Canadian curlers gearing up for season of sweeping change

The way John Morris sees it, Curling Canada has no choice but to implement sweeping changes in its Return to Play guidelines.

“It’s easier to start radical like this and then scale back,” the two-time Olympic gold medallist said Tuesday.

“Rather than the opposite. If we start too relaxed and then ramp it up after the fact, that would be a challenge. I think it’s a good idea to start more strict. I’m on board with that.”

Curling Canada released a huge Return to Play document on Monday and it includes some changes to the very basics of the game due to COVID-19 prevention protocols.

For instance, only one sweeper will be allowed on delivered rocks in both recreational and high-performance play. Also, players standing in the house will no longer be allowed to sweep rocks to help them out of play or with position placement. As well, physical distancing rules about where players can stand during the game could affect communication, which is a key aspect of curling.

All these guidelines will change the game, just one season before an Olympic year.

“In terms of the one sweeper, I think that’s going to make quite a big difference,” said Kirk Muyres, a former skip who now plays second for Matt Dunstone’s

Regina team.

“There’s something about sweeping with two people on a stone, communicating back and forth, keeping each other in check as you’re going down the ice. It’s about judging that rock. I think judging the weight is going to be really tough for just one sweeper.

“I think it could change the game quite a bit, in terms of rock management and placement of stones.”

Morris, who won an Olympic gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 as third for Kevin Martin and a mixed doubles gold medal in 2018 in South Korea with Kaitlyn Lawes, is slated to play second for four-time Brier champion Kevin Koe of Calgary this season.

He’s hopeful the guidelines put in place by Curling Canada won’t need to be enforced as rules by the time the season starts.

“I’d be surprised if the season actually starts with that one-sweeper protocol,” Morris said. “For the most part, you’re going to be in that bubble with your own team. You can’t social distance from your own team. We’re going to be really diligent

with making sure we get tested and making sure we’re very confident that we don’t have COVID going into an event. Curling Canada and the powers that be are going to understand that.”

Morris went on to say that’s why Curling Canada had to put out guidelines, as opposed to hard rule changes.

“You can’t have a list of strict procedures that are inflexible when we’re dealing with something that’s changing every day.

“The alternative is not making changes and cancelling events, and then I think everyone loses out — the curlers, the fans, the organizers. No one wants that. If these measures have to be in place and they do seem a little strict, it’s a lot better than the alternative, which is not being on the ice.”

Some early season events on the competitive circuit have already been cancelled, but with these guidelines in place, at least curlers now know what needs to happen for them to proceed.

It seems the major championships, including the Brier, Tournament of Hearts, Canada

Cup and the Grand Slams, will take place, although it’s not clear if fans will be allowed in the stands, and the party aspect of curling will be scaled back considerably.

There will be no traditional handshakes before or after games, rocks will be sanitized, curlers will be encouraged to wear masks, and they’ll be expected to spend a minimal amount of time in the facility, meaning post-game beverages will be limited.

“That’s too bad, because everyone agrees that a neat part of curling is that atmosphere, that ability to go and meet the fans after the game, or go to the patch or have a beer with the opposition,” Muyres said. “That’s going to be really different and it’s too bad that it might be lost in curling. After a certain amount of time, that new normal will take hold, and we won’t go back to the old way.

“I hope at one time we can go back to the old way, because that’s what makes curling special.”