Recent from talks
United States Curling Association
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
United States Curling Association
The United States Curling Association (USCA or USA Curling) is the national governing body of the sport of curling in the United States. The goal of the USCA is to grow the sport of curling in the United States and win medals in competitions both domestic and abroad. Curling's recent popularity has swelled the USCA to 185 curling clubs and approximately 23,500 curlers in the United States. The United States Olympic men's curling teams have seen success in recent years, most notably winning the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, led by skip John Shuster.
After being headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin for many years, in April 2021 it was announced that the USCA headquarters would be moved to the Viking Lakes business campus in Eagan, Minnesota.
The USCA was formed in the mid-20th century by the division of the Grand National Curling Club (GNCC) into separate regional units, with the USCA taking over the national functions of the GNCC; the GNCC then reduced its mandate to the eastern US, becoming one of those regional units.
In August 2019 the USCA announced that long-time CEO Rick Patzke was stepping away and former chairman of the board of directors Rich Lepping would act as the interim CEO while the search for a new permanent CEO proceeded. Jeff Plush was announced as the new CEO on February 6, 2020. Plush was formerly the commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League. At the time of Plush's October 2022 resignation, Dean Gemmell was named Interim CEO.
The COVID-19 pandemic first impacted the USCA at the Club National Championship held March 7–14, 2020 at the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel, Maryland, where at least 20 participants or volunteers contracted COVID-19. While the Club National Championship was still being competed, the USCA announced the postponement or cancellation of all remaining 2019–20 season events, including the college, U-18, Mixed, and Arena National Championships. Those 2019–20 events that were initially postponed until fall 2020 where all later cancelled. In June 2020, the USCA distributed a document to all member clubs with a set of recommendations on how to safely re-open and begin curling again.
The 2020–21 season had a slow start for USCA as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, the United States National Training Center in Chaska, Minnesota opened for practice ice on August 22 but the first competition did not occur until a scrimmage of the national teams in October. On December 3, 2020, the USCA announced that all remaining events of the season would be either cancelled or postponed until at least May 2021. This included cancelling the season's Senior Championships and postponing Men's, Women's, Mixed Doubles, Clubs, and U18 Championships. Because the National Championships were postponed until after the World Championships were scheduled, the 2020 Men's, Women's, and Mixed Doubles champions were selected to represent the United States at the respective 2021 World Championships. In February 2021, they further announced the cancellation of the 2021 Arena National Championship and postponement of that year's Junior and Mixed Championships until fall and summer 2021, respectively.
In 2022, the USCA had its first enforcement of a 2017 membership policy that was viewed as heavy-handed by many of its member organizations. This enforcement entails the removal of the largest and oldest regional association in North America, the Grand National Curling Club. The ensuing war of words between the GNCC and USCA proved to be a divisive issue with many American curlers, with many supporting the GNCC. This is another controversial act by the USCA after the 2020 hiring of former NWSL head Jeff Plush.
On October 3, 2022, the USA Curling Board issued a press release reaffirming their investigation into Plush's background prior to hiring him, and announced they held a special board session, but concluded with a weak, generic statement about the course of reopened review and potential subsequent action. Plush resigned later in October.
Hub AI
United States Curling Association AI simulator
(@United States Curling Association_simulator)
United States Curling Association
The United States Curling Association (USCA or USA Curling) is the national governing body of the sport of curling in the United States. The goal of the USCA is to grow the sport of curling in the United States and win medals in competitions both domestic and abroad. Curling's recent popularity has swelled the USCA to 185 curling clubs and approximately 23,500 curlers in the United States. The United States Olympic men's curling teams have seen success in recent years, most notably winning the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, led by skip John Shuster.
After being headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin for many years, in April 2021 it was announced that the USCA headquarters would be moved to the Viking Lakes business campus in Eagan, Minnesota.
The USCA was formed in the mid-20th century by the division of the Grand National Curling Club (GNCC) into separate regional units, with the USCA taking over the national functions of the GNCC; the GNCC then reduced its mandate to the eastern US, becoming one of those regional units.
In August 2019 the USCA announced that long-time CEO Rick Patzke was stepping away and former chairman of the board of directors Rich Lepping would act as the interim CEO while the search for a new permanent CEO proceeded. Jeff Plush was announced as the new CEO on February 6, 2020. Plush was formerly the commissioner of the National Women's Soccer League. At the time of Plush's October 2022 resignation, Dean Gemmell was named Interim CEO.
The COVID-19 pandemic first impacted the USCA at the Club National Championship held March 7–14, 2020 at the Potomac Curling Club in Laurel, Maryland, where at least 20 participants or volunteers contracted COVID-19. While the Club National Championship was still being competed, the USCA announced the postponement or cancellation of all remaining 2019–20 season events, including the college, U-18, Mixed, and Arena National Championships. Those 2019–20 events that were initially postponed until fall 2020 where all later cancelled. In June 2020, the USCA distributed a document to all member clubs with a set of recommendations on how to safely re-open and begin curling again.
The 2020–21 season had a slow start for USCA as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, the United States National Training Center in Chaska, Minnesota opened for practice ice on August 22 but the first competition did not occur until a scrimmage of the national teams in October. On December 3, 2020, the USCA announced that all remaining events of the season would be either cancelled or postponed until at least May 2021. This included cancelling the season's Senior Championships and postponing Men's, Women's, Mixed Doubles, Clubs, and U18 Championships. Because the National Championships were postponed until after the World Championships were scheduled, the 2020 Men's, Women's, and Mixed Doubles champions were selected to represent the United States at the respective 2021 World Championships. In February 2021, they further announced the cancellation of the 2021 Arena National Championship and postponement of that year's Junior and Mixed Championships until fall and summer 2021, respectively.
In 2022, the USCA had its first enforcement of a 2017 membership policy that was viewed as heavy-handed by many of its member organizations. This enforcement entails the removal of the largest and oldest regional association in North America, the Grand National Curling Club. The ensuing war of words between the GNCC and USCA proved to be a divisive issue with many American curlers, with many supporting the GNCC. This is another controversial act by the USCA after the 2020 hiring of former NWSL head Jeff Plush.
On October 3, 2022, the USA Curling Board issued a press release reaffirming their investigation into Plush's background prior to hiring him, and announced they held a special board session, but concluded with a weak, generic statement about the course of reopened review and potential subsequent action. Plush resigned later in October.