2021 JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: AWARD WINNERS
Every year at the U.S. Junior Curling National Championships, USA Curling is proud to not only crown the nation’s top U21 men’s and women’s teams, but also applaud and recognize the junior athletes who embody sportsmanship and honorable conduct both on and off the ice.
At the 2021 U.S. Junior National Curling Championships that were hosted by the Chaska Curling Center on August 9-14, 2021, three different awards were voted on peers, the officiating crew, or coaches.
USA Curling congratulates the award recipients who emulate the true meaning of being a curler.
Curtis Cup Sportsmanship Award
This Curtis Cup Sportsmanship Award is voted on by teams participating in the U.S. Junior Curling National Championships in honor of Robert J. ‘Doc’ Curtis.
Doc Curtis was born July 8, 1915, in Portage, Wisconsin. He started curling at the Portage Curling Club in 1926 at age 11 and enjoyed playing the game until the age of 96, before passing away at the age of 97 in 2012.
Doc first attended the University of Wisconsin and then Ohio State where he became a veterinarian. He was more a league curler than a competitive curler, but he did win the national championship in 1957 and 1961. Doc contributed much outside curling, including serving on the Portage City Council, the Columbia County Board and the Portage School Board for 25 years.
Doc was well known for his stories and his wonderful sense of humor. Most important, Doc was honest and ethical to the core in everything he did, including curling. In life, sometimes people are faced with being respected or being liked. Doc was one of those rare people who was both. The Curtis Cup absolutely represents everything Doc Curtis was about.
Donated by the Curtis family of Portage, Wis., and voted on by peers, USA Curling congratulates the following teams on winning the Curtis Cup Sportsmanship Awards:
2021 Curtis Cup Award Winners, Team MacRaild: Hannah MacRaild, Isabel Sah, Ava Schapman, and Mallory MacRaild
2021 Curtis Cup Award Winners, Team C. Hebert: Caden Hebert, Jack Bestland, Hans Nielsen, and Benji Paral
Bev Schroeder Memorial Award
The Bev Schroeder Memorial Award is presented to the outstanding Junior Women’s and Men’s Curler who is participating in Junior Nationals for the first time.
Beverly “Bev” Schroeder was born on Nov.17, 1948 in Medford, Wisconsin. She was a 1966 graduate of Medford High School. Bev worked as director of membership services for the United States Curling Association office in Stevens Point until her retirement. She served as Medford and Stevens Point boys and girls high school curling coach for a period of years, winning numerous state titles. Bev was active in state and national woman’s curling both as a participant and in governing. She also was active in state and national junior curling and was part of the USA Junior Curling teams that participated in 13 World Junior Championships as either a team leader or coach. In 1999, she received the national coach of the year award, selected by the National Woman’s Sports Foundation.
Bev closed her coaching career as the head coach of the High-Performance Junior Woman’s team and led them to back-to-back national championships.
Bev Schroeder was a fixture in the curling world for five decades at the club, national and international level as a player, mentor, coach and team leader. Her passion for growing the sport, especially at the junior curling level, was evident throughout her coaching and playing career. She has had a lasting impact on many curlers who have moved on to great successes.
Bev Schroeder passed away shortly after her 70th birthday on December 9, 2018. The Bev Schroeder Memorial Junior Curling Award is established in her honor.
Voted on by coaches of the U.S. Junior National Curling Championships to recognize outstanding rookies, USA Curling congratulates the following 2021 Bev Schroeder Memorial Award recipients:
2021 Bev Schroeder Memorial Award Winner: Natalie Hollands (Team Hollands)
2021 Bev Schroeder Memorial Award Winner: Caden Hebert (Team C. Hebert)
Katie Beck Award
In honor of the late Katie Beck, 2002 World Junior Champion and two-time U.S. Junior National Champion, an annual award has been established by Sharon O’Brien to be presented each year at the U.S. Junior National Championships.
The Award, voted on by the event’s officiating crew, recognizes an athlete playing in the second position who is coachable and has a true love for the sport of curling.
USA Curling congratulates Sydney Mullaney, recipient of the 2021 Katie Beck Award.
2021 Katie Beck Award Winner: Sydney Mullaney (Team Strouse)
USA Curling is sponsored by Toyota, Goldline, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., 12th End Sports Network, Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People, and United Airlines.
