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HIGH PERFORMANCE By Terry Kolesar, Editor, terry.kolesar@usacurl.org


2013-14 High Performance Program aimed at identifying and developing the USA's best young talent for future competitive success and is under the direction of Derek Brown, USA Curling's Director of High Performance. John Benton (women) and Phill Drobnick (men) will once again lead the 2018 Program as National Program Coaches. Te Project 2018 tier includes four junior teams skipped by Korey


Project 2018 teams for 2013-14 announced U


SA Curling, in partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee, has selected six teams to be part of the Project 2018 Program for the 2013-14 season. Te Project 2018 Program is part of the


Dropkin (Southborough, Mass.), Jake Vukich (Seattle), Sarah Anderson (Broomall, Pa.), and Jenna Haag (Milton, Wis.), as well as the winning teams from the recent playdown to select Team USA for the upcoming Winter World University Games (WWUG). Tose teams are skipped by 2012 U.S. junior champion Cory Christensen (Duluth, Minn.) and 2010 Olympian and 2008 world junior champion Chris Plys (Duluth, Minn.). Athletes and teams can be invited to become part of the USCA High


Performance Project 2018 Program based on performances and results at international and national events during the preceding two-year period. For the avoidance of doubt for season 2013-14, performances and results from seasons 2011-12 and 2012-13 were considered, with the most recent season prioritized. Performances and results from the following may be used to assess prospective athletes and teams - Olympic Games, World Championships, World University Games, World Junior Championships, World Curling Tour, U.S. National Championships and U.S. Junior Na- tional Championships. Te Dropkin rink won the 2013 USA Curling Junior National Champi-


onships and went on to finish seventh at the 2013 World Junior Champion- ships. Te Vukich rink was runner-up to Dropkin's team at Junior Nation- als. Haag led her team to a third-place finish at the 2013 Junior Nationals while Anderson's team was fourth at the 2013 Juniors Nationals and ninth at the 2013 U.S. Women's National Championship. Sarah Anderson, 18, also served as alternate for Team USA at the 2013 World Women's Cham- pionship in Latvia in March. All of the selected Project 2018 teams have put together very competitive schedules for the upcoming year including events on the World Curling Tour, Ontario Junior Curling Tour and Great Lakes Curling Tour, among others. Complete rosters of 2013-14 Program 2018 High Performance Program


teams/individuals include: Project 2018 WWUG teams:


* Cory Christensen (Duluth, Minn.), Becca Funk (McFarland, Wis.),


Anna Bauman (Duluth, Minn.), Sonja Bauman (Duluth, Minn.), Macken- zie Lank (Lewiston, N.Y.), Coach Linda Christensen (Duluth, Minn.) * Chris Plys (Duluth, Minn.), Stephen Dropkin (Southborough, Mass.),


Jared Zezel (Hibbing, Minn.), Korey Dropkin (Southborough, Mass) Project 2018 junior teams:


* Sarah Anderson (Broomall, Pa.), Katie Dubberstein (Portage, Wis.),


Taylor Anderson (Broomall, Pa.), Leilani Dubberstein (Portage, Wis.), Coach Wayne Anderson (Broomall, Pa.) * Jenna Haag (Milton, Wis.), Erin Wallace (Green Bay, Wis.), Grace


Gabower (Milton, Wis.), Brittany Falk (Poynette, Wis.), Coach Wally Hen- ry (Beaver Dam, Wis.)


20 )) usacurl.org )) * Korey Dropkin (Southborough, Mass.), Tomas Howell (Brick, N.J.),


Mark Fenner (Bemidji, Minn.), Alex Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.) , Coach Keith Dropkin (Southborough, Mass.) * Jake Vukich (Seattle), Evan McAuley (Sammamish, Wash.), Luc Vio-


lette (Granite Falls, Wash.), Kyle Lorvick (Lake Forest Park, Wash.), Coach Tom Violette (Granite Falls, Wash.) Te nine teams qualified to compete in the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team Tri-


als are the adult teams funded for the 2013-14 season. Tose teams are led by Erika Brown (Oakville, Ontario), Courtney George (St. Paul, Minn.), Cassie Potter (St. Paul, Minn.), Allison Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Brady Clark (Lynnwood, Wash.), Pete Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.), Tyler George (Duluth, Minn.), Heath McCormick (Sarnia, Ontario), and John Shuster (Duluth, Minn.). n


Te Project 2018 teams recently took part in a camp at the Four Seasons Curl- ing Club in Blaine, Minn. Te Sarah Anderson rink (above) works won their delivery skills with Lino Di Iorio of Balance Plus. Te Jenna Haag rink (be- low) spent some time on the ice with reigning national champion and 2002 Olympian Ann Swisshelm during the camp.


Photos by Carrie Benton


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