The sport of curling is mesmerizing to new spectators.

At first glance, the yelling, obscure body positioning, and commotion of the rocks are not quite like anything most have seen before, and as you continue to peel back the layers, it quickly becomes evident that curling is much more than “shuffleboard on ice”.

In addition to athletic ability, the sport demands high caliber mental toughness.  

At this Olympic Games, the men’s and women’s fields each have ten teams, meaning Team USA will have to battle through a grueling nine-game round robin to determine their fate in the playoff bracket.  

While the team strategist, the skip, primarily focuses on thinking shots ahead of the opponent, the other players help execute the intended game plan by taking turns reading and communicating the speed of the ice while sweeping.

For defending Olympic Gold Medalist Team Shuster, the roles required for performance are just as important as the ability to utilize dynamics to operate as a well-oiled machine.

“We work with a sports psychologist (Dr. Carlin Anderson) who has been with us for the last seven years or so,” Shuster said. “She just has us in a really great space where our team is out there and in a good place having fun and communicating.”

With the guidance of sports psychology and a wealth of international experience, Team Shuster has learned the ingredients necessary to achieve optimal performance.

“A lot of stuff with our team, we get through the mental stress through communication,” Shuster added. “We're just really open and honest with each other and out there trying to have a good time, too."

Familiarity with each other has created a special trust amongst teammates, making taking care of business on the Olympic sheet easier, especially for Chris Plys, who is one of the few athletes competing for the full duration of the 2022 Games.

Before throwing third on Team Shuster in the men’s field, Plys opened the Olympics in mixed doubles with teammate Vicky Persinger, where the duo fell short of the playoffs with a 3-6 round robin record.

"It's one of those things where if you're in a funk, you have more people to give you information on how to get out of that funk,” Plys said when asked how he reset between the two disciplines. “So, it's just a little bit easier."

The complexities and intricacies that become uncovered as one dives deeper into the sport of curling come naturally to veterans. The focus, rather, is on enjoying the process.  

“If you can focus on the process and enjoy it, you don't have much time to really think about other things,” Shuster concluded.

After three games of round robin play, the U.S. men sit at a 2-1 record. The Team will face Norway in their next matchup on Saturday.

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.