Curling in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games opened with mixed doubles, a discipline comprised of teams made of two people, one of each gender.

Based on the criteria to form a mixed doubles team, there are no alternate players that sit on the bench.

After the mixed doubles tournament concluded, men’s and women’s four-person curling took shape.

Each field is ten teams deep and each team represents a top curling country, making the demands of the tournament grueling. Any physical or mental error could result in a loss, impacting a team’s place in the standings, where only the top four advance to playoffs.

Luckily, four-person curling allows for an alternate player to be added to the roster. Meaning, an additional athlete can join the team’s bench to enter the game whenever the four-person starting lineup may desire.

Conceptually, the idea of a “fifth man” alleviates the mental and physical strain of any given player on the sheet of ice, but the alternate’s role is utilized to maximize team performance in a different way.

During game time, alternates are hard at work. With the aid of a pair of binoculars, many alternates can be found identifying the order in which teams on other sheets are throwing their sets of rocks.

Through comparing this data across teams throughout the duration of a tournament, teams will be able to learn if rocks have certain tendencies (for example, if a rock is slower, faster, straighter, etc.).

In addition to game time duties, alternates work longer days than the rest of the four-person team, oftentimes attending practice at the conclusion of the day’s competition to throw and match rocks to ensure that the team is confident in their pairings for the following day’s matchups.

“That's the main job of an alternate,” said Colin Hufman, alternate on Team Shuster, “making sure you confirm what information you have on the rocks."

Of course, the alternate might get some in-game reps should a player find themselves out of commission, or if the team on the ice is heavily winning or losing.

This was the case when Colin Hufman delivered his first in-game stone at the Olympics on Sunday morning in Beijing.

After suffering an early deficit to Canada, Hufman came in after the fifth end break, making his Olympic debut.

"Colin is throwing every night, matching rocks, and not getting a chance to throw a bunch of different shots,” said John Shuster after Hufman’s Olympic debut. “It was important to get him out on the ice at the Olympics."

While the 2022 Games marks the first Olympic appearance for Hufman, his role on the team has been months in the making.

“The thing is, they picked me up because we've played quite a bit together,” said Hufman. “They're confident and I'm confident that I can play at a really high level.”

Hufman’s playing time might not have lasted the full duration of the game, but once on the ice, he was again able to play a key role.

“I think it was awesome to get out there and sweep John's last one to make the thin hit for three,” Hufman added with a grin. “That was a fun moment.”

The three-point end was not the first time Hufman has had in-game experience with Team Shuster.

“Colin has played a major role for this team in the past, including being on the ice for a key victory over Scotland at this past year’s World Championship and several wins at Curling Night in America,” said Shuster when asked about why the team selected Hufman to join the Olympic roster.

Colin Hufman’s duties as alternate at the Olympics may differ from that of a starting player, but the importance of his behind-the-scenes grind will continue to benefit the Team as they navigate through the Olympic tournament.

USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Toyota, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), and Sitrin, and is partnered with IHG, Rock Solid Productions Inc., Laurie Artiss Ltd. – The Pin People.