Team USA Wheelchair Curling

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Steve Emt competes during the mixed wheelchair curling competition against Team Canada at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on March 7, 2022 in Beijing. (Photo by Getty Images)

Wheelchair curling is a dynamic and strategic sport played on ice, where athletes use specially designed wheelchairs to deliver stones toward a target area known as the house. Unlike traditional curling, wheelchair curling does not involve sweeping, making precision and strategy crucial. Athletes deliver stones from a stationary position, using a delivery stick or by hand. Teams consist of four players, with at least one female athlete required in mixed-gender team play.

Wheelchair curling made its Paralympic debut at the Paralympic Winter Games Torino 2006. Its inclusion in the program was driven by the sport’s growing popularity and its ability to provide competitive opportunities for athletes with mobility impairments. Prior to its debut, wheelchair curling was played in national and international competitions, gaining recognition for its accessibility and strategic depth.


Team USA made its debut in wheelchair curling at the Torino 2006 Games. Notable performances include the fifth place performance at the Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Wheelchair curling at the Paralympic Winter Games features a mixed-gender team event. The game follows the same general structure as traditional curling, with teams taking turns delivering stones toward the house. Each team has four players, and a fifth player serves as an alternate. The absence of sweeping means that once a stone is released, its trajectory cannot be adjusted, emphasizing precision and teamwork.

Follow along the wheelchair curlers' road to the Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Team USA Events

Check out all the events Team USA athletes will be competing in on the road to Milano Cortina 2026.

Events  

Team USA Wheelchair Curling Athletes 

namesportEducationhometownageMedals
Head Shot
Kirk Black

Paralympian 2018

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Age: 56

Wheelchair Curling

San Antonio, TX

56

LD
Laura Dwyer

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Education: University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Hometown: Oconomowoc, WI

Wheelchair Curling

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Oconomowoc, WI

Head Shot
Steve Emt

Paralympian 2018, 2022

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Education: Eastern Connecticut State University, B.S., University of St. Joseph (West Hartford, CT), M. Ed

Hometown: DeForest, WI

Age: 55

Wheelchair Curling

Eastern Connecticut State University, B.S., University of St. Joseph (West Hartford, CT), M. Ed

DeForest, WI

55

James Joseph

Paralympian 2006, 2010, 2014

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Hometown: New Hartford, NY

Age: 63

Wheelchair Curling

New Hartford, NY

63

Head Shot
Meghan Lino

Paralympian 2014, 2018

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Hometown: East Falmouth, MA

Age: 41

Wheelchair Curling

East Falmouth, MA

41

Head Shot
Justin Marshall

Paralympian 2018

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Education: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Hometown: Evansville, WI

Age: 39

Wheelchair Curling

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Evansville, WI

39

Head Shot
Penny Ricker

Paralympian 2004, 2014, 2018

Sport: Wheelchair Curling, Sitting Volleyball

Education: University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh

Hometown: Green Bay, WI

Age: 54

Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won

gold medals:
0
silver medals:
0
bronze medals:
1

Wheelchair Curling, Sitting Volleyball

University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh

Green Bay, WI

54

Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won

gold medals:
0
silver medals:
0
bronze medals:
1
Head Shot
Dan Rose

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Education: Tomah Senior High School (Tomah, Wisc.) ‘03 University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire '08, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology

Hometown: Tomah, WI

Age: 40

Wheelchair Curling

Tomah Senior High School (Tomah, Wisc.) ‘03 University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire '08, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology

Tomah, WI

40

SS
Shawn Sadowski

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Hometown: Portage, WI

Wheelchair Curling

Portage, WI

David
David Samsa

Paralympian 2022

Sport: Wheelchair Curling

Education: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (Green Bay, WI)

Hometown: Suamico, WI

Age: 59

Wheelchair Curling

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (Green Bay, WI)

Suamico, WI

59

Stones and Delivery Stick

Wheelchair curling uses the same granite stones as traditional curling, each weighing approximately 44 pounds. Athletes use a delivery stick to propel the stone from their wheelchair, ensuring accuracy and control.

The Ice Sheet

The playing surface, known as the ice sheet, measures approximately 150 feet in length. The target area, or house, consists of concentric circles that determine scoring. The ice is maintained with a special pebbling process that affects stone movement.

Wheelchair Curling News