Curling Tactics: Shot Selection

There are 3 things that you should have already ironed out with your team before you start making shot selections on the ice:
1. What is your team's Strategic Profile?
2. What is your Game Plan?
3. What is your End Plan?
In this video, I use the latest Daily Curling Puzzle Facebook page scenario in order to expound on the thought process that goes into making a particular shot selection.
Daily Curling Puzzle Facebook page: / dailycurlingpuzzle
I go into further detail about this process in the Member's Area of the Curling Class website here: curlingclass.com/member-area/
I do ask for a $5/month donation to help pay the bills for the site and I will be adding a lot more information and videos to the member's area for years to come.
Good Curling...
Matt
curlingclass.com

[@cinnamonbeardstud]

I really really REALLY love this channel and have been watching absolutely everything. The kind of in depth information on skills and stratrgies you have are things I could never have had access to, even when curling *was* briefly available to me. Curling is my absolute favorite sport but because of where I live I've only been able to play one season. It was an undeveloped program that I ended up being in charge of for a time myself (because I was one of the only people who actually knew the rules!). Since it was disbanded and the ice time is gone I haven't had the opportunity since, and I really want to start a club in the future. For thousands of people like me in the world who are eternal amateurs and still need practice just to be able to play informal club games we can never progress or much less find teammates because unless you're in Canada you can *not* just go curling, and there is no structure for guidance on how to physically build a club, source equipment, and establish the business end. Just from my own experience in the states, USACurl doesn't seem to care much about development and they don't build relationships with groups who want to form a functioning club and facility. I and my fellow curlers talked to them and we got a 5 page "how to start a club" sheet that had the basics, which we had already done. I wish Canadian curlers would take a leading role in the development here because there is a ton of interest, especially from people in colder climates like me who enjoy the ice but are definitely not cut out for anything on skates, and because USACurl is pretty incapable of breaking out of its midwest bubble. Sorry for my rant, all these sweet plays on your 'basement sheet' get me fired up!

[@seashmore]

Have you reached out to the curling community on reddit? There are plenty of folks there who have experience with new/young clubs that might be able to help guide you.

[@michaelbradley8508]

I love your videos. Thank you very much. My team is scheduled to participate in a bonspiel soon and we are told the rink it will be played at is known for having 'straight ice'. What does this mean anyhow should we play on it
MB

[@robert3238]

Matt quick question, What are some of the things can I do to get the game plans when I'm watching curling online. Knowing that their game pans change based the opponents they are facing.
Bottcher vs Gueshue what I'm I looking for on each end. DO you take client from the US to coach?

[@CurlingClass]

Hi Robert, both of those teams have a great sweeper (good shot management capabilities). However, I think that Gushue has a tendency to take more risk. I would say to look for Team Bottcher to take a Conservative approach and being ready to bail early on ends if necessary. Team Gushue might take a little more risk (Aggressive approach) and attempt more finesse shots or wait 1 or 2 more stones longer before bailing on an end. Team Gushue could win by 3 or 4 or Team Bottcher could win by 1 or 2.
Then again, keep in mind that each team knows the other teams "strengths and weaknesses" so they could mix it up a bit just to mess with the other team! ha
I wouldn't know the odds of either outcome above, probably close to 50/50 but that's just my guess, everything else being equal.
Game plans change over the course of a match so if you want to try and get your mind around what each team's game plan is you need to understand more about how a game plan is constructed. I cover those things in more detail in the Members Area of my website with example game plan tables that show what a team could be thinking in each end. I don't have a TON of content in the Members area just yet but I'll be adding more content each season.
As far as coaching/instruction, I can do online delivery and sweeping analysis via the Curling Class Website. I haven't thought about coaching remotely per se - I don't have much organized coaching experience as of yet - but it is something that other coaches have brought up with me and something I am considering if it can make sense for everyone involved. I'll be coaching teams more in an official status in the years to come (assuming we ever get back to normal!).
Thank you for the great questions!
-Matt