How to Sound Like a Curling Expert While Watching the Olympics
'The College Today' caught up with Meredith Frazier, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry and member of the Charleston Curling Club, to get a better understanding of the sport.
Above: Meredith Frazier, assistant professor chemistry and biochemistry at the College of Charleston (Photo by Kip Bulwinkle – Karson Photography)
The Winter Olympics are upon us, and that means a lot of fun on ice – something those of us down here in Charleston, South Carolina, may have little experience with!
That’s why we turned to Meredith Frazier, assistant professor of the chemistry and biochemistry at the College and an avid member of the Charleston Curling Club, for a little help understanding the sport.
“The physics of curling are mind-boggling – it’s still not totally understood,” she says. “As a science nerd, it is fun to geek out about how the stones curl and how sweeping works. Depending on which way you put spin on the stones when you release them, they move in a left- or a right-curving arc. How you sweep also affects how much the stone curls, which determines where it ends up. You can actually curl a stone behind another that has already been thrown.”
But don’t worry: You don’t have to be a physicist to enjoy curling as a spectator sport. Frazier herself has been watching the curling events at the Winter Olympics carefully.
“It was so much fun to watch Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse win silver in mixed doubles – now I’m cheering on Cory in the women’s team competition,” she says. “Cory’s day job is a lab tech testing mercury concentrations in water. As a biochemist, I have to cheer on a fellow woman in STEM!”
To join Frazier in cheering on the U.S. curlers, you don’t have to be an expert in the sport. All you need is a basic understanding of some of the terms Frazier provides below! (Our favorite? Broomstacking!)
“Hurry hard!”
Skips yell this at the sweepers to signal maximum sweeping (the opposite of the command, “Clean!”)
Pebbled ice
Water is sprayed on the sheet before the game, resulting in raised droplets. The rocks glide over the pebbles, allowing them to travel further than they would on a regular sheet of ice (less friction! #physics).
Draw to the button
A shot that curls and comes to a stop at the center of the house, where it will be the shot rock (in top scoring position)
Angle raise
A shot that taps a rock at the edge of the house to the button: It Must be right on target to get the right angle!
Burned rock
A rock that is removed from play because it was touched by the team as they were sweeping it (or because it was double-touched before the hog line (e.g., the accusations stirred up by Team Sweden against Team Canada)
More ice/less ice
The target the skip sets with his/her broom for the stone thrower, depending on the shot called. They may ask for the target to be adjusted by asking for more ice (move it wider) or less ice (move it in closer).
Handle
The player turns the handle of the stone as they release it, which determines the direction of curl. Typically, the rock will curl in the direction it is turning. Depending on the shot, the skip may call for an “in-turn” or “out-turn” shot, which denotes the direction the handle should be turned.
Broomstacking
A curling tradition of socializing with teammates and opponents after a game. Often involves the winners buying the first round for the losers!
