Several American curlers from clubs across the country are heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, representing Team USA in men's and mixed doubles events. Athletes like Luc Violette and Ben Richardson, who honed their skills at Seattle's Granite Curling Club, join mixed doubles pair Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse in pursuing Olympic dreams while balancing full-time jobs. The competitions begin on February 4 with mixed doubles preliminaries.
At Seattle's Granite Curling Club, the only dedicated curling facility in the city, excitement builds as two of its former juniors, Luc Violette and Ben Richardson, prepare for their Olympic debut on the US men's team, known as Team Casper. Violette, who grew up in Granite Falls and started curling at age 5 under his father, two-time national champion Tom Violette, recently moved to Minnesota after a successful junior career that included qualifying for his first world junior championship at age 14. "I was a little too interested [in curling]," Violette said. "I was on the early aspiration train, probably 10, 11, 12 years old when I was like, 'Oh! I kind of know I can do this.'" The team, ranked sixth in the world—the highest ever for an American squad—will face strong opponents like Scotland, Switzerland, and Canada.
Club member Kaitie Kovach expressed pride: "Luc and Ben, on Team Casper on the US Men’s team, grew up curling here at Granite. We’re very proud of them, and we’re very excited to see them play. It was already exciting just to see them qualify."
Meanwhile, the Traverse City Curling Club in Michigan has served as a key training ground, hosting the Mixed Doubles National Championship two years ago and other qualifying rounds this year. Founder Don Piche noted, "We've had all the gold medalists from the U.S. team that won in 2018... And all the teams that are going to be competing in the Olympics for the United States this year, they've been in our facility."
In Duluth, Minnesota, mixed doubles athletes Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse balance Olympic pursuits with everyday work. Dropkin, a realtor, said, "I have two full time jobs, one is curling… my other job is a realtor. If I want to pursue my dreams… I need to live in Duluth." Thiesse, who started curling at age 8 and works in mercury testing, added, "I feel grateful that I have a job that pays the bills while I go compete in curling." Both have dreamed of this moment since childhood, with Thiesse stating, "This is what we’ve been dreaming of since we were little kids," and Dropkin calling qualification a dream of 20 years.
Curling events span February 4 to 12 for mixed doubles, with the sport's popularity expected to spike interest at clubs like Granite, which offers programs for all ages and skill levels.
