LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Team Shuster, Team Peterson, and Team Persinger/Plys before 2022 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Photo: Facebook via Becca Hamilton
As the mixed doubles competition continues in the Ice Cube, the men’s and women’s curling teams have arrived at the Olympic Village and are beginning to get acclimated to their accommodations in the Olympic Village.
Before getting too settled after their early-morning touchdown in China on Thursday, Team Peterson and Team Shuster joined the mixed doubles duo of Chris Plys and Vicky Persinger to march with the rest of Team USA in the Opening Ceremony.
A historic night for curling, John Shuster led his Team USA teammates into the Ceremony as the male flag bearer, marking the first time a curler has carried the flag for the United States of America.
"Being chosen to carry the flag of your country, to lead your delegation, is kind of the ultimate,” reflected Shuster in a press conference on Saturday morning. “To lead out all Team USA was the biggest honor of my career to this point.”
Although friends and family can’t attend the 2022 games, Shuster was able to witness his son’s pride with the rest of America.
"And it was so fun to see the national TV coverage of my son announcing that I was going to be the flagbearer to his class,” Shuster said. He announced it much smoother than I did. I was at a loss for words, but he's cool, calm and collected."
Tabitha Peterson (left) and Tara Peterson (right) in Saturday’s press conference.
While cool, calm and collectedness suit John Shuster’s 8-year-old son back at home in Superior, Wis., feelings of excitement continue to wash over the Team USA Curlers as they explore the Olympic Village.
On the women’s side, the Peterson sisters will take the ice together alongside teammates Aileen Geving, Becca Hamilton, and Nina Roth.
“It's awesome. It's super cool,” Tabitha Peterson said in Saturday’s press conference as she sat beside younger sister Tara. “Being sisters, it's really special that we get to share this experience together.”
Working together as teammates is nothing new to the Peterson sisters.
“We started curling when I was 10 and (Tara) was 8, and we just started on the same team together,” Tabitha added. “So, it was just easy, an automatic teammate."
While their relationship as teammates spans a lifetime, adding the ‘Olympic’ prefix is a first.
“Mom and dad are very happy,” laughed Tara Peterson.
Before the men’s and women’s competitions have even begun, the U.S. curlers have made their mark on the 2022 Games within their first few days in the Village, a place that exudes camaraderie and respect.
"There's a little bit less of the mingling, but there's still a really cool overall sense of unity amongst the U.S. team and amongst everybody,” Matt Hamilton answered when asked about how Covid has impacted the 2022 Games. “There's a really great atmosphere of common respect that I don't think Covid can take away from the Olympics."
USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People.
