Who knew throwing a stone or rock down a sheet of ice and sweeping it into position on a target would become so popular? Sure, it is intriguing to watch the techniques curlers use to place a stone in the center of a bull’s-eye, or house, particularly when a teammate starts sweeping the ice to further direct that stone. It takes more skill than just a good throw. Strategy, mental focus, balance and, of course, teamwork, are just the beginning of the curling skills needed to win.

Perhaps that combination is what captured America’s fascination with this sport.

Introduced as a Winter Olympics medal sport in 1998 — sparking national interest in America — this team sport got its start in the 16th century in Scotland. It made its way to the United States in the 19th century with the formation of the Orchard Lake Club of America in 1832 in Detroit. Commonly known as USA Curling, the United States Curling Association was organized in 1958 with 125 clubs. Today the country boasts nearly 200 clubs.

For most, curling is a recreational sport played in a local community league or rec team. However, nationwide interest inthe sport really took off during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, reaching a fever pitch in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics when the U.S. men’s curling team won the gold medal final against Sweden. Consisting of John Shuster, Tyler George, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner, this is the only U.S. men’s curling team thus far to win an Olympic gold medal.

If you prefer to be a spectator instead of a competitor, USA Curling hosts a number of competitions throughout the year. These include men’s and women’s national championships, college national championships, mixed doubles national championships and junior national championships. In addition, the U.S. Olympic team trials for men’s and women’s curling will take place Nov. 11–16, 2025, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. For more information on USA Curling or to find a club near you, visit usacurling.org.