THURSDAY NIGHT WOMEN’S CURLING 2025-26

League Format

• We have 23 teams in the league this year, divided into 4 divisions (A, B, C and D).
• With 24 weeks of curling this year, the season is divided into 4 rounds, each 5 weeks in length, plus a 3-week playoff round. The dates for each round are provided below. A different division each round will have the bye, starting with division D.
• Draw times are either 5:00 pm or 7:00 pm. All games will be a maximum of 8 ends.
• Teams will accumulate points from wins, ties, and losses (byes earn the same points as a tie). See point system below. At the end of each round, all divisions will be reorganized and teams seeded based on their accumulated point totals with ties broken based on the following rules:

o   Head to head
o   Shootout score (see below)
o   Team in higher division wins
o   Coin toss.

Dates*: (subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances)

• Round 1 – Oct 2, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6
• Round 2 – Nov. 13, 20, 27, Dec. 4, 11
• Round 3 – Dec. 18, Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29
• Round 4 – Feb. 5, 12, 19, March 5, 12
• March 19 – TBD**
• Playoff Round – Mar. 26, April 2, 9

*   Due to special events at the club, there is no Thursday night women’s curling on October 9 and February 26.

** At present there is one unallocated Thursday - March 19. This date falls during March break. There will be curling on this date with the format still to be determined.

For round 1, we have seeded teams to the best of our ability. Please note that we have seeded teams based on last year’s standings, the number of new players on a team, and the number of curlers on the team with less than 5 years of experience.

Rules of Play

This league follows the CCA Rules of Curling for General Play. All skips and vices should be familiar with these rules. If there is a disagreement about the rules between opposing teams during a game, you should call over an experienced curler from another sheet or from the lounge to confirm the rules. Free Guards Zone rule of 5 rocks applies to games. This means no opponent's rock resting in the free-guard zone may be removed from play until after the fifth rock has been thrown.

Pace of Play

All curlers are to make every effort to keep the game moving quickly. Tips for keeping the game moving include the following: as soon as your opponent has released the rock, get down and set up your shot while your opposition rock glides to a halt; the front end can grab the skip rock and clean it while they await the upcoming throw; and, the further skips think ahead for strategy, the quicker decisions can be made - save time on the easier decisions so you can think over the difficult ones.

Points System

Each team is responsible for posting their win/loss on the website after each game.

Shoot-out Score

The shoot-out score is helpful in breaking ties at the end of a round. Perform the shoot-out during round 1 and email the team’s total score to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you do not submit a score by the end of round 1 (November 7), you will be given 0 points.

How to determine the team’s shoot-out score: Each team member throws one draw to the button with sweeping. Rocks stay in play until all 4 rocks have been delivered. Points for shootout: 

• 5 points touch pin
• 4 points touch button
• 3 touch 4 foot
• 2 touch 8 foot
• 1 touch 12 foot

Late Start

To start the game, you must have three players. The penalty for a late start is: After 10 minutes, the non-offending team counts one point for the first end and has the hammer to start the second. This repeats at the 20-minute mark. After 25 minutes, the offending team forfeits the game. If a player is late, the teams must agree beforehand when she enters the game. For example, she may enter an end already in progress providing she is able to deliver a stone within the team's established delivery rotation.

Late Finish

For the 5 pm and 7 pm draw, do not begin a new end if there is less than 10 minutes remaining when the last rock of the previous end is thrown (the clock must read 6:49 or 8:49 or earlier).

Breaking Ties

During the 4 regular season rounds, you do not need to break a tie if your game is tied after eight ends. Points for ties are indicated above.

Defaulting Games

If you cannot field a team with at least two original team members and a spare, you can contact the opposing team and try to arrange a makeup game at a different time. If both teams agree to play at another time, please arrange this with the club manager John Thomas. The makeup game must be played before the last game in the round. The opposing team is under no obligation to reschedule the game. If you cannot find a time to play a makeup game, you must default. In this case, email the opposing team and the draw convener to inform them that you are defaulting.

If your team is asked to reschedule a game, you should make a reasonable effort to find a time for the makeup game; however, you are not obligated to reschedule. For example, if you need to get a spare in order to field a team, you do not have to play the makeup game.

Defaulting teams receive zero points, except in the case where the team cannot play a scheduled game because the team is representing the club at a provincial or national event. In this case, the team receives loss points.

Spares

A team must have at least 3 players to play. At least 2 players must be original team members. A spare must play in the position of the player being replaced or lower. For a playoff game, if the skip is absent, the position cannot be replaced by a spare. Another member of the original team must assume the skip position. Options for finding a spare:

• Use the Spare List (see the club’s website under “Member’s Home/League Information/Find a Spare”) for your substitutions or ask a curler from those teams with a bye that night or a fifth player.
• You may use other club members or non club members as a spare as per the Granite Club Spare Policy (see the club’s website under “Member’s Home/League Information/Spare Policy”).
• Curlers that have a full daytime membership can spare a limited number of times (approx. 5 times).

Everest Club Championship & Representative Process

The principles of this event target non-elite teams (grassroots club curlers) who regularly compete in their clubs. Teams, however, are no longer limited to being the club champion to be considered eligible.

All four (4) players must be residents of the same Provincial / Territorial Member Association. Three (3) of the four (4) players must be a minimum of nineteen (19) years of age and older on November 1st prior to the year of the championship. There are no citizenship requirements.

Each four-person team is allowed to have one (1) player who, during the previous three (3) curling seasons, has participated in the Canada Cup; and/or, the Continental Cup; and/or, the Under-21; and/or, the Tournament of Hearts; and/or, the Brier; and/or, the Under-18; and/or, the Canadian Wheelchair; and/or, any Canadian Trials or Pre-Trials event; or any provincial / territorial event leading to these events. This same player can have played in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Grand Slam event in the previous three (3) curling seasons.

PLEASE be sure you are aware of the eligibility of any team / team members to avoid any issues. Links to the most recent available information on eligibility 2025-26 are provided below. This year we will be only selecting one male and one female team.

Curling Club Championship Eligibility

ClubChampionshipSelectionGuideforAffiliatedClubs_2024.11.14

Tracy Snoddon, Heather Strecheniuk, and Carolyn Frid

Thursday Night Women’s Convenors