by Melissa Soligo former Scotties champion and an Olympic Bronze Medalist

Being the daughter of an accountant, I grew up surrounded by numbers.  Funny how things work out. That the game I love would now be embedded by numbers, too.

Enter the time clocks.  Each team at the Scotties gets 73 minutes per game plus two one minute time-outs.  This should be more than ample time to complete a 10-end game.  With the current rules encouraging more rocks in play, the ends can get busy. But with the lovable 10-end game, a team can bank some time in a clean end if need be, but still play offensive when warranted.  It's all about time management.

Have you heard the numbers being yelled out by the sweepers?  For communication purposes when sweeping, teams have divided the playable area (between hogline and back line) into 10 zones.  The first three zones are outside of the rings extending to the hog line.  The next three zones are from the top-four-foot to the top 12-foot.  The most sought-after zone is seven, which is the tee-line.  And the last three zones are from the back four to the back line.

We also see curlers using stopwatches to assist in both sweeping and throwing.  There are a few systems in place and it comes down to preference.  Hog-to-hog times, split times (back line to hog, tee-line to hog) and hog to stop times are commonly used.  However, being a coach of many, sometimes the watches become a crutch and curlers forget the feel, so beware.

All right, so let's get down to the nitty gritty of this column — stats.  The question always is asked, do we need to spend time and effort collecting a bunch of numbers?  Hmmm...

Unlike some people who think stats are a waste of time, I don't.  As a player, a coach, and a fan of the game I think stats are a good thing and serve many purposes.  Stats can create interest in the game for everyone, even assist the media (not a space filler), offer player comparisons (strengths and weaknesses) and provide detailed information to coaches.

Currently, the method is a simple four-point system — four for perfect and zero for a complete miss, and then 1–to-3 for half-shots and those judged somewhere in between. There is always the elusive bonus point as well.   In a completed 10-end game, the maximum score for a player is 80 points (4x2x10). An extra end fattens the total by a maximum eight.  The kinds of statistical information provided at the Scotties help the media make player comparisons for the viewers and the readers of the sport.

But in reality, stats are not just about a number form 0–4.  They are about the data that can be collected using those numbers.  It is about creating reports to identify overall percentages, in-turn versus out-turn, hit versus draw, force efficiency, steal efficiency and hammer efficiency.   Teams that collect information can use it to their benefit!  This is a game of inches and any advantage is a useful advantage.

As a player, I always wanted to know what my percentages were.  It was nice to get the ego stroked (this is where I assume I played well), but if the stats were not good, I would, being the fierce competitor that I was, challenge myself to do better.

As a coach, I make use of the numbers specifically related to strengths and weaknesses of opposing players.  As we know in this sport, one shot can make a huge difference, by knowing any weak spot; say forcing a draw versus a hit — this 'ammo' is good to have in the back pocket.

To be fair, I can see the other side of the stats debate.  Stats are subjective and the scoring does not always reflect the skip's decision-making process.  The numbers are highly dependent on a scorer's experience and consistency.  And most importantly the current scoring system doesn't reflect the shot difficulty, the importance of each shot or the context in which the shots were missed.  Although statisticians are usually seasoned curlers with knowledge and experience, they will never know a team's game plan or the reasons behind a decision but they will have the best guess (and seat) in the house.

Curling's shooting percentages provide the data that is needed and currently it is best objective measure of the game we have. And if curling exists to be enjoyed, then the shooting percentage is a useful tool to help us enjoy the game.

And if nothing else, stats always give us lots to talk about.