Curls out of:  Broomstones Curling Club

Curling roots: "You might say I have curling in my blood -- I'm a fifth generation curler and curling may go back even further in our family. I started curling at Broomstones when I was 8 years old. My great-grandfather, Norman Appleyard, was one of the original founders of the club. My grandmother and grandfather, George and Linda Rice, were serious competitors 20-25 years ago, and most of my family curls. Dad plays now, two of my uncles play fairly competitively, and my younger brother and sister are in the Broomstones youth program. Interestingly enough, Broomstones is located on Rice Road. The land was once the farm of an ancestor on the Rice side of my family."

What he enjoys most about curling: "My favorite part of the game is when I have a difficult shot to make -- there's nothing better than pulling off a seemingly impossible shot. It really gets your adrenaline pumping. Shot-making is my strength right now, and I'm working on strategy and sweeping."

Other sports: Rowing crew, skiing, boating, hiking, biking

In his own words: "The Junior Nationals were held at Broomstones in 2003. I became a Certified Level 1 official so I could officiate at the Nationals. It was a great experience watching so many great matches over nine days. It was also humbling to see so many great players at work. Winning the GNCC championship in 2004 was a real surprise. We were up against some amazing competition, but we stuck to our plan, played our game, and eventually won. We are coming to Nationals this year to gain experience and to have a great time meeting and playing with teens from all over the U.S. In the future, I hope to win the Nationals and play down for the U.S. Olympic Team. 

Hobbies: "My favorite hobby is working with computers. My uncles own a computer distribution company where I work in the summer. I build the systems which is really fun and interesting."