U21 BRONZE MEDALIST RECOUNTS FIRST NATIONALS EXPERIENCE, LOOKS AHEAD TO NEXT SEASON
Bailey Vaydich of Team Johnson. Photo Credit: Tiffany Scheel
With the traditional curling season over, it’s a good time to learn more about the championship experiences of competitors in 2023.
Bailey Vaydich plays Second on Team Johnson out of Four Seasons in Blaine, MN, and earned a Bronze medal at the 2023 U21 Junior Women’s National Championship at Broomstones Curling Club in Wayland, MA. We spoke to Vaydich about the bronze medal and the other awards she received—the Curtis Cup she shared with her teammates and the Bev Schroeder Memorial Award that recognizes an individual competitor.
Q: What does winning the Bronze medal mean to you?
A: Earning the Bronze is a symbol that all the hard work my team and I have put in this season is recognized. But it also motivates us to work harder next year to improve where we finish at Nationals.
Q: The Curtis Cup—won by Team Johnson—recognizes a team that demonstrates the true Spirit of Curling, while the Bev Schroeder Memorial Award—won by you—recognizes an athlete who stands out during their first appearance at U21 Nationals. Both are rooted in the Spirit of Curling. Do you find that spirit to be an important element of the curling community and a key part of National Championships?
A: The Spirit of Curling is a huge part of the curling community. At its core, it means that you have integrity and kindness on and off the ice, are able to follow rules, can call yourself out when you make mistakes, and are kind to your teammates and competitors. All of these factors combined will make you a better person in your everyday life. It is an honor that my team was voted on by our peers and awarded the Curtis Cup, especially since we are a newly formed team this season. Being recognized by your fellow curlers for doing what you love is pretty amazing.
Q: What factors within yourself and your team do you see contributing to your success this season?
A: I feel our team dynamics were the biggest factors to our success, such as putting in the work to achieve similar goals. As a team, we worked hard to improve our communication and understanding both what all of us need on and off the ice. Most importantly, we never gave up on each other or became frustrated with a teammate. No matter if we were winning or losing, we always tried to stay loose and have fun.
Q: Heading into the 2022-2023 season, hwo do you and your team plan to improve on the progress you made this past season?
A: For the 2023-24 season, the start will be a bit different, as some of us will be working with our Youth Olympic Games teams for the chance to represent Team USA in Korea at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Our team goals for next season include going to both the U18 and U21 National Championships, and to play our best while continuing to learn and improve alongside each other. My personal goals for next season include improving my weight control, continuing to work on my sweeping, and to be the best teammate I can be. I know we are all going to work hard over the summer to improve and come back stronger next season.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give curlers who are starting to think about playing competitively?
A: The advice I’d give to a newly competitive curler is to dream big. Join teams that make you push yourself to be a better player even if you have to leave a team behind despite enjoying playing with them. Always be true to who you are and the goals you set for yourself. At the club level, play with anyone you can. Play league against adults and listen to their advice, and play in both junior and adult bonspiels even if you know you’ll get your butt kicked. You can learn lots from losing.
U21 National Championships—Awards Summary
Every year at the U21 Junior National Championships, three awards are given out to athletes who demonstrate sportsmanship, coachability, and a dedication to improve. These awards highlight athletes who stand out amongst their peers.
The Katie Beck Memorial Award was established by Sharon O’Brien to honor the late Katie Beck, a two-time USA Junior National Champion and the 2002 World Junior Champion. The recipient of this award must play at the Second position, be coachable, and have a true love for the sport of curling. It is voted on by the officials at the event.
The Bev Schroeder Memorial Award is given to two outstanding players, one female and one male, who are appearing at their first Junior National Championship. The award was established to honor the late Bev Schroeder, a long-time junior coach, USA Curling national office staff member, and long-time supporter for the growth of curling at the U21 level.
The Curtis Cup Sportsmanship Award goes to a Junior Women’s and a Junior Men’s team who best exemplify the “Spirit of Curling” both on and off the ice during the Junior National Championships. This award is donated by the Curtis family of Portage, Wisconsin, and is voted on by all the competing teams.
2023 U21 Junior Nationals Award Winners
Women’s Bev Schroeder Memorial Award Recipient: Bailey Vaydich
Men’s Bev Schroeder Memorial Award Recipient: Caiden Rose
Katie Beck Memorial Award Recipient: Benji Paral
Women’s Curtis Cup Recipient: Team Johnson(Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Bailey Vaydich, Lily Olson)
Men’s Curtis Cup Recipient: Team Cenzalli (Nicholas Cenzalli, Daniel Laufer, Shaheen Bassiri, Dylan Ciapka)
