USA Curling 2001-02 Athlete Biography

RAYMOND "BUD" SOMERVILLE	Coaches:  Tim Somerville, Mike Schneeberger, Myles Brundidge, John Gordon, Don Barcome Jr.
		2001-02 competition schedule
	Born	January 27, 1937 in Superior, Wis.
	Hometown	Superior, Wis.
	Occupation	Retired County Clerk, Douglas County, Wis.
	Family	Married (Nancy), one son (Tim), one daughter (Tracy)
	Year started curling	1948
	Height	6 feet, 2  inches
	Weight	200 pounds

CURLING HIGHLIGHTS

• Men’s Worlds: 1965 (champion; the first non-Canadian World Champion of the Scotch Cup.) 1974 (champion. Silver Broom); 1981 (silver medallist, Silver Broom)
• U.S. Olympic Team – Curling: 1992 (bronze medallist, Albertville Olympic Winter Games - demonstration); 1988 (4th, Calgary Olympic Winter Games - demonstration)
• U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Curling: 1992, '88 (champion)
• USCA Hall of Fame: 1984 (1st inductee)
• Men's Nationals: Five-time U.S. men's champion

OTHER CURLING HIGHLIGHTS

• Wisconsin State Championships: 14 championships
• Possibly the only curler in history to have competed at world medal level in four decades - from the 1960's through the 1992 Olympic Winter Games.
• Chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Charity Bonspiel for the past eight years, raising over $20,000 for the charity.
• Taught midwestern Wisconsin curlers, with Bobby Nichols, through the B&B Clinics, during most of the 1980's. 
• Known throughout his career as a gentleman who al\ways exhibited "The Spirit of Curling" on the ice.

PERSONAL FILE

Raymond "Bud" Somerville is perhaps the best-known U.S. curler ever. He was the first inductee into the U.S. Curling Hall of Fame, and he skipped the first U.S. team to win the world men's championship, in 1965. Bud has skipped teams to 14 state, five national and two world championships.

In his own words: "Both my parents curled, which got me interested and also started in the sport. I started curling in the late forties (age 11) but didn't start organized league play until 1950."

Goals as an athlete: "Most of my goals as an athlete have already been accomplished. "

Off-season training: "I work out on my own, mostly in my basement and I also do a lot of walking."

Major accomplishments in curling: "14 - time Wisconsin State Champs; 5-time National Champion (1965, '68, '69, '74, '81); 2-time World Champion (1965, '74)."

Plans after leaving competitive curling: "I don't think I will ever leave competitive curling. I will continue to play, but at a lesser or lower level of competition."

Person most influential in my career: " My father, Ray, who I curled under from 1951-1955."

Other interests: "I enjoy doing most projects around the house such as building, remodeling, landscaping and gardening. I also enjoy traveling."