Curling is a game of skill and traditions. A shot well executed is a delight to see and so, too, it is a fine thing to observe the time-honoured traditions of curling being applied in the true spirit of the game. Curlers play to win but never to humble their opponents. A true curler would prefer to lose rather than win unfairly.

Below you will find some of etiquette you should try to remember as a curler. You can also learn more about how to play on several sites, including this flash animation created by the Canadian Curling Association. The Curling Basics site is also a good reference for different shots that can be made.

• Every curling game begins and ends with a hearty handshake of friendship and goodwill to both team mates and opponents.
• No curler ever deliberately breaks a rule of the game or any of its traditions but if a rule is broken inadvertently, the player will be the first to divulge the breach.
• While the main object of curling is to determine the relative skills of the players, the spirit of the game demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling and honourable conduct. This spirit should influence both the interpretation and application of the rules of the game and also the conduct of all participants on and off the ice.
• Be on time. Seven other people will be depending on you.
• Clean your shoes before stepping onto the ice and clean your brush regularly during the game. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the sheet of ice clean. However, you may not remove any foreign object from beneath a moving stone or from one that has come to rest.
• Be ready to throw your stone immediately after your opponent’s stone has been delivered, Make sure that you clean your stone first.
• In no way should you disturb a player in the hack or in his delivery or until he or she watches the stone come to a stop. You should stand still on the sideline and between the hog lines when your opponent is delivering a stone.
• Stay out of the way of opposing sweepers.
• Each skip should let the other members of his rink know what he or she is planning to do; let them in on the strategy.
• Sweepers should be on the sidelines – 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.
• When in the house, skips and thirds should keep their brooms behind them and stand still while opponents are throwing.
• No one should deliberately delay the game.
• Congratulate opposing players, as well as members of your own rink, when they have made a good shot. Never, by word or deed, be guilty of any action that would embarrass a player who has missed a shot.