Charlotte Hosts Critical Men’s Curling Competition for U.S. Olympic Dreams
September 15, 2025 – Five elite men’s curling teams converged in Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend for a high-stakes pre-trial competition that will determine which squad advances to the Olympic trials scheduled for November. The winning team will earn the opportunity to compete for a spot representing Team USA at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Among the competitors is Tim Hodek, who made the journey from Fargo, North Dakota, to pursue his Olympic aspirations. His relationship with curling began at an remarkably young age—around four years old, when he could barely manage the weight of the stone.
“I probably didn’t weigh much more than the rock actually did,” Hodek recalled with a laugh.
Now 28, Hodek has maintained his commitment to the sport throughout his life, competing at the national level and setting his sights on representing the United States at the Winter Games this February.
The path to Olympic competition requires significant personal sacrifice. According to USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell, most athletes in the sport maintain full-time employment and regular lives outside their athletic pursuits, forcing them to find creative ways to fit training into already packed schedules.
Hodek exemplifies this balancing act. When not on the ice, he works as a test engineer, carefully coordinating his professional responsibilities with practice sessions and travel commitments. Currently, his training routine involves driving three and a half hours from Fargo to Minneapolis because local ice facilities aren’t yet available.
The dedication required extends beyond time management. Athletes invest considerable personal resources—both financial and temporal—traveling to competitions and maintaining their skills. Yet despite these challenges, their passion for curling sustains their commitment.
“They travel a lot to compete, invest a lot of time and their own money into chasing this because they love the sport and they love the opportunity to compete,” Gemmell explained.
As the pre-trials conclude, one team will move forward with their Olympic journey, while the others will return to their daily lives, continuing to balance their love for curling with the demands of everyday existence.
