REGISTRATION OPENS FOR FIRST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEKEND AT DAKOTA CURLING IN LAKEVILLE, MN
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, October 13, 2026] — Launching this season, the USA Curling Regional Development Series brings together an athlete showcase, coach education, and ice technician training over the course of a weekend. The first one is now scheduled for December 4-6, 2026, at the Dakota Curling Club in Lakeville, MN.
What are the components of the Development Series weekend?
1) USA Curling Ice Technician Assessment Certification.
Ice technician training is offered as part of the Development Series weekend, giving club ice makers and volunteers insight and best practices to help them create and maintain great ice in a club environment.
This course, developed by World Curling and led by one of the USA Curling certified educators, has proven to be very popular with those who have completed it. Attendees will enjoy off-ice discussions and get hands-on, on-ice experience. When completed, attendees will receive the USA Curling Club Ice Technician and World Curling Level 1 Ice Technician certifications. We encourage Member Clubs to support any members of their ice crew who are eager to enroll—it’s an investment in better playing conditions. Registration and more information is available on the registration page.
If you plan to attend and registration is full, please join the waitlist! With sufficient interest from the waitlist (at least 3 members), a second session will be opened.
2) A Talent Showcase.
Building on the national Emerging Talent Showcase held last May at Rock Creek Curling in Colorado, the weekend in Lakeville will include two opportunities for curlers with competitive aspirations to have their delivery and sweeping skills evaluated, receive feedback to help them improve, participate in game scenarios, and network with other like-minded players.
Sessions are grouped by age, as follows:
SHOWCASE #1: Athletes 25 years of age or older (as of December 1, 2026). Saturday, December 5th from 8:00am -3:00pm.
SHOWCASE #2: Athletes under the age of 25 (as of December 1, 2026). Sunday, December 6th from 7:15am-2:30pm.
3) Level 3 Coach Certification.
The classroom portion of the Level 3 coach course begins on Friday, December 4th at 4 PM and runs until 8:30 PM. Classroom topics include Leadership, Coaching Principles, Teaching the Delivery the USA Curling Way, and Sweeping. After completing the classroom session, attendees will be on the ice working with National Team staff at one of the Showcases on Saturday or Sunday. Coaches will learn how to analyze in real time, provide actionable feedback, and produce real improvement in showcase participants. To participate in the Level 3 Coach Certification course, participants must complete the online Level 1 and Level 2 training, and have a valid Coach membership upgrade.
In the future, USA Curling is planning to hold several Development Series weekends each year, but is piloting two during the 2026-27 season. If your Member Club is interested in hosting one in 2027, please message Director of Coaching & Competitions Phill Drobnick at phill.drobnick@usacurling.org or send an email to memberservices@usacurling.org.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Ice, Sports & Solar (ISS), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of World Curling and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
