U.S. curling teams participated in the recent Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, with Team Casper securing a spot in the men's Olympic competition and Rich Ruohonen setting a new age record. In wheelchair curling, Steve Emt led the U.S. mixed doubles team to the semifinals.
The exposure from both events has reportedly led to a significant increase in interest and membership for curling across the United States.
U.S. Men's Olympic Team Qualification
Team Casper, led by 24-year-old skip Danny Casper, secured the U.S. spot in the Winter Olympics by defeating the team of John Shuster at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Curling in November. Shuster, a five-time Olympian and 2018 gold medalist, had sought his sixth Olympic appearance. The primary members of Team Casper include Ben Richardson, Aidan Oldenburg, and Luc Violette, all in their mid-twenties. These Games mark their first Olympic appearances.
Danny Casper previously developed Guillain-Barre syndrome two years prior to the trials. He returned to full-time curling following medication and physical therapy, despite ongoing effects from the condition. Team members also maintain professions outside of curling; the roster includes a civil engineer, an environmental scientist, and Danny Casper returned to his job at an Alfa Romeo car dealership the day after the Olympic Trials victory.
Rich Ruohonen Sets Age Record
Rich Ruohonen, 54, joined Team Casper as a fifth player/alternate for the 2026 Winter Games. Ruohonen made his Olympic debut on Thursday, competing in a match against Switzerland's Team Schwaller. He entered the game in the 8th end, throwing two rocks and sweeping for teammates, as the U.S. team was trailing by six points. The U.S. team subsequently conceded the match. Team Casper's record following this game stood at 1-1, with a prior win against Czechia, and seven preliminary round matches remaining.
Ruohonen became the oldest U.S. athlete to participate in the Winter Olympics at 54, surpassing the previous record held by figure skater Joseph Savage, who competed at age 52 in 1932. Ruohonen had pursued an Olympic appearance for nearly 40 years, with his initial Olympic pursuits beginning in 1988 when curling was a trial sport. He had previously missed Olympic qualification multiple times, including a third-place finish four years prior to his 2026 debut. Ruohonen, a partner at a personal injury law firm, has competed in curling for over three decades and has observed changes in the sport, including an increased emphasis on aggressive sweeping and physical training.
U.S. Wheelchair Curling at the Paralympics
Steve Emt and partner Laura Dwyer represented Team USA in the mixed doubles wheelchair curling event at the Winter Paralympics. The pair achieved three consecutive wins in the round-robin tournament, advancing to the semifinals. Following a loss to Korea, Emt and Dwyer were scheduled to compete against Latvia for the bronze medal.
Steve Emt, 56, is a 10-time national champion and a three-time Paralympian, holding the record as the most decorated U.S. Paralympic curler. He was introduced to the sport in 2013 when approached by Tony Colacchio. Emt joined the U.S. wheelchair curling team in 2014 and participated in his first Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang in 2018. Emt became paralyzed from the waist down at age 25 due to a drunk driving incident in 1995. He has been a full-time motivational speaker for nearly a decade, visiting over 100 schools annually to discuss his experiences and advocate for kindness and support. He has stated that curling provided a competitive outlet after his injury and a platform for advocacy. As the oldest Paralympian on Team USA, Emt has expressed interest in competing in the 2034 Salt Lake City Paralympics.
Growth in U.S. Curling Interest
Curling experienced significant viewership during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, with daily airings registering the largest viewership of any sport during NBC's coverage. This exposure has correlated with an increase in interest and participation in curling across the United States.
USA Curling, the national governing body for the sport, reported that member clubs consistently observed between 300 to 600 attendees at 'learn-to-curl' events and open houses in recent months. Preliminary data indicates this interest has led to increased membership, with several clubs adding over 100 new curlers to their beginner leagues. The organization currently has approximately 20,000 members nationwide. The demographic of new curlers shows that individuals aged 21 to 40 represent the fastest-growing segment, now accounting for 38 percent of USA Curling's membership.
Smaller clubs, particularly in less populated regions, often rely on the post-Olympics surge for operational stability. For instance, the Chesapeake Curling Club in Easton, Md., hosted over 300 individuals and is conducting three times more 'learn-to-curl' sessions than in a typical year. USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell indicated that the increased interest following the 2026 Olympics holds potential for the sport's future in the United States.