NZ Representative Athlete Information

Congratulations on being selected for a New Zealand Curling team - fabulous achievement! Below is a guide to what happens next.

• Wait until NZCA has made an official team announcement before you announce your selection. 
• Complete the Athlete Agreement and email it back to the NZCA Secretary. You must also read through the NZCA Code of Conduct supporting information. Please fill out and scan it back or fill it out electronically. Athlete Agreements are electronically on file, not as hard copies. 
• As a team, discuss 
  • Balance Plus: Any equipment you need and if you want to take up the Balance Plus offer (read below). Nominate one person in your team to organise and order this. 
  • Fox Glide: Work out what on-ice playing uniform you need and collate your size information.  
  • Devold: Travel Uniform - discuss what items your team will get. Collate your size information. 
• Once WCF confirms competition details, start to plan your travel. Junior Teams - team management will do this for you. 
• WCF will send information about accommodation options; you are to fill in the accommodation information and send it to NZCA Secretary to submit on your behalf. Junior teams - team management will complete this. You must obtain your travel insurance and provide your Policy Name and Number to the NZCA Secretary.
•  WCF will require you to fill out documentation. The NZCA Secretary will send this out to you. Please fill it out and return it to the NZCA Secretary, who will submit these to WCF on your behalf. All WCF information is to go through the NZCA Secretary.
• Discuss funding and fundraising with your team and Nelson Ede. 

NZ Curling obtains our playing uniform from Foxglide in Scotland.  Teams much have light and dark uniforms consisting of jackets, and t-shirts.  An initial set-up is two jackets (one black one white), and four playing tops (two black and two white).  Shipping is extra and split between team members. 

NZCA is moving to a 'Performance Soft Shell Jacket' for teams but understands some teams may wish for a different (cheaper) style.  Be mindful of WCF rules that all team members are to have the same style of playing uniforms. It is the responsibility of individual teams to ensure compliance with this rule with no 'individualised' items on the team.  Non-compliance could result in fines from WCF or worse, not being allowed to enter the field of play. 

Junior Teams wear the 'Stretch Jacket', and the NZ Men have the Performance Softshell Jacket.

Your last name is printed on the back of the playing uniform.  If you have another family member that has represented New Zealand Curling, you add your initial.  

One nominated team member (usually the skip) is to 'make a copy' of the Master Foxglide order form, fill it out, and send it to the NZCA Secretary.  The NZCA Secretary places the order on the teams' behalf after consultation with Foxglide and a nominated team member.  Teams are to order at their earliest convenience, as order confirmation, production, and shipping times are to be taken into consideration. 

Colours, crests, logo size and placements are all specified for team uniforms at international events by WCF.  

The Athlete Leaders Network (ALN), a brainchild of the Athletes' Commission of the NZ Olympic Committee (NZOC), is a testament to the value placed on your voice.  It was designed to amplify the strength and mana of the athlete voice in New Zealand, with the aim of incorporating athlete perspectives into decision-making across the high-performance sports system.  ALN, as an athlete voice mechanism, is laser-focused on advocacy, capability, and well-being, all of which are pivotal to the health of our high-performance system. 

This initiative is by athletes, for athletes.  ALN empower diverse athletes from funded and non-funded sports to advocate for what's important to them. Rachael Pitts and Brett Sargon,  the ALN Representatives for NZ Curling, bring a wealth of expertise and experience to their roles. Both have represented at an International level, giving them a deep understanding of the demands and expectations of High-Performance sports.  Brett's participation in the New Zealand Curling Overseas Experience Programme, a unique opportunity to immerse in a curling community overseas for six months, along with recent curling in Canada, further enriches his perspective while Rachael has been part of the Junior Women's team for several years. 

Rachael and Brett are passionate about representing NZ Curling's voice in the ALN.  They are eager to connect with athletes and assist in enhancing the relations between athletes and curling in a mutually beneficial way.   If you have any questions about ALN or the athlete voice in curling, or if you want to connect, please don't hesitate to click the button on the right to contact Rachael or Brett. Alternatively, you can email aln@curling.org.nz. They are here to support you and ensure your voice is heard.

The Otago Academy of Sport coordinates and delivers a range of athlete and coach services catering for individual athletes and teams across Otago, Central and North Otago. 

This support includes education for individual athletes and team academies through workshops and one on one consultations in sports science, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and athlete life and support. Otago Academy see this as crucial to the development of regional athletes and coaches, and to assuring they get the support they need to not only progress and achieve in their sport, but to remain in their region around their support networks and education/work opportunities. The goal is to ensure well-balanced and supported athletes who have a healthy perspective on their sporting lives, with a focus on developing the athlete as a person not just an athlete.

Click 'Otago Academy of Sport' to find out more information and for the application form.

NZCA would like to acknowledge the substantial contribution Maniototo Curling International (MCI) makes to its NZ Representative Curlers with free ice for training and practice. Also, MCI’s strong support for NZCA Training Camps and Tournaments is greatly appreciated.

Athletes, please note that free practice ice is subject to ice availability, the paying public takes precedence, and you may be asked to vacate the ice to accommodate them.

Please book your training sessions where possible to assist MCI staff in planning ice availability and ice prep.         

Phone 03 444 9878 or by email info@curling.co.nz.

Click here to open World Curling Federation's Rules and Regulations page.

As well as the current rules, you'll find technical manuals, competition policy and procedures, and more.

There's a restriction on the brush and pads you can use at international tournaments, and they are regularly updated.

See the WCF section on brushes and sweeping for the current state of play.

These same rules apply to NZ Championships. WCF brush regulations do not apply to local, club, or school leagues unless the organisers of those leagues or events determine otherwise. However, skilled players in those competitions are urged to consider the Spirit of Curling when using other non-approved sweeping devices that may give them an unfair advantage.