USWCA Curling Rules

National Women's and Senior Women's Bonspiels
Specifics to National Women's Bonspiel
Specifics to Senior Women's Bonspiel
Specifics to Five Year and Under Challenge
Regulations to the All-American Event

Rules Committee

At least 7 members to interpret and enforce the Bylaws and Rules and regulations of the Association and coordinate umpires for the USWCA bonspiels.  A member of the National and Senior Bonspiel host club are on the Rules Committee.

Chairman	Carol Stevenson  Madison, WI	Kettle Moraine	608-223-4340 Rules@USWCA.org
East	Carol Wood       Macedon, NY	Rochester	585-329-1480 carwood@rochester.rr.com
East	Amber McKernan Gabriels, NY	Lake Placid	518-327-3223                    atmckernan@roadrunner.com
East	Peggy Rotton     New Hartford, NY	Utica	315-797-2975                  bprotton@borg.com
Central	Beth Shaw         Lake Forest, IL	Exmoor CC	847-234-5313               beth@harborcapital.net
Central	Joan Freeman Toledo, OH	Bowling Green	419-381-1690      jole@bex.net
Wisconsin	Barb VanderLeest Racine, WI	Racine	262-632-2027                  barbj44@sbcglobal.net
West I	Diane Davis               Cohasset, MN	Itasca CC	218-999-5094                ddcool50@yahoo.com
West II	Kelly Stephens Omaha, NE	Aksarben	402-572-5001                donandkellystephens@cox.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGULATIONS for

USWCA NATIONAL  AND SENIOR

WOMEN’S BONSPIELS

 

 

The USWCA Rules are the Governing RULES for all USWCA Sanctioned events.  All games shall be played under the current USCA Rules of Play with USWCA exceptions.  (The hostess club shall not make any changes, additions, or deletions to the USCA Rules of Play, nor to these Regulations.)

 

I.      Annual Bonspiels:  It shall be the responsibility  of the Board of Directors to hold an annual National Women’s Bonspiel and an annual Senior Women’s Bonspiel in a different geographical area each year, rotating among the West, Wisconsin, East, and Central areas.  The Bonspiels shall not conflict in location or date with each other or with the US Women’s Championship. 

 

II.    Size:  It is the intent of the USWCA to produce an annual National Women’s Bonspiel of 32 teams and an annual Senior Women’s Bonspiel of 24 teams (or 16 teams if the hostess club has only two sheets of ice.)   Any changes to these formats must be approved by the USWCA Board of Directors. 

 

III. Eligibility: 

              A.  Participation in the bonspiels shall be limited to women’s teams from  member Clubs of the USWCA.  A Member Club is one that has complied with the following requirements:

                    1.  The Club has been duly notified of its election to membership in the USWCA.

                    2.  The Club has submitted its current dues to the USWCA Treasurer, along with a complete roster of current curling members.

                    3. The Club must be a current member of the USWCA. 

              B.  A team entering either Bonspiel must be composed of four women members of the USWCA. 

 

IV.   Procedure: 

        All Procedures are specifically detailed in the NWBP (National Women’s Bonspiel Procedure) Manual and the SWBP (Senior Women’s Bonspiel Procedure) Manual. 

 

V.    Official Draw:  The official draw is determined as outlined in the NWBP (National Women’s Bonspiel Procedures) Manual and the SWBP (Senior Women’s Bonspiel Procedure) Manual.

 

VI.   Regulation of Play:

        A.  At the start of competition, every team shall be composed of four eligible curlers, and they must be registered at the bonspiel site.

        B.  No change in the order of play may be made during an event, unless a substitute is necessary.  The order of play may be changed upon entering a new event.

        C.  Substitutions:

              1.  If at any time after registration a substitute is required to complete a team, the substitute may be provided by the home club of the team involved, time permitting, or by the On-Site Rules Chairman.  Such substitutions shall be reported to the Umpire before the game and noted on the score card.  Only one substitute is allowed on a team during a game.

              2.  When, during a game, a player is unable to continue because of illness, accident, or any other valid reason, her team may either finish that game with the remaining three players (the first two players throwing three stones each) or bring in any qualified substitute for the remainder of the game.  The substitute must play in the position of the replaced player, when entering a game in progress. 

              3.  A player who has left the game for illness, accident, or any other valid reason may rejoin her team during any game in the competition.  If a substitute was selected, the player may rejoin her team for the next game.

              4.  A team shall start all games with four players, unless substitutes are not available. 

              5.  A team shall not play under any circumstances with fewer than three players. 

        D.  Chief Umpire:

              1.  The Bonspiel On-Site Rules Chair or her assistant shall be Chief Umpire.

              2.  The Chief Umpire shall have general supervision of all games.

              3.  The Chief Umpire, when requested to do so, shall determine any matter in dispute between opposing skips.  Her decision is final. 

              4.  The Chief Umpire may appoint others to assist with supervision and any necessary measurements to determine scoring stones.

        E.  Working Media and Spectators:  No spectators shall be allowed within the confines of the ice or playing area during the progress of a game.  Members of the press, camera operators, including television, with permission from the On-Site Chair may film any game in progress provided that they do not interfere with the play, and NO flashbulbs or other intense lighting is used. 

VII.  Trophies:  Trophies may be accepted by the USWCA upon action by the Board of Directors in accordance with the objectives of this Association.  Competition for all trophies accepted by the Association shall be conducted by a member club of the USWCA and under USWCA regulations.  If for any reason a trophy is retired, it shall be returned to the donor. 

VIII.  Supervision:  The supervision of the bonspiel shall be the responsibility of the hostess club under the USWCA regulations set forth herein.  It shall be the duty of the Bonspiel Chairman to determine the playability of the ice during the competition.

IX.  Finances:  The USWCA National and Senior Women’s bonspiel finances shall be kept as separate accounts.  Entry fees shall be determined by the Board of Directors.  The On-Site Committee shall assume all expenses and collect all receipts.  The bonspiels shall be self-supporting, except for expenses for award pins, repair and maintenance of trophies and trophy cases which are USWCA expenses.   Shipping of trophies to winning teams is an On-site Committee Expense.   Trophy engraving and trophy return expenses are the financial responsibility of each winning team.  A complete financial report shall be given at the following Fall Meeting of the Board of Directors.  Any surplus of bonspiel ENTRY fee revenue shall be sent to the USWCA Treasurer.

X.  Waiver of Regulations:  The Bonspiel Chair, in consultation with the President of the USWCA, and the Bonspiel Procedure Chair, has the right to waive any Regulation under extreme circumstances. 

 

 

 

REGULATIONS SPECIFIC TO

NATIONAL WOMEN’S BONSPIEL

 

I.  Bonspiel Site:  The Second Vice-President shall ask member clubs to host the National Women’s Bonspiel according to the site rotation schedule. 

II.  Eligibility:  Participants in the National Bonspiel must be a minimum 21 years of age before January 1 of the year of the bonspiel.

III.  Procedure:

        A.  The NWBPC determines the number of teams from each USWCA area from the number of members represented by area clubs returning letter-of-intent and Good Faith Fees.

        B.  In the event a 32-team Bonspiel is not full after the “good faith” entry deadline, an area that have not filled its quota will be allowed entries in this order:

        1.  Additional club teams from a club in the area.

        2.   Composite teams organized from single entries from an area. 

        3.  Composite teams organized from single entries from their own and other areas. 

IV.  Games: 

        A.  All games are scheduled ten ends, ties are full extra ends, no minimum number of ends required.   

        B.  All games will be timed according to USWCA game timing regulations as follows.

1)  Each team shall receive 75 minutes of playing time for a ten end game.  This time shall be recorded and visible to teams throughout the game.  Interpretation: Playing time is defined as the amount of time required by a team to put a stone into play, have it and all other stones it affects come to rest, and relinquish the playing area to the other team.  Therefore a team’s clock continues to count down until the skip or acting skip crosses the back line, which allows their opponent to take over the ice.  There is no dead time during the normal course of an end.  One clock or the other will be counting at all times until the last stone comes to rest.

2)  There shall be one minute of dead time (neither time clock running) at the completion of each end   Interpretation:  This one minute time begins when teams have agreed on the score for that end.  If a measure is required the one minute time will begin at the completion of the measure.  Teams may resume play before the one minute is completed; and in this case, the time clock will start when the first stone reaches the “tee” line at the delivering end.

3).  The clocks shall be stopped during the involvement of any official whether requested by a team for a ruling or for a violation of the rules called by an official.  No time out is allowed for team discussion/consultation. Interpretation:  In rare instances a team may request a time-out with a traditional T” using the hands (an example would be for an injured player).  This time out will be granted as long as the practice is not abused.

4).  When an extra end is required, each team shall receive 10 minutes of playing time regardless of the time remaining at the conclusion of ten ends.  Interpretation:  This allowance will apply to all extra end situations.   There will be the normal one-minute dead time after the tenth and every successive extra end. 

5)             a) A game is completed when one team is mathematically eliminated (i.e. fewer stones remain in play and/or left to deliver than are needed to tie or win.)

b) Each team must complete its part of a game within the time given, or forfeit the game. If a stone reaches the tee line at the delivering end before time expires, the stone is considered delivered on time.  

6).  All games will begin promptly at the scheduled time.  Players will have one minute to throw the first rock before the clock is started.  Players will be signaled verbally at one minute prior and with a whistle or horn to start the game. 

 

 

 

REGULATIONS SPECIFIC TO

SENIOR WOMEN’S BONSPIEL

 

I.   Bonspiel Site:  Member clubs wishing to hold the Senior Women’s Bonspiel must submit invitations to the USWCA Second Vice-President not later than February 1 of the previous year.   Such invitations will be acted upon at the Board Meeting preceding the Annual Meeting, but no date will be accepted more than four years in advance.

II.  Eligibility:  An entrant must be at least 55 years old before January 1 of the year of the current curling season.

III.  Procedure:

        A  The Senior Women’s Bonspiel has an equal number of teams from each area. 

        B.  A composite team made up of members within a USWCA designated area shall have the same status in the draw as a Club team. 

        C.  Until all clubs have an equal representation in their area, no second team from the same club will be allowed.  Should any area be short of its allocation, the lowest numbered standby team drawn will be given the slot, unless its club is already represented.

        D.  There shall be no playdowns at any level for this Bonspiel. 

IV.  Games:

        A.  A.  All games are scheduled  eight ends,  ties are full extra ends,  no minimum number of ends required.   

        B.  All games will be timed according to USWCA game timing regulations as follows.

1)  Each team shall receive sixty (60) minutes of playing time for a eight end game.  This time shall be recorded and visible to teams throughout the game.  Interpretation: Playing time is defined as the amount of time required by a team to put a stone into play, have it and all other stones it affects come to rest, and relinquish the playing area to the other team.  Therefore a team’s clock continues to count down until the skip or acting skip crosses the back line, which allows their opponent to take over the ice.  There is no dead time during the normal course of an end.  One clock or the other will be running at all times until the last stone comes to rest.

 

2)  There shall be one minute of dead time (neither time clock running) at the completion of each end.  Interpretation:  This one minute time begins when teams have agreed on the score for that end.  If a measure is required the one minute time will begin at the completion of the measure.  Teams may resume play before the one minute is completed; and in this case, the time clock will start when the first stone reaches the “tee” line at the delivering end.

 

 

3).  The clocks shall be stopped during the involvement of any official whether requested by a team for a ruling or for a violation of the rules called by an official.  No time out is allowed for team discussion/consultation.  Interpretation:  In rare instances a team may request a time-out with a traditional “T” using the hands (an example would be for an injured player).  This time out will be granted as long as the practice is not abused.

 

4).  When an extra end is required, each team shall receive 10 minutes of playing time regardless of the time remaining at the conclusion of eight ends.  Interpretation:  This allowance will apply to all extra end situations.  There will be the normal one-minute dead time after the eighth and every successive extra end. 

5)             a) A game is completed when one team is mathematically eliminated (i.e. fewer stones remain in play and/or left to deliver than are needed to tie or win.)

                b) Each team must complete its part of a game within the time given, or forfeit the game. If a stone reaches the tee line at the delivering end before time expires, the stone is considered delivered on time.  

 

    6).  All games will begin promptly at the scheduled time.  Players will have one minute to throw the first rock before the clock is started.  Players will be signaled verbally at one minute prior and with a whistle or horn to start the game. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGULATIONS for

 FIVE YEAR AND UNDER

WOMEN’S CHALLENGE

 

I.  Eligibility: All curlers with five (5) years or less experience are eligible to play.  Five years or less includes years as junior curlers, but not as little rockers.

II.  Procedure:

        A.  Competition is regional.

        B.  Format of Competition shall be determined by each region in concert with USWCA Chair of the Five and Under Women’s Challenge.

 

 

 

REGULATIONS for

USWCA ALL AMERICAN

 

I.  Eligibility: 

      A.  All clubs and curlers must be USWCA members. 

        B.  Clubs with 26 or more active members shall have a minimum entry of four teams.  Smaller clubs shall have a minimum entry of three teams.  Teams shall be balanced by the Chair of the local All-American Event.

        C.  Where a club cannot field the minimum number of teams, it may join with another club.  The composition of the teams will be determined by the local Chairman of this event. 

        D.  Clubs with both daytime and evening women’s curling sessions with at least twenty active curlers in each, may have both a daytime and evening All American event.  There shall be a minimum of three teams in each event.  A curler may participate in both events but may earn only one pin.

        E.  Five member teams are allowed, when necessary, in order to permit full participation of the club membership.

II.  Procedure: 

        A.  An entry of three teams may play a double round robin or a modified double knockout.  Four to seven entries should play a round robin to determine a winner.  Eight or more teams may play in a bracketed elimination or a round robin or some combination thereof, whatever the ice schedule permits.

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