Q and A

Q: From Barnwell, SC...  "what are the shoes like and where can you get some?"

A:  Curling shoes are sort of like tennis shoes with one big difference. When a curler delivers the stone, he/she pushes off from the "Hack" which is like a rubber backstop. Right-handers use their right leg to push off, putting most of their weight above their left foot upon which they slide.  The left shoe in this case is called a "slider" and  the big difference from a tennis shoe is that the sole of the slider is made of a low-friction material like stainless steel or teflon.  Many people put a rubber cover over their slider when the sweep, which is called a "Gripper," but not all; e.g. Jason Smith slides on his slider when sweeping.

Curling shoes can be bought online or through any curling supply store (e.g. Steve's Curling Supplies www.stevescurling.com)