Curls out of: Madison (Wis.) Curling Club and Green Bay (Wis.) Curling Club

In his own words: "Although I have lived almost my entire life in the United States, I indirectly owe my curling career to my Canadian heritage. I was born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954 (ironically on July 4, Independence Day in the U.S.) and still retain dual citizenship. My father had been transferred to Canada by his employer, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. At that time the company operated a pulp mill in "Kap," and my father was introduced to the sport while working there. When K-C transferred him back to the home office in Neenah, Wis., he took advantage of the curling club in nearby Appleton to continue playing the game. Naturally, I grew up watching my parents curl. I began active participation in the sport while in high school by playing in league competition with my father. However, my father injured his knee while throwing a stone at the beginning of my sophomore season and subsequently quit the game. It was not until 10 years later, in 1979, that he could be coaxed back out on the ice. I was looking forward to curling with him once again, but tragically he died just two weeks after resuming play. Although he had introduced me to the sport, my father never got the opportunity to see me become an elite player."

Maskel has authored a humor column titled "Rocket Exhaust" for the U.S. Curling News since 1994 and currently serves on the Athletes Advisory Council for the United States Curling Association.

Curling start: Playing league with my father at the Appleton Curling Club

Training: 2 league games, 2 practice sessions, 1 bonspiel per week

Off season training: Weight training, cardiovascular workouts, summer bonspiels

Before every game: Stretching exercises

Most memorable curling event: Bronze Medal victory at the 1986 World Championship

Favorites: Military history, Film Noir

Hobbies: Film, travel, literature

Something unique: Oddly enough, what might be considered as my greatest claim to fame as a curler did not even occur on the ice. I was featured in a six-second cameo appearance on the ABC-TV network program Family Matters, which premiered on May 10, 1996. Warner Bros. Television had needed some authentic curling video for their episode titled “A Ham is Born.” They contacted the USCA office in Stevens Point, Wis., and Executive Director David Garber provided them with approximately 90 minutes of raw video from the 1995 National Championships. Warner Bros., ultimately selected a short segment which featured me in the act of sweeping, perhaps providing more exposure for me as a curler in those brief six seconds than I have received in all of the past 17 years of playing at an elite national and international level.

Heroes: Andre Agassi, Stanley Kubrick

Curling goals: World or Olympic Gold Medal, Mixed National Championship