British Columbia Junior Tour BCJCT

STANDARDS & BEST PRACTICES 2019/20

MISSION To create awareness about junior curling and increase the number of junior (U21) & U18 teams competing in British Columbia.

VISION To create an environment which facilitates the growth of competitive junior curling teams, and foster sportsmanship and comradery among our athletes.

ABOUT The BCJCT provides a unique development opportunity for all U21 athletes while providing a training ground for our up and coming junior stars as they look to accomplish their goals to ultimately become Provincial, and World Champions. It’s important that teams compete against their peers to gauge where they are among their competition and what they need to improve to take that next step. Let’s not forget about the many new friendships that are/will be formed when curlers come together at the varying events. The BC Junior Curling Tour will create some fun and friendly rivalries as everyone will be able to check out the tour ranking after each event.

Since Tour Points acquired by teams count towards entrance into the BC Junior Championship, each event must be approved by the BC Junior Curling Tour Committee. This year, two men’s and two women’s teams will qualify directly to the BC Junior Provincial Championships through the BC Junior Curling Tour.

Each event is operated as a separate entity and all communications that are specific to an event must be directed to the event committee of the host curling club.

Comments or questions about the BCJCT itself should be directed to the BC Junior Curling Tour Committee ([email protected]). We do value feedback about the tour so that we can continuously improve the experience for our athletes.

The selection of the BCJCT events, listed below, was based on several items but it’s important to know that events will be added as we establish and grow the BCJCT. The host committee and/or host curling club have the right to withdraw from being part of the BCJCT. The BCJCT also has the right to add or remove events after the completion of the current curling season.

June, 2019 Page 1 For additional information and questions about any of these events please contact the host curling club. (Event contact information on last page of this doc)  Royal City – Sept 20-22 – The Anita Cochrane Memorial Junior West Coast Classic  Golden Ears - Oct 12-14 – Golden Ears Junior Curling Classic  Vernon – Oct 18-20 – The Rick Cotter Memorial Junior Cashspiel  Kamloops – Nov 1-3 – Kamloops Junior Cashspiel  Esquimalt – Nov 9-11 – Optimist Junior Bonspiel  Victoria – Dec 28-Jan 2 – BC Junior Curling Championships

BEST PRACTICES – optional for events, but highly recommended

As an event, below are good practices to follow as the teams will face these rules or similar rules in regional, provincial, and national events.

RULES OF PLAY  All games will be contested under the Curling Canada (CC) “Rules of Curling for Officiated Play”  All games will be 8 ends or 10 ends.  All games will use the 5 rock free guard zone rule

DRAW FORMAT – event formats will vary and most likely depend on the number of teams entered.

The events listed above will be endorsed as a BCJCT event based on meeting the following criteria:  The event must have a minimum field of four teams for men and/or four teams for women  Each gender must have its own competition (no crossovers)  Double knockout, triple knockout, or round robin pool formats are acceptable with the simple conditions that the Five Rock Free Guard Zone Rule must be used and games must be 8 or 10 ends in length  Events that have created their own formats from past years may request approval for qualifying as a BCJCT point’s event. These formats will be evaluated on an individual basis.  Additional BEST PRACTICES can be found on page 5 of this document.

EVENT POINTS:  Points will be determined separately for each qualifying tour event using the event base value and the Field Multiplier.  Please see the pdf document saved as BCJCT Ranking System for detailed information on how points are calculated for each event. The system is the same as 2018-19.

PRE-EVENT PRACTICE

 BEST PRACTICE:  10 minutes a sheet – rotate sheets like a junior provincial.  An agreed upon date/time prior to the event starting. TIMING (if used)

 BEST PRACTICE: 30 minutes plus two (2) one (1) minute timeouts on the “Thinking Time System”. o 30 minutes per team for an 8-end game o 38 minutes per team for a 10-end game

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TIMEOUTS  Games that are 8 or 10 ends will receive two (2) one (1) minute timeouts. One (1) timeout will be allowed for extra ends.  Both coaches will be allowed to visit teams during timeouts. If the play is at the away end, please do not talk to your team until the coach reaches the far end.

 BEST PRACTICE: IF GAME IS ON SCHEDULE at the completion of the 4th end (8 end games) or 5th end (10 end games) then a five (5) minute break will be allowed. Coaches will be allowed to visit teams during this time.

COACHING A certified coach is not required for competing on the BCJCT. Non-certified coaches will be allowed on the ice during BCJCT events. However, a certified competition coach is required for each team competing in the BC Junior Provincial Championship & BC U18 Provincial Championship. Teams would greatly benefit from that coach being involved in as many of the events on the BCJCT as possible.

EXTRA ENDS

 BEST PRACTICE: Teams will be granted extra end(s) with one (1) minute timeout and four (4) minutes and thirty (30) seconds thinking time per team for each extra end.

 Extra Ends are mandatory in playoffs to break ties. Play extra ends until a winner is determined

PRIOR TO GAME/WARM-UP

 IF EVENT CHOOSES PRE-GAME PRACTICE

BEST PRACTICE: 30 minutes prior to game, teams will flip a coin for rocks or 1st/2nd practice. Warm-up begins 24 minutes prior to game time. Once a team has declared their choice this decision is final and cannot be altered. This process will start no later than 30 minutes prior to game time.

Warm-up consists of two rocks up and two rocks back for each player OR 9 minutes, whatever comes first.

Then the team will be given 1 minute to throw their draw to the button for hammer.

SHORTENED PRACTICE: 30 minutes prior to game, teams will flip a coin for rocks, 1st/2nd practice, or side of the sheet. Warm-up begins 15 minutes prior to game time. Warm-up consists of players throwing one rock up, and one rock back at the same time with teams alternating throwing on their side of the sheet.

The team who threw first will throw the first draw to the button after the other team throws their final warm-up rock.

 NO PRE-GAME PRACTICE

Flip of a coin to determine hammer or rock selection.

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DRAW FOR HAMMER:

Last stone advantage in the first end (hammer) will be decided by a draw to the button following each team’s pre-game practice.

One player from the team will deliver a stone (full sweeping allowed). The team practicing first will deliver the clockwise rotation. The team practicing second will deliver the counter clockwise rotation.

The teams will deliver one (1) stone to be measured. If the first team records a distance of 0.00, or 185.4 cm with their first stone, another player from the first team will deliver a second stone with the same turn. If that player records a distance of 0.00, or 185.4 cm, the first team shall leave the ice and the second team will practice. If the second team then matches the first team in distance with the first stone delivered, a second player will deliver a stone. If the second team matches the first team in distance over two stones, another player from the first team will alternate with the second team until the hammer is decided.

Each player must deliver at least one draw to the button during the event before anyone on the team can throw a second draw to the button. Once everyone has thrown at least one, anyone can throw any subsequent draws to the button.

ROCK MEASUREMENTS:

All rock measurements, whether for scoring or free guard zone purposes, are to be completed by the players. If it is determined by the players that the head official is required, the head official will be called in to measure, and the head official or host committee ruling will be final.

SPARES / SUBSTITUTIONS:

A team may use any person as a spare provided they are not registered with any other team competing in the event as a core member, or has played for another team during the event. Core is defined as lead, second, third (vice) and . A spare that is not registered with any competing team can be used by one team only. Rulings are to be deemed final from the head official or host committee.

NOTE: To qualify for points a team must have 3 or 4 of their original team members that are registered for the BCJCT.

FIFTH/ALTERNATE PLAYERS

Teams will be allowed to register up to five (5) players for a roster.

ROSTER CHANGES

Roster changes must be made before October 1st, 2018, and only one (1) player will be allowed to be changed. The addition of a fifth/alternate will not count towards a roster change.

DISPUTES:

Note that in any instance not clearly defined by Curling Canada’s “Rules of Curling for Officiated Play” or this guide, the head official or host committee is responsible to use their best judgment to create a ruling. The decision of the head official is final – if dispute does not have a clear resolution, the head official can consult with the committee of the event to help determine the appropriate action/decision taken in all situations.

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DISCIPLINE:

All teams (team includes the coach and players) are strictly prohibited from consuming alcohol and/or consuming illegal substances during events. If any participating team(s) and/or participating individuals are found under the influence of alcohol and/or illegal substances during events, they will be asked to leave the host curling club premises and entry fee will not be returned.

Teams will be required to display a strong sense of sportsmanship to each other, and respect to the host club, officials, and host committees. A display of obscene behavior may result in suspensions at the discretion of the host committee or the BCJCT.

IMPORTANT – ALLERGY ALERT:

Please DO NOT bring peanuts and/or nuts into the hosting Curling Club. There are teams that may have severe reactions if peanuts and/or nuts are present. Especially ensure that any and all snacks DO NOT contain peanuts or nuts.

This is especially important as teams may not have a chance to clean their hands before going back on the ice and may leave peanut or nut residue on the rocks or when shaking hands at the start and completion of games.

We cannot guarantee a peanut/nut free environment but as a collective group we can help reduce those risks. Thank you.

DRAW FORMATS: Event formats will vary, most likely depends on # of entries.

Double/Triple Knockouts  Use the BCJCT ranking as of the Tuesday before the event starts to create the event draw.  Have extra ends if teams are tied after 8 or 10 ends of play. o If a second extra end is required, play another extra end. If time does not permit, draw to the button.  If teams qualify through the A, B or C event and move into a qualifying round (similar to women/men’s CTRS events) then teams qualifying in higher event get hammer and the other team gets choice of rocks & practice, if applicable) o I.e.: If A1 plays C2, A1 gets hammer & C2 gets rock and practice choice. o If teams qualify in the same event, then draw for hammer rules for hammer apply.

Round Robin Format  Use the BCJCT ranking as of the Tuesday before the event starts to create even pools.  Have extra ends if teams are tied after 8 or 10 ends of play. o If a second extra end is required, play another extra end. If time does not permit, draw to the button.

 TEAM SHOOTOUT - after any game in round-robin play, each team will complete a team shootout. This helps with ranking and tiebreakers (see TIE-BREAKERS below). *Alternatively, pre-game draw to the button can be used for team shootout with each player required to make one draw to the button during the preliminary round.

June, 2019 Page 5 o HOW? Each player must throw a stone and each stone will be measured by the head official/volunteer from the pin to the rock. Sweeping is ALLOWED. Best three of four scores are added for a team total – if a team total is zero, then the fourth stone will be counted in case of a tie (another team has three zeroes’ so tie breaker on fourth stone) – if all four are zero, then a fifth stone will be thrown and subsequent stones until a distance is recorded.

TIE-BREAKERS – in the event that two or more teams are tied with the same record after the round robin the TEAM SHOOTOUT is used. Teams can advance directly to the playoffs with a better shootout then the teams they are tied with but no team will be eliminated on a tie unless sub-500 record.

 It’s best to follow these guidelines. These same rules are used for the events. This is the “preferred standard” for major events across Canada and works extremely well.

 If three teams tied for two spots and one team won both games against the other two teams then the team who won advances. The other two teams play tie breaker game. OR If three teams are tied for the final two playoff spots, then the team with the best SHOOTOUT will advance to the playoff round while the two remaining teams will play for the final playoff spot. If four teams tied for two playoff spots, then two tie breaker games will be played with the winners advancing to the playoff round. Ranking of the four teams tied would be first Shootout score vs fourth best Shootout score as game number one and second-best Shootout score vs third best Shootout score as game two.

RANKING:  For playoff rounds, teams will be re-ranked by their “round robin” win/loss records, and if tied then by Team SHOOTOUT.  Playoffs: The team with the higher ranking receives:  Choice of “hammer in the first end’’ or rock color.  The team without the hammer will get choice of first or second warm-up.

USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES (during bonspiels):

The use of microphones for players is acceptable under the condition that the devices only transmit a signal. Coaches are allowed to listen to the players for communication with these devices. No device that can receive a signal is to be used on the ice (I.e. cell phones, pagers, smart watch) by the players during the course of the game which includes the pre-game practice draw to the button. Penalty: If a playing team is caught receiving information from off the ice during the game (other than timeouts/fourth or fifth end break), they will lose one of their timeouts. Disputes should be forwarded to the head official or host committee. Serious repeat offenders may forfeit games.

No electronic devices can be used on the ice during the Provincial Championships.

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EVENT CONTACTS:

Date Event Name Curling Club Contact Info

Sept 20-22, 2019 Anita Cochrane Memorial Royal City Curling Club Steve Kopf New Westminster (604) 551-8180 [email protected]

Oct 12-14, 2019 Golden Ears Junior Classic Golden Ears Winter Club Dean & Shannon Joanisse Maple Ridge (604) 463-4813 [email protected]

Oct 18-20, 2019 The Rick Cotter Memorial Vernon Curling Club Jim Cotter Junior Cashspiel (250) 558-0224 [email protected] Curling Club Phone: (250) 542-6713

Rob Nordin Nov 1-3, 2019 Kamloops Junior Cashspiel Kamloops Curling Club [email protected] (250) 372-5432 Melanie Kopytko [email protected]

Nov 9-11, 2019 Esquimalt Optimist Junior Esquimalt Curling Club Murray Walker Cashspiel (778) 265-0404 [email protected] Curling Club Phone: (250) 412-8510

KEY TOUR CONTACTS

Name Email

Daniel Wenzek [email protected]

OTHER QUESTIONS Please direct all questions you have that are not included on this document or the BCJCT points document to Daniel Wenzek at [email protected].

Good Luck and Good Curling

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