Watching the Milan Cortina Olympics from February 6 to February 22, 2026, offers a chance to see top winter athletes compete. For those interested in connecting with Olympians, curling presents an accessible opportunity.
“At some point we’ve all interacted with actual Olympians,” said Heather Kopeck, executive director of Institutional Advancement at the UC Office of the President. “They would no doubt win if I played them, but it’s not a large community of people that participate in the sport.”
Curling clubs are open to both Olympians and beginners. The sport is known for its inclusivity and strategic play. Ian Harazduk, policy and strategic initiatives manager at the UC Office of the President, noted, “It’s pretty humbling to get beat by junior curlers who are 15 years old, though, who are much better than me.”
Past Winter Olympics have inspired members of the University of California community to take up curling. Jesus Barajas, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis, began playing in 2006 after finding a club near his home in San Antonio. Kristina Lugo, senior social media manager for UC Davis strategic communications, started curling in 2014 alongside Kopeck. Today, Barajas, Lugo and Kopeck compete together at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club. Harazduk curls primarily in San Diego.
Harazduk recalled declining an invitation from Danish Olympic curler Madeline Dupont’s father to play with their group: “I was too scared to try it there,” he said.
Curling requires ice and granite stones but does not require skates; Paralympic versions can be played without brooms. The game involves delivering stones toward a target called “the house,” requiring teamwork and strategy similar to bocce or chess.
“It’s fascinating from a gameplay perspective, and a great team sport,” Kopeck said. “Plus, the delivery of the stone is just the ultimate ASMR.”
During the Olympics, curling events include men’s teams, women’s teams (each with four players), and mixed doubles (one man and one woman per team). Communication is constant during matches due to the need for precise coordination.
“If you go to a curling club or watch the Olympics, you’ll hear a lot of yelling. It’s constant communication,” Harazduk explained. He described highlight moments such as double or triple take outs—when multiple opponent stones are removed while retaining position on target—as particularly impressive feats.
Kopeck commented on her enjoyment as well: “I really enjoy sweeping. When I’m watching, I look at what sort of shots the players call, and what the players are seeing — they do things I wouldn’t even contemplate trying.”
Barajas, Kopeck and Lugo have participated in national tournaments sponsored by USA Curling; Barajas and Lugo won bronze together on a mixed team (two men and two women), while Lugo and Kopeck also earned bronze medals on women’s teams. These experiences underscore curling’s inclusive nature.
Lugo recounted meeting elite competitors: “I had a moment where I arrived at the club and looked at the competition and said ‘Roth? Roth? You mean the Olympian Nina Roth??’”
The growth of dedicated curling culture across America has helped new players improve quickly according to Lugo: “Curlers get so much better faster now.”
UC curlers encourage newcomers to try out local clubs: “It’s an awesome community of people,” Kopeck said.
