SVCC Member Handbook

SVCC is primarily managed by the Board of Directors. More information about who serves on the board and what their roles are can be found here.

A number of committees have been formed to support various operations of the club. If you have a request for one of these committees or are interested in participating in one, please find their descriptions and points of contact here.

The responsibilities and details of club operations are outlined in the Club Bylaws.

If the behavior of a club member has concerned you, please use the Code of Conduct to help you choose your path forward.

SVCC curls at Sharks Ice in San Jose and Fremont, CA. We curl on mixed-use ice, which means we share ice with Hockey and Ice Skating. For information about when we’re curling, please visit our Activities page.

League registration is generally open to active members of the club. Specific information regarding League Rules, How to Join a League, Sparing, etc. can be found here. If this is your first curling league, we recommend you familiarize yourself with etiquette and curling basics.

Additionally, SVCC has adopted a Sick Day Policy for league participants.

Starting in January 2022, league fees have been set at $33 per player per game. This amount covers the cost of ice rental and are adjusted periodically as ice rental fees increase.

Many hands make light work! We need everyone’s help getting the ice ready each week for curling. If you’re not sure what needs to be done, check here for details about how to prep the ice.

Broomstacking! Stanley’s Sports Bar is conveniently located upstairs from the ice rink at both arenas. Teams meet up at Stanley’s to share a drink and fun times after games. Tradition says the winning team buys the first round!

All Members and participants in SVCC events are expected to abide by the SVCC Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct is intended as a guide to make it easier to ensure that our club’s activities remain welcoming to everyone and help all of us become more self-aware of how our actions impact those around us. The full Code of Conduct document is available here.

SVCC offers a number of membership types to suit your curling needs. Information about available memberships can be found here. To register as a member, start here.

The membership year runs from July 1st to June 30th of the following year (for example, membership for the 2019-2020 season is valid from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020). Membership registration for new members is open year-round. Annual membership renewal for returning members opens in March. Members are notified via email once the renewal period opens in March and then again at least two weeks prior to the end of the membership year in June. Please make sure your email address is up-to-date by reviewing your contact information on our website under Quick Links > User Account.

Annual membership dues vary by membership type. To view the current prices, please go here.

Annual membership dues are set to cover SVCC expenses which include national and regional affiliations (e.g. USCA, MoPac) and club infrastructure maintenance (i.e. website, equipment, etc). The Board reviews and approves the amount each year as part of its budgeting process.

Annual membership dues are payable online at the SVCC website.

In addition to working with Sharks Ice to offer ice time for curling, the club offers a number of services that many of our members find valuable. View them here.

The success and growth of the club (and curling!) depends on the volunteerism of our members. There are many opportunities to volunteer within the club, including customer service, website maintenance, and teaching! Teaching Corporate Events, Learn to Curls, and Bonspiels not only grow the sport in the Bay Area, but they are opportunities for financial security for the club. We rely entirely on the participation of members like you to support these events and keep the club going. More information about volunteer opportunities can be found here. If you’d like to be contacted about volunteering, please take a moment to fill out the Volunteer Interest Form.

The Membership Expectations Agreement is agreed to by all members of the Silicon Valley Curling Club at the time of their initial club registration and when renewing their membership each year. The Membership Expectations Agreement is stated as the following:

All Members are expected to comply with the Silicon Valley Curling Club’s Bylaws in order to be a Member in Good Standing. “Good Standing” means that a Member is current in the payment of Annual Dues, plus any required fees or assessments as determined by the Silicon Valley Curling Club. Anyone with >$60 in outstanding invoices owed to the club and >60 days past due will not be allowed to participate in any club activities. Any fees for new activities will be applied to the balance due. If such a fee is league registration, they will be placed on the waitlist until all outstanding invoices and the league fee is paid in full. 45 days from the date of the invoice that raises the outstanding balance above $60, the member will be notified of their pending status (via the email address on file) and the club participation policy. The board reserves the right to deal with situations on an individual basis.

Members in Good Standing must also abide by the Code of Conduct, engaging in courteous and sportsmanlike conduct, including, but not limited to helping set up and take down curling ice and equipment as well as engaging in sportsmanlike conduct while curling and within all spaces managed or organized by the Silicon Valley Curling Club. Members in Good Standing are also expected to volunteer for Club corporate trainings, bonspiels, and other fundraising and sporting events the Club regularly holds.

So long as Annual Dues are paid within thirty (30) days of the date payable and a Member is otherwise in Good Standing, Membership shall continue. Membership may be suspended or terminated for failure to pay Annual Dues, or other fees or assessments, or for failure to abide by the Club’s Bylaws or Code of Conduct and volunteerism, as described in these Expectations.

If there are any questions regarding this agreement, please contact membership@siliconvalleycurling.com or board@siliconvalleycurling.com.

Adopted from the World Curling Federation, the Spirit of Curling states:
Curling is a game of skill and of tradition. A shot well-executed is a delight to see, and it is also a fine thing to observe the time-honoured traditions of curling being applied in the true spirit of the game. Curlers play to win, but never to humble their opponents. A true curler never attempts to distract opponents, nor to prevent them from playing their best, and would prefer to lose rather than to win unfairly. Curlers never knowingly break a rule of the game, nor disrespect any of its traditions. Should they become aware that this has been done inadvertently, they will be the first to divulge the breach. While the main object of the game of curling is to determine the relative skill of the players, the spirit of curling demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling and honorable conduct. This spirit should influence both the interpretation and the application of the rules of the game and also the conduct of all participants on and off the ice.

Curling is a game of tradition is deeply rooted in respect. Most of the time, common sense is enough to guide on-ice behavior. However, there is some etiquette specific to curling that may not be obvious and the basics are covered here.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite resources and we hope you can get as much from them as we have.

First of all, welcome to the best sport in the world! For everything you need to know about how to prepare for your first game or Learn-to-Curl, look no further than our New Curler Guide!