Tom Howell, who won the national championship with his team in Duluth, Minnesota last January, visited the Deer District to demonstrate curling at The New Fashioned. The timing comes as Team USA prepares for women's tournament semifinals against Switzerland in the ongoing Winter Olympics, while Norway and Switzerland compete for bronze in the men's tournament.
"It rolls right from the Olympic excitement into our US national championship," Howell said.
The national championships begin Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina, featuring eight men's teams and eight women's teams competing for the title.
Howell, a Marquette University graduate, moved to Wisconsin specifically to pursue curling at a competitive level. His teammates were based in the Midwest, particularly Minnesota, and he found Milwaukee to be the perfect home base for his athletic career.
"I needed to be in the Midwest to take it seriously," Howell said. "I fell in love with Milwaukee and found my home here, and now I'm stuck here for good reasons."
The New Fashioned venue in the Deer District now offers curling rentals, featuring modified stones with wheels for outdoor play on non-ice surfaces. While different from traditional ice curling, the activity provides an accessible way for locals to experience the sport that has captured Olympic audiences.
Howell noted the outdoor version presents unique challenges even for experienced players like himself, as he's accustomed to the precision and feel of ice-based curling.
Watch: Trying curling at The New Fashioned:
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