The Players

Curling is a team game, played between two teams of four curlers each. The team members are named according to the order in which they throw in each end.

The lead for each team throws first, followed by the second, third (vice skip or vice or mate), and the skip who is the team captain; this order is not mandatory and some prominent teams (for example, Randy Ferbey's) reverse the order in which the skip and third throw.

While the first three players throw their rocks, the skip remains at the far end of the ice to guide the players; while the skip is throwing, the vice takes this role. Thus, each time a rock is thrown, there is one player throwing the rock, and another player at the far end. The two remaining players follow the rock and assist in guiding its trajectory by sweeping the ice before the rock, usually under direction from the skip and their own instincts for the weight of the rock, as well as stopwatch split timing.