Sweeping changes

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

FORMER WORLD champion Linda Moore shows proper technique in preparing to release the rock _ Suring a practice at the North Shore Winter Club.

North Van’s Kariya to _ play in World Juniors

‘ ‘NORTH VANCOUVER’S most recent hockey star faces a tantalizing dilemma: if Paul Kariya goes to Germany to represent Canada at the World Junior Tournament he may jeopardize his shot at breaking the all-time B.C. Junior .Hockey League (BCJHL) points record of another North Vancouver product, Brett Hull.

But, as SCJHL president Ron Boileau says, a gold medal would be well worth the trade-off. Canada has won the tournament for the past two years.

Kariya is on schedule to break Hull’s 188 points for the season.

After 32 games with the Penticton |

Panthers, Kariya had 34 goals and 69 assists for 103 points.

But meanwhile, Kariya was slated to leave Dec. 19 with the Canadian national junior team for the World. Juniors. He will miss seven regular season games.

“That means when he comes back on Jan. 6, he'll have to do better than he’s ever done to break that record,” said Boileau.

Kariya is only the second player invited from the BCJHL to try out for the national team and only the first player to make the cut.

“They knew he was talented but he’s far exceeded their expecta- tions,’ Boileau said.

Forty-one top Canadian-born juniors were invited to the camp held in Kitchener, Ont. Kariya was the only player invited from junior ‘‘A”’ and is the youngest player on the national team.

“Young Paul is rooming with Eric Lindros at this point,’’ said Boileau, adding that Kariya will be available in June, 1993 for the National Hockey League.

“He’s already being touted as the first pick overall.”

So how does Kariya, who at- tended Argyle Secondary and is now at Penticton High, deal with

By Elizabeth Collings and Troy Landreville

Photo submitted

NATIONAL HOCKEY League prospect Paul Kariya of North Vancouver is leading the B.C. Junior Hockey League in points. He plays for the Fentic- ton Panthers and has just ac- cepted a full hockey scholar- ship for the University of Maine.

such high expectations? “He’s very good with the pressure, he doesn’t let it bother

him,”’ said Boilea. ‘‘His manners

‘are excellent. He calls everyone

‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ and I’ve never heard anyone say anything bad about him.”’

In an. interview with Chilliwack Times, Kariya,

the whod

has signed a four-year contract

with the University of Maine, discussed his future plans. “Tentatively I’d like to play a

year of college hockey and then

hopefully get on with the Cana- dian Olympic team for the °94 Olympics,”’ said the soft-spoken Kariya. ‘‘From there, the NHL’s my first priority, but if that doesn’t work out I'd like to go to Europe or come back to college, one of the two.”

It’s a big jump to go from the BCJHL to college hockey, let alone the NHL. Kariya has the whecls and the hands to compete with the big boys, but the ques- tion remains: does he have the mental toughness and the desire?

Kariya thinks so.

“The first 10 games in the BC- JHL was an adjustment (from midget ‘A’) because the pace was that much higher and the guys were that much bigger, but I think that’s true at any level.

“College will be that much higher, so will the Olympics and so will the NHL, but if I can keep making that jump, I should be okay."’

Size will always be an obstacle Kariya will have to overcome. At five-foot-ten and 160 pounds, Kariya will never be known as a heavyweight. In fact, with his size he can almost qualify in a midg- et-tossing contest. But what he Jacks in size he makes up for with an awesome package of finesse

See Kariya page 46

THE SPORT of curling has changed a great deal since its 16th century beginnings in Scotland.

By Linda Moore Contributing Writer

The ‘‘stones’’ are no longer just boulders found beside the frozen lakes, but are now required to be uniform in size, shape and weight. ‘The ice has moved indoors, gained brightly painted circles, and a much more consistent surface (no snow!).

There have been many changes to equipment. Shoes allow players to slide along the ice — a rela- tively new phenomenon. And the ice can be swept much more effec- tively, because of better brooms and techniques.

The first known rules date back to the early !700s, and dealt most- ly with conduct and ethics. Some rules have changed slowly over the years.

For example, rules on the standardization of rocks began in the early 1800s, but were still be- ing revised 100 years later.

Other rules have been created as the game changes. When shoes with ‘‘sliders’? were invented, to allow more accuracy in the delivery of the stone, rules had to be developed to limit the distance a player could slide with the rock. Otherwise, the rock could have been hand delivered to the target every time.

The. hogiine’ used to be needed only~to indicated whether a stone had travelled far enough to be in play; it became the guide for where the rock must be released.

Some of the more recent rule changes have involved sweeping. The newer tool, the brush, .allows any curier to sweep more effec- tively, as less strength is required.

However, it is felt that the tool can be used ‘‘illegally’’, by sweep- ing somewhat to the side of the stone and causing it to curl more or less, as needed. Curlers must now sweep across the face of the stone, and may not leave any debris in front of the rock when the brush is lified (the last brush stroke must be away from the path of the rock).

It was thought that this year there would be ‘‘sweeping’’ changes to the rules — some in- volving brushing rules, and the others encouraging more offensive play. They were not introduced in Canada, although the free guard zone rule was added for world piay, and is being studied in Canada.

Here is a look at some changes

in Canada for this year: © There are now two rule books. Rules for competitive events (with officials) have been put in a sepa- rate book from those governing club play. ° In what was formerly a courtesy, but now is a rule, the non-delivering players must be quiet, and those behind the house toust lift their brooms off the ice while the opposition is throwing.

As well, in circumstances in- volving distractions, a rock may be redelivered at certain times in a game.

e All sweeping must ~: within six feet of the ro. This is to prevent corn brooms, which always deposit some debris on the ice, from being used to litter the ice (by sweeping some distance away from the stone) and thus

done

to be team

changing ice conditions more favourable for the trailing on the scoreboard. © When stationary stones are moved during an end, all affected stones are merely replaced to where they would have ended up if nothing had been moved. © There is a series of rules in a new section on measurement describing the situation of when rocks being measured are moved by someone other than the two teams involved (eg. an icemaker}.

In the world championships and the Olympics, the new free guard zone rule will be used.

Here is how it works. A lead player may not remove from play an opposition stone that is sitting

44 Rules on the standardization of rocks began in the

early 1800s, but were still being revised 100 years later. 99. .

in front of the house. (Any rock in the house may be removed.) This means that a team wanting to play offensively can play

“guards”? with their first two. rocks, and thus prevent a strong hitting opponent from keeping the game as open as was Previously possible, .

This rule does allow teams tc move opposition rocks, but not take them out of. play; it is ex- pected that new shots will be created, where the team with the last rock advantage will ‘‘chip” stones around in front of -the house to keep the centre: ice are open.

Some potential problems are be- ing studied. For. example, in Canada measurements are only permitted at the completion of-an end. In the free guard zone rule, it is vital to know if a rock is in the house or not, sc that it is clear if a takeout shot is permitted.

Measurements on ‘‘biters’’ will be permitted in countries using this new rule. There is a concern about play being slowed, or the measuring stick’s use being im- peded by rocks already in the house.

The Canadian Curling Associa- tion decided not to implement this rule, because the potential prob- leas had not all been covered, and because the rule seems to necessitate a drastic change to the strategy of the game.

Some bonspiels are modifying the rule. A major chashspiel in Ottawa had a local rule that prevented takeouts during the first three rocks of each end, rather than all four leads’ stones.

However, the free guard zone rule will be a reality for the men’s and women’s national teams; the national teams coaches are cur- rently working on ways to prepare Canadian teams for the 1992 world events.

Be sure to keep up to date on all future curling rule changes!

This articles is one of a series written by Linda Moscre, 1985 World Champion and 1988 Olympic Champion. She is cur- rentiy the curling coordinator for the Curling Council of B.C.