About
Odds & Ends Curling is St. John’s LGBTQ2+ curling association and league. Founded in 2016, the association organises an annual bonspiel as well as non-competitive curling events for those who identify as queer, questioning, family, and allies. We have grown to about 50 members who met regularly to curl and socialise. The association/league aims to offer a safe and fun social environment for healthy physical activity and acts as a queer presence within the city’s and province’s larger sports community.
Odds & Ends Curling is a provincially registered not-for-profit organisation with a five-member Board of Directors.
Our Objectives
To promote and grow the sport of curling within the LGBTQ2+ community
To provide a social space to those members within the local LGBTQ2+ community and their allies
To bring more awareness of LGBTQ2+ athletes within the broader curling community
2024-2025 Board of Directors
Shelby Arnold
Sarah Gordon
Kody Harnum
David Pike
Edgar van der Meer
By-Laws and Policies
For our By-Laws, click here.
For our Policies, click here.
Curling Rules
We follow Curling Canada’s rules of play, including the Five Rock Rule.
Curling Code of Ethics
- I will play the game with a spirit of good sportsmanship
- I will conduct myself in a honourable manner both on and off the ice
- I will take no action that could be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate or demean my opponents or teammates.
- I will interpret the rules in an impartial manner, always keeping in mind that the purpose of the rules is to ensure that the game is played in an orderly and fair manner.
Curling Etiquette (source: rainbowrockers.org)
Curling has always been known for the prevalence of good sportsmanship and the friendly courteous rivalry that exists on the ice. The etiquettes suggested are practiced by curlers who understand the true spirit and tradition of the “roaring game”.
1 Be on time and play the game at a good pace. Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the game. Seven other people are depending on you. If you cannot make your scheduled game, let your skip know as far in advance as possible so that they can find a spare.
2 Clean your shoes.
3 Every curling game begins with a hearty handshake of friendship and goodwill to both teammates and opponents. Opposing leads flip a coin to determine who gets choice of throwing last rock in the end.
4 Be ready to throw your stone immediately after your opponent’s stone has been delivered. This will speed up the game and make it possible to play the full 8 ends each week.
5 Clean your stone before every shot.
6 In no way should you disturb a player in the hack or in their delivery. (The leads of the opposing team should be at the hog line to the side of the ice).
7 Stay out of the way of opposing sweepers. Do not cross the ice in front of a player who is about to throw their rock.
8 Sweepers should be alert and ready to sweep immediately, if called upon and they should stay with the stone all the way to the house, sweeping or not.
9 When in the house, skips and thirds should keep their brooms behind them and stand still while opponents are throwing.
10 Leads and seconds should never be standing at the back of the far house while the opposition is throwing their stone. They should stand or sit on the sideline between the hog lines.
11 No one should deliberately delay the game.
12 If you touched (burnt) the stone while it is in motion, you should be the first one to declare so. Do not stop the burnt moving stone. Let it come to rest and let the skips decide on the placement of rocks.
13 If you accidentally move a stone in the house, say so immediately so the opposing skip may put the stone back in a spot where they are satisfied (as close to the original spot as possible).
14 If a measure of a stone is required, the opposing thirds should be the only curlers in the house until the measure is completed.
15 If a ruling of any kind is required during the game, ask the drawmaster for a ruling. If the drawmaster is not available, ask a experienced skip for a ruling.
16 Try to keep the spirit of good sportsmanship during the game by congratulating people on good shots.
17 Every curling game ends with a hearty handshake of friendship and goodwill to both opponents and teammates. The winning team buys drinks for the opposition team. The opposing team usually returns the favor gesture and offers to buy a second drink. Usually skips buy skips a drink, thirds buy thirds a drink etc.
18 Experienced curlers will make every effort to help new curlers with deliveries, sweeping and explaining rules of the game. Remember try not to spend too much time talking about strategy to keep the game moving.
19 The final etiquette in curling is to HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME!
Other LGBTQ2+ Curling Leagues in Canada
VANCOUVER: Pacific Rim Curling League
SASKATOON: Prairie Lily Curling League
WINNIPEG: Keystone Rainbow Curling League
TORONTO: Riverdale Curling League
TORONTO: Rotators Curling League
HALIFAX: Loose Ends Curling League