Curling Broom

Curling is a famous Ice Sport in which players slide the stones on a sheet of ice towards the four concentric circles, set as a target area. The game is played between two teams where they alternatively take a chance to slide the heavy polished granite stones (rocks) in the curling house. The Curling Broom is the primary equipment for sweeping the ice sheet surface.  Its main objective is to sweep on the ice surface in front of the sliding stone to control the friction and curl in front of the stone.

History and Evolution of Curling Brooms

The early Curling Broom manufacturers made the brooms from corn strands that resembled the household brooms. Later in 1958, Fern Marchessault, of Montreal modified the broom by inverting the corn straw at the broom's center. These corn-style brooms were referred to as the Blackjack. Finally, artificial brooms were introduced in the market to increase durability. Two of the artificial broom types are Rink Rat and Scottish Brushes. Later in the 1960s, some professional curlers proved that the Curling Brushes could be as good as the Corn Brooms. So, by the 20th century, the Brush Brooms had completely taken over the Corn Brooms.  Therefore, Corn Brooms are now rarely used by Curlers.

Components of Curling Brooms

Curling broom is divided into three parts as follows

1. Shaft: It is the long metallic "handle" part of the broom which greatly varies on three factors:
   
   
   • Material: The two different types of material used in making curling broom handles are Fiberglass and Carbon fiber. When compared based on weight and stiffness, carbon fiber is incredibly lightweight and is the stiffest material available.
   
   
   • Diameter: Most curling brooms are available in either a one-inch (1") diameter or one one-eight-inch (1 ^1/8”) diameter handle. It is important to check the diameter because the people with larger hands will find a one one-eight-inch handle more comfortable. People with smaller hands would prefer a one-inch (1") diameter.
   
   
   • Design: The curling handles come in many colors and designs, making them look cool and classy.


2. Head / Brush Head: The plastic part of the broom at the end of the shaft that holds the pads in place is known as the brush head. Usually, the brush head is of two types as follows:
   
   
   • Rigid Heads: This is attached to the shaft at an angle and is immobile. So, with this type of head, the sweeper needs to adjust their stance and sweeping style to match the broom.
   
   
   • Performance ( Pivoting ) Heads: The range of motion in these heads allow the sweeper to give more freedom of movement in the sweeping technique while keeping the entire face of the pad on the ice.


3. Pad: This is the cloth-like fabric on the broom's head that touches the ice. This fabric helps retain the heat generated from the friction of sweeping and insulating it back down onto the ice.

 

Types of Curling Brooms

• Corn Broom is the first type of broom used to sweep the ice sheet, made from corn strands, and the handle is made from wood. These brooms weigh around 2 pounds, making them cumbersome and hard to handle.


• Push Broom - The push brooms were first introduced in Europe and later accepted globally. These brooms are easier to handle and leave less debris on the ice sheet.


• Swivel Handle Broom - The swivel handle broom follows the older push broom technology but is more maneuverable and lightweight. The handles are usually hollow and cylindrical. The swivel head of the brooms allows the curlers to manipulate their sweeping position better.

 

How to sweep with the curling broom?

Sweeping is a vital part of curling which involves the movement of the brush head on the ice that creates friction, due to which the ice heats up and allows the rock to travel further and straight. To be the most effective sweeper, you need to keep two things in mind that is Pressure and Speed. According to the University of Western Ontario (“UWO”) study, commissioned by the Canadian Curling Association there was a relationship between the frequency of the stroke and the heat generated. So, to get the most amount of pressure on the broom head, you need to use your body weight.

Orientation of Brush Head:

There are a couple of ways in which you can have your brush head positioned on the ice, but amongst all of them, there are two well-known ways:

1. Perpendicular Orientation
2. Parallel Orientation

The parallel orientation is preferred over the perpendicular orientation as it is found that the Brush warms the ice to a slightly higher temperature.  Also, the stroke width is much harder to control in perpendicular orientation. Therefore, the parallel orientation offers greater consistency and much better control.

 

Steps to follow while sweeping with the Curling Broom:

 

Step 1:  Place your one hand about six inches up from the Brush Head.

Step 2: Place the other hand to about one-third of the 'Shaft,' measuring from the 'Head' of the broom as shown in the picture below.

Step 3:  Now that you are ready to sweep, you must ensure that your head parallels the brush head and your back is flat while staying on your toes.

Step 4:  Finally, you need to move your brush head back and forth as fast as possible and keep the Broom close to your body to control the movement. This kind of action engages your core muscle and your arm muscles. And there you go, Sweep, Sweep & Sweep!