Find us online: www.usacurl.org * www.2013usacurlingnationals.com Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 6

The Daily Pebble

Swept up in love By Katie Arndt, Daily Pebble Staff Writer

T his year’s USA Curling National Champion-ships is home to three happily married curling couples for the week, including Ryan and

Jackie Lemke, Doug and Allison Pottinger, and Brady and Cristin Clark.

Enjoying their 14th year of marriage, the Clarks are no stranger to the balancing act between, family, work, and competing at an elite level. “Anyone can say they don’t have time, everyone is busy, we just find time and make it work,” said Brady Clark when asked about how he and his wife manage everything, explaining that family comes first, but curling is right up there as well. “We are lucky that curling is a common interest that we have. We are busy, but it’s something we love to do together, so it makes it much easier,” said Cristin Clark.

The Clarks are pleased to have their son, 1 ½ year old, Sean Clark, along for the ride this year. Though Sean Clark is too young to compete, he still gets out on the ice, because one is never too young to start. Sean’s parents explained that he gets mad we he’s not allowed on the ice and when he is allowed, he’ll pick up a broom and do what his mom and dad do.

Brady and Cristin Clark have also enjoy competing together in mixed competitions, which have included nine mixed national championships and three mixed doubles national titles, so one can only imagine what their dinner conversations consist of. “Oh, we talk about curling ALL the time,” said Cristin when asked about whether she and Brady try not to talk about curl-ing when they are at home relaxing. Speaking of relax-ing, when both are competing at the same competition, like they are this week, it is hard for either to relax, but Brady Clark explained that sometimes they miss each other’s games because either they have to prepare for their own or just need a break, which is most often spent with their son and dog.

With Valentine’s Day upon us Brady Clark took a little blast into the past for our story. Brady Clark was an Ice Man at the club that Cristin Clark curled at while getting her masters. “Our rela-tionship just developed, I knew right away she was a very good looking girl and a great player, we started out as friends and our relationship just developed,” said Brady Clark. As for Brady and Cristin Clark’s Valentine’s Day plans, they will find somewhere in Green Bay to eat and will get each other a little something. “We try to prioritize our relationship, the little things are important,” said

Brady Clark. “We will do something spe-

cial for Valentine’s day. If one of us competes through dinner time, then we will do lunch, but it will just be exciting to be able to watch each other curl,” said Cristin Clark. As one can see, curling is a love for both Brady and Cristin Clark, but their true love is each other and their son Sean. What better way to spend their Valentine’s with everything and everyone that they love?

In The Spotlight

Team Fenson (l-r): Pete Fenson, Shawn Rojeski, Joe Polo, and Ryan Brunt.

Pete Fenson

Position: Skip

Age: 42

Hometown/Resides: Bemidji, Minn.

Career: Owner/operator, Dave’s Pizza

Education: Bemidji State University

Curling start: 1982

Curling club: Bemidji (Minn.)

Family: Married; two sons

Curling highlights:

• 2006 Olympic bronze medalist

• 7-time national champion (2011, 2010,

2006, 2005, 2003,

1994, 1993)

• USA Curling Team of the Year: 2006

• Competing in his 20th men’s national

championship

Shawn Rojeski

Position: Vice skip

Age: 41

Hometown/Resides: Chisholm, Minn.

Career: Corporate quality manager with

Lakehead Constructors

Education: Bemidji State University

Curling start: 1984

Curling club: Hibbing (Minn.)

Curling highlights:

• 2006 Olympic bronze medalist

• 5-time national champion (2011, 2010,

2006, 2005, 2003)

• 2-time U.S. junior champion

Joe Polo

Position: Second

Age: 30

Hometown: Bemidji, Minn.

Resides: Duluth, Minn.

Career: Project manager with Lakehead

Constructors

Education: University of North Dakota-

Grand Forks

Curling start: 1992

Curling club: Duluth (Minn.)

Family: Married

Curling highlights:

• 2006 Olympic bronze medalist

• 4-time national champion (2011, 2010,

2006, 2005, 2003)

Ryan Brunt

Position: Lead

Age: 27

Hometown: Portage, Wis.

Resides: Bemidji, Minn.

Career: Substitute teacher

Education: University of Wisconsin-Eau

Claire

Curling start: 1992

Curling club: Bemidji (Minn.)

Curling highlights:

• 2011 national champion

Shelly Kinney

Position: Skip

Age: 38

Hometown: Saltcoats, Saskatchewan

Resides: Champlin, Minn.

Career: Certified athletic trainer with

Sports and Orthopaedic Specialists/

Allina Health

Education: Master’s degree and bache-

lor’s degree in athletic training; master’s

degree in psychology

Family: Married; one son and currently

pregnant with daughter (due April 1)

Curling start: Age 11

Curling club: St. Paul

Curling highlights:

• U.S. Club National Championships:

2012 (silver), 2011 (4th)

• First appearance at Nationals

Amy Lou Anderson

Position: Vice skip (throws last rocks)

Age: 39

Hometown: Plymouth, Minn.

Career: Pediatric occupational therapist

Family: Married; three children

Curling start: 1995

Curling club: St. Paul

Curling highlights:

• U.S. Club National Championships:

2012 (silver)

• First appearance at Nationals

Theresa Hoffoss

Position: Second

Age: 35

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.

Family: Married; one child

Curling club: St. Paul

Curling highlights:

• 1996 U.S. junior national champion

• Third appearance at Nationals

• U.S. Club National Championships:

2012 (silver)

Julie Smith

Position: Lead

Hometown: Biwabik, Minn.

Resides: St. Paul, Minn.

Career: Data privacy specialist

Curling start: 1999

Curling club: St. Paul

Curling highlights:

• First appearance at Nationals

Megan Delaney

Position: Alternate

Age: 27

Resides: Minneapolis, Minn.

Career: Fabric sourcing manager with

Target

Family: Married

Curling start: 2000

Curling club: St. Paul

Curling highlights:

• Second appearance at U.S. Nationals

Team Kinney (l-r): Shelly Kinney, Amy Lou Anderson, Theresa Hoffoss, Julie Smith, and Megan Delaney.

STANDINGS:

WOMEN:

*George 7-2

*Brown 7-2

*Pottinger 7-2

Lank 5-4**

Carlson 5-4**

Roessler 4-5

Clark 3-6

Hamilton 3-6

Anderson 2-7

Kinney 2-7

*clinched playoff spot

**will play tiebreaker

MEN:

Tyler George 6-2

John Shuster 6-2

Brady Clark 5-3

Pete Fenson 5-3

Heath McCormick 5-3

Craig Brown 4-4

Mike Farbelow 4-4

Greg Persinger 3-5

Todd Birr 2-6

Ryan Lemke 0-8

Bid to win a broom signed by this year’s champions

Limited edition Team USA curling broom, manu-factured by Balance Plus, autographed by the gold medal winners of the 2013 USA Curling National Championships. Proceeds benefit the dual mission of the non-profit U.S. Curling Association to support our country's teams in pursuit of international excel-lence, and to develop the sport across the nation. Go here to start bidding or visit the USA Curling website: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181080282137

The Valentin

e’s Day editi

on

Becca Hamilton

Position: Skip

Age: 22

Hometown/resides:

McFarland, Wis.

Career: Student at Edgewood

College

Curling club: Madison (Wis.)

Curling highlights:

• 2-time U.S. junior national

champion (2011, 2008)

Molly Bonner

Position: Vice skip

Age: 25

Hometown: Virginia, Minn.

Resides: St. Louis Park, Minn.

Career: Employed with United

Health Care Group

Education: Bachelor’s degree

Curling start: Age 12

Curling club: St. Paul (Minn.)

Curling highlights:

• 2007 U.S. junior national

champion

• 2010 U.S. Olympic Team

Trials: 5th place

Tara Peterson

Position: Second

Age: 21

Hometown: Eagan, Minn.

Career: Student

Curling start: Age 9

Curling club: St. Paul (Minn.)

Curling highlights:

• 3-time U.S. junior national

champion (2011, 2010, 2009)

• 2010 world junior bronze

medalist

• 2012 recipient of the Ann

Brown Sportsmanship Award at

the Nationals

Sophie Brorson

Position: Lead

Age: 21

Hometown: Duluth, Minn.

Career: Student

Curling start: Age 10

Curling club: Duluth (Minn.)

Curling highlights:

• 3-time U.S. junior national

champion (2011, 2010, 2009)

• 2010 world junior bronze

medalist

• 2010 U.S. Olympic Team

Trials: 5th place

Need a gift for your Valentine?

Uh, oh. You forgot to buy your Valentine a present, didn’t you? Don’t fret. Head to the merchan-

dise stand or the Brooms Up booth and pick up some curling gear for your loved one.

Team Hamilton (l-r): Becca Hamilton, Molly Bonner, Tara Peter-

son, and Sophie Brorson.

This year’s Nationals field features

three married couples, including

Brady & Cristin Clark, pictured here

with their son, Sean Clark.

Page 2 The Daily Pebble, Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 3 The Daily Pebble, Volume 1, Issue 6

Daily Pebble: Terry Kolesar, Editor

Rich Harmer,

Photography

Contributing writers:

Katie Arndt, Nichole

Wierzba, James

Taylor, Harry Maier,

Claire Skuble

Rick Patzke,

Assistant Editor

Printing by Inner

Workings

The Daily Pebble can be

found online as well: www.usacurl.org/

curlingrocks

Ideas? Send an e-mail to Terry Kolesar at

terry.kolesar@usacurl.org

By Katie Arndt, Daily Pebble Staff Writer

W hen Shelly Kinney is on the ice competing for Team Kinney, they have an extra player

along for the ride. Kinney is competing in the 2013 USA Curling National Championships more than seven months pregnant with a baby girl. A glowing Kinney

explained that she is no stranger to curling with a baby on board. “Having my child with me definitely makes curling

more special. When I was at the U.S. Club Nationals for the first time, I was actually carrying my son at eight

months pregnant, but I was throwing last rock, so I de-cided to take it a little easier on myself this time around,” said Kinney.

Adding a baby to the mix certainly stirs things up a bit. When Kinney found out she was pregnant she told family

right away, and then informed her curling team. “When I found out I was pregnant, my curling team was very sup-portive. I made the decision to continue to curl but to put

myself at second, so that we could give Amy Lou the opportunity to throw the last rock all year round,” said

Kinney. Good health and safety for the baby is Kinney’s main concern, so she has sat out a few games and let the team’s alternate, Megan Delaney, take the ice a bit.

After Kinney’s daughter is born, she and her big brother will have been curling long before they were born,

and it is a desire of their mother’s that they will compete again someday, this time on their own. “My hope is that both our children will take a special interest to curling,”

said Kinney. Kinney is not expecting her newborn to bring change

to her commitment to the sport. “I think everything is to be determined. I have a great supportive team and I’m very committed to the sport of curling, so hopefully noth-

ing will change. I am hoping to continue to compete at this level, and be back here next year.” Stay tuned until

next year to see if Kinney is back competing at the USA Curling National Championships with her family’s new addition in the stands supporting her.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Special Delivery

Presenting sponsor: Brooms Up Curling Supplies,

www.broomsupcurling.com

Wednesday ’s Results:

8 a.m. men

McCormick 8, Fenson 7

Birr 7, Clark

Shuster 10, Persinger 2

Farbelow 7, Brown 4

George 8, Lemke 1

12 p.m. women

Roessler 5, Hamilton 4

Brown 8, Anderson 5

Pottinger 9, Carlson 5

George 9, Clark 4

Lank 8, Kinney 5

4 p.m. men

Shuster 10, Lemke 4

George 9, Farbelow 2

Brown 8, McCormick 3

Persinger 8, Clark 5

Fenson 8, Birr 5

8 p.m. women

Brown 11, Clark 1

Hamilton 8, Lank 7

Roessler 7, Kinney 6

Carlson 9, Anderson 6

Pottinger 9, George 6

Thursday’s Schedule:

8 a.m. men

Farbelow v. Persinger

Fenson v. Shuster

Lemke v. Birr

McCormick v. George

Clark v. Brown

Women’s tiebreaker:

12 p.m. Thursday

Lank v. Carlson

Women’s semifinals

8 p.m. Thursday

#1 George v. #4

(winner of tiebreaker)

#2 Brown v. #3 Pottinger

Women’s bronze medal:

2 p.m. Friday

Women’s gold medal:

9 a.m. Saturday

Friendly Rivalry

Follow USA Curling on Facebook

and Twitter (@terry_usacurl)

Tweeting about this event?

Please use #2013Nats or #curling

Check out these local hot spots: Vandervest Harley Davidson- 1966 Velp Ave., Harley rentals, cloth-

ing and collectibles.

National Railroad Museum- 2285 S. Broadway, over 70 pieces of railroad equipment on display.

Hagemeister Park- 325 N. Washington St., upscale, yet casual, dining in downtown Green Bay.

WBAY Boat Show- 1901 S. Oneida St., various boating and waterfront

lifestyle exhibitors. To find more to do, visit the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors

Bureau at www.greenbay.com.

By Claire Skuble, Daily Pebble Staff Writer

I magine competing in the 2013 national champion-ships and the first match you play is against your

former teammate. Jon Brunt and Ryan Brunt (both of Portage, Wis.) faced this situation on the first day of competition here at the Cornerstone Community Ice Center.

The match between the Pete Fenson and Craig Brown rinks was extremely intense and went into an extra-end. The

victor, Team Fenson, won by one stone. Jon and Ryan, besides being former teammates, also are

cousins. The two have had a friendly rivalry throughout their careers. “It’s a rivalry, and we both really want the best for each other,” Jon Brunt said. Surprisingly the two have faced

off on more than one occasion. “We know what type of curlers they are and we know what to expect,” Jon Brunt

said. Imagine not only having a cousin to compete against but

also a sister, Maureen (Brunt) Clark, who was a member of

the women’s 2006 U.S. Olympic Team, a silver medalist at the 2005 World Curling Championships, and a gold medalist

from the 2002 World Juniors. “Obviously her record speaks for herself,” Ryan Brunt said about his sister. “She has the gold on Jon and I, but I am always rooting for her.”

Even with the friendly rivalry it all comes down to family for the two. Jon and Ryan both wish the best for each other,

regardless of the competition.

Shelly Kinney is in her final trimester with her second child

while competing this week at the 2013 Nationals. Cousins Ryan Brunt and Jon Brunt

Heath McCormick

Debbie McCormick Brady Clark

Caitlin Maroldo & Mackenzie Lank

Courtney George

If you see super

statisticians (l-r)

Amelia Young

(ND), Carrie Ben-

ton (MN) & Mi-

chael Campbell

(PA), ask them

how to get to Door

County (and then

consult your own

map!).

Team Birr’s

Greg Romaniuk

(l-r), Doug

Pottinger &

Kevin Birr.