The crowd is hushed, no one willing to take a breath for fear of missing the shot to win the World Championship. Only one brave soul is willing to take that breath because they have prepared for this moment. Shot after shot, following the process that would lead to success. They have prepared for this one opportunity. They have divorced themselves from the outcome. They know how to win! Quietly, the thrower embarks on their pre-shot routine: set the line of delivery; square the hips and shoulders; set the turn; re-set the line; spin the rock; take a deep breath; capture the feel of perfect 8-foot weight; trust your sweepers; nail the pin!
Seems like a simple process – and it is, after hours and hours and more hours of practice. These six drills are designed to bring about this level of success. I set up this rotation for the Galt Curling Club high-performance bantam clinics run by instructors from the Golden Hawks High Performance Centre in September 2012.
Each drill is designed to maximize the individual’s ability to draw the pin. It is a skill that has become so important to today’s curling game. We use the draw for game-winning shots, establishing hammer, breaking ties and controlling offensive-minded strategy. Please use these drills and enjoy the process that leads to continued success with today’s modern curling game. Strive for excellence and don’t be satisfied with moderate success. The drills are identified by name and have the Objective, Process and Scoring information provided.
Thanks to my techno-mate Glenn Paulley for cleaning up my diagrams.
Enjoy!!
Important – do this drill with an empty house. Kick every stone away before throwing. Makes it harder.