Curls out of: Medford Curling Club and Eau Claire Curling Club

Nickname: Ry

What he enjoys most about curling: "What I enjoy most about curling is the competition and the fact that you could go play at a 'spiel and end up playing a world champion."

Other sports: Softball, volleyball, kneeboarding, tubing, downhill skiing, fishing, hunting

Curling start: "I was around the curling club and on the ice a lot when I was young because my dad and mom were always curling, but I never really got into it. I was more into hockey but when I had to have heart surgery I had to quit hockey so I took curling as a winter sport my freshman year. But I would credit my start in competitive curling to my dad and Bev Schroeder. They both got me into playing down and playing bonspiels, and I have been hooked ever since."

Curling goals: "I want to learn something new from each game and my biggest goal is to play in the Olympics and medal."

Something unique: "I have had two open heart surgeries. I was born with my aortic valve leaking in my heart and I had my first surgery before my freshman year of high school and the second one the summer after my senior year in high school. In the last surgery they put an artificial valve in my heart and now every time my heart beats it clicks when the valve closes."