What is broomstacking?
Curling is a very social sport. After each game, it's customary for teams to gather and socialize. These post-game hangouts are what we refer to as broomstacking and are a fun way to build friendships off the ice.
Where does broomstacking take place?
While this differs for every club, we gather at the tables right outside the rink and next to the snack shop inside Skatetown.
What do you do?
The Winning team buys the losing team a beverage of their choice.
It's tradition for the winning team to buy the losing team a round of drinks. This often means the winning team buys a pitcher of beer to share from the Skatetown snack shop. For those of you who don't want to drink beer that early, don't drink, or can't drink b/c they're under 21, there are plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available. It's not uncommon to see curlers with hot chocolate or other non-alcoholic drinks after a match.
Is broomstacking mandatory?
Broomstacking is definitely not mandatory, and we have all had times we've had to run right after a game and do an IOU on drinks. That being said, we encourage you to partake when you can. It's a great way to get to know your fellow curlers, chat about the match, etc.
Good Curling!