.

Minimum Team Composition

• Minimum 3 players and must have two roster members present.
• Maximum two spares are allowed per game.

Spare Eligibility

• Teams should declare before the game that they are using a spare.
• You are allowed a maximum of one/two spares per game.
• Juniors are not eligible to spare.
• Playoff spares MUST be a member of the men’s league, spare list only players are not eligible to spare for the playoffs.
• Playoff spares can play in the open position or lower. 
• Playoff spares, who are part of a regular Tuesday or Thursday evening men's team, can only spare for teams in the same division or higher. For example, a player who plays in Division B can only spare for teams in A or B and cannot spare for teams in C or below. 
• An exception for this rule is for Division E. Because there are no lower divisions; Division E teams can source a spare from a team in Division D. 
• Crossover game spares can only use a player who has not competed in the Crossover Playoffs

Replacement exemption for travelling or injured team members

We understand that some flexibility is required for team members who are injured or are travelling during the playoffs. If a team member is unable to play in the playoffs, they can be replaced with certain conditions:

• The player being replaced cannot play another game in the playoffs
• The replacement player can be from the spare list; however, a team must ensure that the skill/experience level spare list player is consistent with the skill level of their division. The convenor will make the final assessment.
• Replacement players must be requested and approved by the men’s league convenor in writing (via email).

26. OCC SWEEPING RULES

• No corn brooms or hair brooms can be used for sweeping, but they can be used for delivery
• Hardline plastic inserts must be removed.
• Only WCF‑approved foam heads permitted.
• WCF sleeves encouraged.
• Equipment may be inspected at any time.

 

27. RUNBACK BREWING CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION

The Oakville Curling Club men's team representative for the Runback Brewing Curling Club Championship will be selected each fall from qualified teams that participated in the preceding season's Evening Men's League A division playoffs. The teams will be evaluated in the following order, until a qualified team is available to play:

Priority order:

1. A‑Division Champion
2. A‑Division Finalist
3. Looking at the remaining two teams in the semi-finals, if they are both from the same evening (either Tuesday or Thursday), then the highest ranked team at the start of the crossover playoffs shall be selected. If they are from different evenings, then a one game playoff between the two teams shall be arranged and the winner of that game shall be selected.
4. Looking at the remaining four teams of the quarterfinals, if they are all from the same evening (either Tuesday or Thursday), then the highest ranked team at the start of the crossover playoffs shall be selected. If they are from different evenings, then a one game playoff between the two top-ranked teams at the start of the crossover playoffs shall be arranged and the winner of that game shall be selected.

If none of the 8 teams that participated in the A division quarterfinals is available to play, Oakville will forfeit its entry in that year.

Teams must meet all Curling Ontario eligibility requirements.

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Guideline for Day Women Tuesday/Thursday Recreational League

The primary focus of the Day Women Tuesday and Thursday Recreational league is skill development, fun, and socializing. While small prizes are awarded to the winning teams at the end of each series, this is NOT considered a competitive league.

The League aims to allow as many women curlers as possible to participate. There are approximately 4 series each session, with each series being 4 to 6 weeks in length. Players are assigned to a new team each series.

At this time this League is unique since it allows women to curl on Tuesdays or Thursdays or both. However, it needs to be reinforced that with the rise in numbers and the frequency of some series being oversubscribed, that women are only guaranteed one of the two days and only if there is room then they may be added to the additional day. There can no longer be an entitlement to both days when our numbers have increased so much.

Curler Guidelines:

Registering

• Participating curlers must be paid members of the Club and they must have paid the Day Women Tuesday/Thursday Recreational League fee.
• New curlers are strongly encouraged to complete a Learn to Curl program before joining this league.
• Curlers sign up for each series separately on the Club website by the announced sign-up deadline.
• For each series sign-up, curlers can sign up for either or both of Tuesday and Thursday (although curling on both days is NOT guaranteed). At each sign-up, curlers are asked to indicate:
  • The dates that you want to play – Tuesday and/or Thursday
  • Your preferred date of play – Tuesday or Thursday (in case the convenors cannot put you on a team both days)
  • Your first and second choice of position
  • Any other comments that you want the convenors to be aware of

Curling

• Curlers will be notified by email that the teams have been posted on the OCC website prior to the start of each series.
• Curlers should update their sparing availability for each series.
• Curlers are responsible for finding their own spares to fill in for any absences (e.g. vacation, illness) and for keeping their skip informed. This can be done through the spare list on the Club website.
• Games can proceed if a team has only 3 players. If a player arrives late they can join the game to sweep, but if they’ve missed their turn throwing their rocks, they should wait until the next end to throw their rocks.
• Up to 3 players on a team can be spares.
• Make your way to your assigned sheet as soon as the ice is ready for play and scoreboards have been reset to zero, “shaking hands”, and determining hammer by the Club specified start time.
• This League follows the Club Bell Rule and the Five Rock Rule.
• Teams are encouraged to play as quickly as safely possible to play 8 ends.
• Vices keep track of the score and total ends up to an including the 6th end and then play the 7^thand 8th end for the win. Vices should record win/lose/tie, ends, and score on the Scoresheet posted in the Women’s locker room. Eight end games should also be noted on the Scoresheet.
• A decision to end the game after a minimum of 6 ends will be made by the team with the lower score.

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Saturday Morning Open

Our #1 Rule is “Fun and Fellowship!”

Rules:

• Games are 8 ends. Ties will not be broken.
• OCC's bell rule will be in effect for our games - for details, see OCC's Rules for Play.
• Games are played with the "Five Rock Rule".
• Two 3-person teams may play a 6-rock game on skips' agreement.
• Other rules are as per OCA and OCC Rules for Play.

Recording Results:

• Record win, loss, tie

Spares:

• Use the spares list first although "anytime" members may substitute in any regular games.
• Spares should play their normal club position.
• Notify your skip if unable to play and supply the name of the spare.
• In keeping with the "Fun & Fellowship" rule, only one member of a team must be present for a regular series game.

Playoffs:

• The team with the best score record of Draw 1 and and the team with the best score record of Draw 2 will be declared the section (Fall/Spring) winners.
• The tiebreaker rule in the event two or more teams tie:

1. Team with the best win/loss record
2. Team with the most wins
3. Winner of the head/head game (if the teams played each other)
4. Cutting a deck of cards - highest card wins

• These two teams will play on the final scheduled date for the coveted league championship.
• Playoff spares are to be approved by the Saturday Morning Convenor. 

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Monday Night Open

V2 Prepared Oct 22, 2017.

Rules:

• Do your part to create a friendly environment for members of all curling skill levels, including those new-to-curling. Have fun; practice your skills!
• Games are 8 ends. Ties will not be broken. You are encouraged to play at least 6 ends, in the spirit of fun and to provide new or infrequent curlers, the opportunity to practice their game.
• Scores are kept during game, but final scores are not recorded or tracked. There are no playoffs.
• OCC’s bell rule will be in effect.
• Games are played with the “Five Rock Rule.”
• Two 3-person teams may play a 6-rock game on skips’ agreement.
• Teams are created by the convenor; you do not pick your team. New teams are created for each series.
• Spouse will not be assigned to the same team, but will be assigned to the same game-time. If an error has occurred, please advise the convenor for future schedule correction.
• Same game-time may be requested for carpoolers.
• Other rules as per OCA and OCC Rules of Play.

Spares:

• You are responsible for getting a spare if you can not make a game. (Once you have logged into the OCC website goto "GameCentre > Spares")
• Use the spares list first, although anytime members may substitute in any regular games.
• Spares should play the position they are substituting for; however, this can be negotiated at the start of the game, in consideration of skills and interest of teammates, and balancing team, for a fun game.
• Notify your skip if unable to play and supply the name of the spare. (For contact information, go to GameCentre > Teams and click on the persons name)

What position can I play?

This is a non-competitive league and many like this night for the opportunity to try different positions and develop their curling skills. This is encouraged! However, if you are new to curling, it may not be appropriate to be a vice or skip right away, as this may significantly impact others’ experience on the ice. Feel free to discuss your position interests with your skip or league convenor, to guide you in future position requests. It is suggested that to play Vice & Skips you have at least 40 games experience (e.g. 1 season @ 2 nights/week or 2 seasons @ 1 night/week.)

Can I remove myself from a team assignment for one series?

You can remove yourself from a regular team assignment. However, please note that if there is someone waiting to be placed on a team in the Monday night league, your spot will be reassigned. Assuming there is a spot open for the next series, then you can be assigned to a regular team again, on your return. (The ability to do so depends on the current interest in this league, which fluctuates.) Alternately, you can retain your spot on a team, by finding a spare for the nights you will be away.

• If you decide to remove yourself, please notify your convenor as soon as possible.
• If you also want to be added to the spares list, you must do so yourself, by logging into the OCC website member’s area, "GameCentre > Spares”.

Curling Etiquette and General Reminders:

Before the game:

• Arrive on the ice a few minutes before the start of the game, so the game can start at the scheduled time. You will hear a 5-minute warning bell before the early game.
• Introduce yourself and shake hands with your opponents & wish everyone “good curling”.
• A Vice/Third from one team spins the wheel, (or flips a coin) while the other team’s Vice makes the call. Whichever team wins the toss has the option of throwing the last rock, or choosing rock colour. The team that wins the toss will usually opt for the advantage of last rock, in which case the other team chooses the colour they want.

During game:

• Be quiet when opponents are in position to start delivering their rocks, and through delivery.
• Thrower should be in the hack with the rock cleaned before the opposition rock has come to rest.
• Sweepers should be between the hog lines when rocks are delivered by the opposition. You should not be in the house when it is the opposition’s turn to throw.
• Keep to the edge of your sheet when you have finished sweeping your team's rock and you're walking back down the sheet; the other team will be throwing their rock and sightlines down the sheet should be unblocked.
• You should avoid stepping onto or walking up and down the sheet of ice next to the one you're playing on.
• Lead should put the Skip rocks in the hack to help with the flow of the game. You should not put rocks out for your opponents.
• Strategy and decision making is the responsibility of the SKIP. When it comes time for Skips to throw, they should discuss strategy with their Vice/Third. These decisions should not be drawn out. Taking too much time is unfair on the opposition.
• Seconds and Leads can get involved in some strategy discussions, but consistently being involved slows the game down.
• Skips, try to plan and decide the next shot as the opposition is executing the current shot.
• It's okay for a Skip to stand behind the other Skip to watch the line, but the Skip behind should try not to have their broom placed down vertically on the ice, since this may put the thrower off by seeing two brooms! It's courtesy for the Skip standing behind to position their broom horizontally across their body and remain still during the throw.
• After all rocks are thrown, the Vices decide and agree on the score of the end. Only then should the other players enter the house and gather the rocks by colour only, except for the next Lead. The lead starting the next end should find his/her rock and get ready in the hack.
• If you throw with a stabilizer, devise a system with yourself and/or your team mates to ensure the stabilizer is at the proper throwing location before your first shot each end.
• When measuring a rock, the vice of the team that has last rock the next end should return the measuring stick to its proper location.

End of Game:

• Both teams shake hands after a game.
• It’s considered good etiquette to sit with your opposition after the game over drinks. Winning teams usually buy drinks for opposition and then opponents reciprocate. (Drink responsibly! Non-alcoholic drinks are okay.)

Ice Etiquette:

• Remain off the ice while the ice crew completes the ice maintenance.
• Make sure shoes are curling shoes or cleaned indoor shoes.
• Clean your shoes before going on the ice. Use the sticky mat.
• Clean brooms over garbage cans so dirt etc. does not fall onto the ice or carpet.
• Don’t put hands on the ice or kneel on ice for extended period; it melts/marks the ice.

Skip as leader

• Make your team aware of curling etiquette.
• Make sure your team is ready to play at the scheduled time. If a member of your team is not able to start on time, inform the opponent skip, start your game and fit your team member in when they arrive.
• Good ice is important! Please point out to your team that sitting or resting on the ice deteriorates the ice. It is okay to touch the ice when you are moving but not when you are stationary. Continue to make curlers aware of this.
• Be aware of safety. Recommend grippers be new (replace regularly) and worn always after a delivery. Help sweepers prevent falls by suggesting that when they are sweeping their feet and body face towards the house they are delivering towards.
• Set an example; be courteous & be aware of team dynamics. Be a Nice Person.
• Tailor your expectations to the ability of your team members. Be considerate of those of lesser skills and talent.

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Saturday 5U Rules

Spares:

• You are responsible for getting a spare if you can not make a game.
  • Log into the OCC website:
  • GameCentre > Spares > SAT 5U
• Use the spares list first, followed by any club members eligible to play.
  • Non-members or curlers from other clubs are NOT allowed to play.
• Spares should play the position they are substituting for; however, this can be negotiated at the start of the game, in consideration of skills and interest of teammates, and balancing team, for a fun game.
  • Notify your skip if unable to play and supply the name of the spare.
• For contact information:
  • GameCentre > SAT 5U >Teams > Skip’s Name

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SENIOR MEN’S COMPETITIVE LADDER

RULES & REGULATIONS

Teams

Returning teams enter the Senior Ladder by making an application to the Club Manager through the normal registration process detailing the names and positions of four or five curlers.

At the start of each new season, the team’s ladder position will be determined based on the team’s results in the previous year's playoffs. Within each level, the overall winner will be assigned the “1” spot, with the runner-up being given the “2” spot. The semi-final losing teams will be given the “3” and “4” spots with the higher ranked playoff team getting the “3”. The remaining teams will be assigned the balance of the spots based on their ranked positions into the playoffs.

However, a team may be shuffled up positions should any teams above it not return or shuffled down if a new team were to be seeded ahead of them.

The team’s position is retained by the skip returning along with one returning team member or by three returning team members. This includes a fifth, if present. However, returning teams require a minimum of three confirmed players by September 15th to continue to preserve this position.

A minimum of three players must be provided to accept a new team on the waiting list. Entries will be accepted on a first come first serve basis by the Convenor (preferably via email) who shall assure the application date shall be maintained for this purpose. New teams will be seeded at the discretion of the Convenor and the Senior Men’s Director. Keeping the total number of teams to an even number will be a priority,

If a team is added in mid-season, except for extraordinary circumstances, they will be added into the lowest ladder level. The addition will take effect at the beginning of a series and the team will be allocated a cumulative point total of the average of the totals of the other teams in that level, rounded down to the nearest whole number.

All active players must be members of the Oakville Curling Club and over the age of fifty as of October 1st. All returning members or members of any new team must be registered by the date specified by the Club to retain their rank.

Team membership shall be finalized as that published for the third series draw. Any new team members after the start of the third series shall be treated as spares subject to the rules governing spares unless otherwise agreed by the Convenor. This is subject to mitigating circumstances such as injury or relocation.

Play

For each game, each team must have a minimum of three players, one of whom must be a regular team member. If a team cannot field three players, the game shall be defaulted with the win being awarded to the non-offending team.

During the playoffs, each team must include at least two regular members, one of whom must be the skip or the vice.

All regular season games will be governed by the club “Bell Rule” and ties will not be broken.

During the playoffs, in the quarters and semis, we will operate under the FIRST bell rule; in other words when the first bell sounds, you finish the end you are in and play one more. You can ignore the final bell’s ring. If you are tied at the end of the game, you must play an extra end to break the tie.

During the playoff finals, the "Bell Rule" will not be in effect and a tie will be broken by a full extra end.

For all playoff games, the higher seeded team will get choice of hammer or rock colour.

For all games, the "Five Rock Rule" will be in effect (i.e. any of the first five rocks located in the ‘free guard’ zone may not be removed from play by the opposing team until the sixth rock).

Lateness

The club clock is the official clock. If a team does not commence play at the designated time (and has not cancelled the ice time and notified the opposing team) the following will apply :

1. If the delay of the start of play is 5 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives last rock in the first end of actual play. 
2. If the delay of the start of play is 10 minutes, then the non-offending Team receives 1 point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. ONE end is considered completed;
3. If the delay of the start of play is 20 minutes, then the non-offending team receives 1 additional point and will have last rock in the first end of actual play. TWO ends are considered completed.
4. If play has not started after 30 minutes, then the non-offending Team is declared winner by forfeit. The final score will be recorded as a "Win" for the non-offending Team and a "Loss" for the offending Team.

Rescheduling

If a regular season game has to be rescheduled, the game must be played prior to the last scheduled game of the current series. The cancelling team is responsible for finding a make-up time that works for their opponent. The cancelling team should mark the game as a "Loss" if they are unable to make-up the game for any reason (including not being able to find a time agreeable to their opponent). All teams should be as flexible as possible in scheduling make-up games. Marking a Tie for an unplayed game is strongly discouraged. The Men’s Convenor will arbitrate any disputes.

Team Ladder Standings

Points are allotted for each game played:

Division	Win	Loss	Tie
A	12	7	9.5
B	11	6	8.5
C	10	5	7.5
D	9	4	6.5
E	8	3	5.5

Upon completion of each series, teams will be awarded points in accordance with their win/loss/tie record as per the table above. If this is for series 1, then this point total will be their first cumulative point total. If this is for series 2 or 3, the current series point total will be added to one half of the previous accumulated points total to determine the new cumulative point total for each team.

For series 1 and 2, these points will then be used to rank the teams within each division. After ranking, the two top teams will move up a division (except in division A), and the bottom two teams will move down a division (except in division E). A team cannot move more than one division at the end of a series. These points will then be used to order the teams within each new division.

After the 3rd series, teams will be reseeded based on their cumulative point total across all divisions. So this time, the two-up and two-down rule does not apply when reseeding teams for the playoffs. However, a team cannot move up or down by more than one division.

Ties in team points will be broken as follows:

• a. Their head-to-head record, where the winner is ranked higher.
• b. If still tied, the absolute number of wins this series, where the team with more wins is ranked higher.
• c. If there is still a tie, the higher ranked team at the beginning of this series is ranked higher at the end of this series.

The playoffs will, by default, be in a single elimination format.

SPARING RULES

General

These Senior Men’s Ladder (SML) sparing rules are intended to :

• Ensure an adequate pool of spares.
• Provide eligible Club members with more opportunities to play.
• Enable a competitive balance and level playing field while supporting a spirit of “Fun and Fair Play”.
• Encourage Club members wishing to spare in the SML to register on the SML Spare List.

It is the joint responsibility of both the recruiting member and the sparing member to ensure the sparing member meets all eligibility requirements.

Spares must be members in good standing of the Club and over the age of fifty.

Members who have registered on the SML Spare List should be given first priority when recruiting a spare.

Spare eligibility rules during the regular season

1.       Registered members of teams in the Senior Men’s Ladder or the Tuesday/Thursday Men’s Ladder are eligible to spare for other teams in the SML as follows:

a.      Spares must play the position they are sparing for or a lower position

b.      Spares must play in their own division, no lower than one division below their current divisional level, or any higher divisional level.  For spares who play in both leagues, the positioning within the SML league takes precedence

2.      Members who are not registered with the SML or Men’s Night League may spare at any divisional level at the position they are sparing for or lower

3.      There must be at least one regular member of the team and a maximum of two spares

Spare eligibility rules during the playoffs

1.      There must be two regular members of the team, one of whom must be Skip or Vice

2.      Playoff spares can play open position or lower

3.      Playoff spares who are part of the SML or the Men’s Night League can only spare for teams in the same division or higher.  For example, a player in B division within Tuesday Night Men’s League can only play for teams in A or B and cannot spare for teams in C or below

Penalties

Sparing Rules are deemed to be “self-policed”. Any actual or perceived breach of the Sparing Rules is to be brought to the attention of the Senior Men’s Director who will investigate and take action as deemed appropriate.

Utilization of an ineligible spare will result in a “Loss” being recorded for the offending team and a “Win” for the non-offending team.

APPENDIX

The Bell rule

The Bell will sound once at the nominal beginning of the draw.

• After 1 hour and 40 minutes, the Bell will sound again. At this point, teams get to complete the end they are currently playing, plus one more.
• 15 minutes later (1 hour and 55 minutes from the start), the bell will ring one last time. Now, teams are currently playing their last end.
• The end is considered over when the skip’s hammer rock crosses the near T-line. At this point, you are considered to be playing the next end.

Example 1: If you are in the middle of the sixth end and the first bell sounds, you can finish the 6th end and play the 7th end.

Example 2: If you are at the very end of the sixth end, once the hammer crosses the near T-line, you are now in the 7th end. If the first bell rings at this point, you may play the 7th and 8th ends. In this case, you need to complete the 7th end in 15 minutes before the final bell sounds.

September 2025

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MONDAY LADDER LEAGUE (MLL)
Rules and Guidelines
Updated November, 2025

LEAGUE PROFILE

• Team entry – Limit of 32 teams consisting of 4 divisions (A to D) with a maximum of 8 teams in each division. Individuals are welcome to enter and the convenor will try and match them with other players.
• A team is composed of 4 or 5 players. All team members and positions must be declared prior to the first game of the season.
• All team players must be members of the Oakville Curling Club in good standing, eligible to play in the Monday Ladder League and must be a minimum of 17 years of age as of June 30 of the current curling season, as per OCA rules and regulations.
• Teams will be seeded based on the previous year’s results. August 31, each year, is the deadline for teams to inform the Convenor (in writing or confirmed email) of their team’s intentions. On September 1 open slots will be offered to teams on the waiting list.
• To retain a team’s ladder position, the team must consist of at least two players from the previous year. Returning Skip and one other team member or any three team members will be considered the same team. A designated alternate or fifth will count as part of the qualifying team for ladder placement in the next year. In the event a team divides and both groups choose to play in MLL, the ladder position will be held for the team with the returning Skip. The team with the remaining members will begin at the bottom of the ladder.
• Teams new to MLL will be added to the bottom of the ladder in any open positions on a first come, first served basis through the waiting list. New teams must inform the Convenor (in writing or confirmed email) of their team’s interest in the league.

PLAY/SCHEDULING

• The regular season will consist of 21 games over 3 series of 7 games each. Each division may experience one bye throughout the season if there is an uneven number of teams. Where there is a bye, the teams will both be awarded points equivalent to a tie
• Regular game times will be Monday at 9:00 AM for A and B division and 12:00 PM for C division.
• OCA Rules of Play will be followed as closely as possible.
• To play a game, teams must have a minimum of three curlers – at least one of whom must be a regular team member.
• When playing with only three players, the first two players will deliver three rocks each.
• If a team is 10 minutes late, they forfeit the first end. Their opponents will score one point and retain last rock (if desired).
• Games will be 8 ends. A game may be conceded at any time by the losing team.
• The five-rock rule is in effect (i.e. any of the first five rocks located in the ‘free guard’ zone may not be removed from play by the opposing team until the sixth rock).
• The schedule for each series and updated team standings following each series will be posted as soon as possible following the completion of the final draw on the Club’s website.

BELL RULE

• The Club Bell Rule will be used for all games. The bell will sound to start the countdown clock at the beginning of each draw. The time-of-play will begin at the start of the first game (9:00 AM) and the second game (12:00 PM).
• After 1 hour and 35 minutes the game clock will sound as a reminder to teams to finish the end in play and complete one more end.
• In the interest of safety, an end will be considered underway once the last rock of the previous end is in motion.
• The Club’s objective is to have all games completed within 2 hours.
• Deliberately delaying a game is not an acceptable practice and slow play is not in keeping with proper curling etiquette.

CANCELLING / RESCHEDULING

• Please contact the Club Office to cancel your ice time if your regularly scheduled game has to be postponed as other teams may be able to utilize an unused ice time for make-up games.
• Skips are responsible for the rescheduling of games. Consult the club website for ice availability.
• Any make-up games must be completed no later than the Wednesday immediately after each draw.
• The cancelling team is responsible for finding a make-up time that works for their opponent. The cancelling team should mark the game as a ‘Loss’ if they are unable to make-up the game for any reason (including not being able to find a time agreeable to their opponent). All teams should attempt to be as flexible as possible in scheduling make-up games.

SPARES

• Detailed Club Sparing Rules are outlined in the Rules for Play and Member Conduct policy document which is posted on the Club’s website. 
• Spares must be members of the Oakville Curling Club, eligible to play in the Monday Ladder League and must be a minimum of 17 years of age.
• In arranging spares, preference should be given to members who have requested their names be added to the published Spare List.
• Condensed Sparing Rules for the Monday Ladder League are:
  • Spares must play the position they are sparing for or a lower position.
  • Members who play as Skip and Vice on a regular team within the Monday Ladder League can spare in any position in their own division, one division lower or any higher division. Skips and Vices can spare two divisions lower than their own division but must play as Lead (or Lead and Second in the case of two such spares).
  • Members who play as Lead or Second on a regular team within the Monday Ladder League can spare in any position in their own division, one or two divisions lower or any higher division.
  • Members whose names are on the published spare list of the Monday Ladder League may spare at any divisional level and may spare at any team position.
  • For members who do not play on a regular team within the Monday Ladder League and whose names are not on the published spare list of the Monday Ladder League must deliver Lead or Second rocks.

SCORING

• The Oakville Curling Club is using Curling Club Manager for point calculations.
• Tie games will not be broken. Games will be scored as follows:

	Win	Tie	Loss	Default*
A Division	10	7.5	5	0
B Division	9	6.5	4	0
C Division	8	5.5	3	0
D Division	7	4.5	2	0

*A default is scored only when a team has not attempted to reschedule the game. The non-defaulting team scores a win.

• Each team’s win, loss or tie is to be recorded by the Vice on the Club’s website.
• At the end of each 7 game series, teams will be re-seeded for the next series based upon their W/L/T results by the League Convenor.
• For ranking purposes, 50% of the accumulated points from the previous series will be carried forward to the next series.
• In the event of a tie in total points in any series, ladder positions will be determined by the winner between those two teams in the round just completed. If that result was a tie or the teams did not play, standings at the beginning of the series will be used.
• If there is a tie for first place at the end of the season, an additional game will be scheduled to break the deadlock.

RULES FOR PLAY & MEMBER CONDUCT

• The Board of Directors has approved and adopted a formal Rules for Play & Member Conduct policy. This policy will encompass all League play. The policy document is posted on the Club’s website under Member Resources for ease of reference. For the most part, the policy outlined represents generally accepted practices and common courtesy etiquette. However, certain sections (e.g. Speed of Play and Sparing) have been customized for the Oakville Curling Club.

It will be most appreciated if all members of the league take a few minutes to review this policy document with a view toward ensuring compliance going forward.

QUESTIONS / CONCERNS

• Questions, concerns or suggestions should be forwarded to the League Convenor.

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