Members of the Belfast Curling Club in Maine are eagerly anticipating the 2026 Winter Olympics, with a special connection to Team USA curler Korey Dropkin. The club highlights how the games boost interest in the sport, and they plan to root for Dropkin, who has ties to their community. An open house event will allow locals to learn more about curling during the Olympics.
The 2026 Winter Olympic Games, set to begin next week in Italy, have sparked excitement at the Belfast Curling Club in Maine. Curling, a sport where players slide granite stones on ice toward a target area, gains significant visibility during the Olympics, according to club members.
Sierra Dietz, the board president of the Belfast Curling Club, emphasized the event's impact: “It certainly gives the sport a big boost.” The club has a personal stake in the proceedings through Korey Dropkin, a Team USA men's curling athlete competing in mixed doubles. Dropkin, who began curling at age five, has played at the Belfast club during visits from his Massachusetts hometown.
Dietz noted the close ties: “We have a member of the mixed doubles team that has a good close relationship with our club. His parents have curled here many years; he’s curled here before. So that’s kind of fun. We’re looking forward to rooting for team Korey Dropkin.” Dropkin's parents, Keith and Shelley Dropkin, are longtime members of the Broomstones Curling Club in the Boston area and have curled for 40 or 50 years, periodically visiting Belfast.
To share the enthusiasm, the Belfast Curling Club is hosting an open house on February 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Belmont Avenue. Dietz invited everyone: “It’s a great sport because it’s something that anybody can play from six to 80 and more.” This event coincides with the Olympics, offering a chance for newcomers to engage with the sport amid the international competition.
