Current Guidelines
At our March 2 board meeting, our Board of Directors voted to change our COVID guidelines to make face masks optional for all programming effective Monday, March 21, 2022.
Please continue with the spirit of curling and be respectful of others on the ice, regardless of their masking preference. And, as always, please stay home if you are feeling unwell.
The Board of Directors will continue to monitor COVID conditions and guidance from health professionals and update guidelines as appropriate. These guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Aksarben Curling Board of Directors. We cannot guarantee that any future league or event will be entirely mask optional, as we may require masks again if COVID conditions worsen.
Prior Guidelines
At our August 11, 2021 board meeting, our Board of Directors voted to use the following COVID guidelines for the 2021-2022 season beginning in September 2021:
- Masks will be required for all curlers until further notice given the current COVID conditions and members' responses to our 2021-2022 season survey.
- All five sheets will be utilized.
- Two sweepers will be allowed.
- Coin flips for hammer will be allowed.
The Board of Directors will continue to monitor COVID conditions and guidance from health professionals throughout the fall, and update guidelines as appropriate. These guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Aksarben Curling Board of Directors.
Masks:
- Everyone must wear a mask covering both their nose and mouth the whole time while on the ice and in the building (except when taking a drink by the back boards).
- Masks should be well fit (snug around the face, not too tight but also not loose).
- Cloth masks should have at least two layers of cloth.
- Face shields, bandanas, and neck gaiters are not allowed (unless you wear a mask underneath).
- The only exception to keeping the mask on is when taking a drink - all drinks should be placed against the back boards, and refrain from talking when your mask is off.
- You may want to bring a couple masks to see which would work best for you while curling
- Some tips for preventing foggy glasses include:
- Ensure your mask is well fit
- Use a mask with a metal band in the nose
- Try to wear your mask high on your nose under your glasses
- Use athletic tape to tape the mask to the bridge of your nose
- Again, bring a couple masks to try out to see which works best with glasses
- Please be respectful and acknowledge that some of your fellow curlers may not want to shake hands before or after your match.
- But do say 'Good Curling!'
- Coin flips are allowed to determine who gets the hammer.
Sweeping Restrictions:
- Two sweepers will be allowed.
Ice Utilization:
- All 5 sheets are able to be utilized.
Substitutes:
- Only current, dues-paying members are allowed to sub. Visit our website's Member Home to share your subbing availability or to find a sub.
COVID Exposure and Positivity
- If you feel ill, test positive for COVID, or find yourself exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID stay home and refrain from coming to leagues for the duration recommended by the CDC.
- If you test positive for COVID, we also ask that you contact the club at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will keep your identity confidential. Your sharing allows us to notify participants in your league so they can make an informed decision whether to attend the next game. We are also being asked to report positive cases to USA Curling to help inform them of the effectiveness of safety measures.
This document may be updated as the season progresses.
