TEAM RAMM CAPTURE 2022 U.S. 5-AND-UNDER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
Team Ramm (Justin Ramm, Scott Moss, Ryan Hood, and Dave Dickinson) won the 2022 5-and-Under National Championship on May 15th at the Southern California Curling Center in Vernon, California. Photo by SCCC.
On May 12-15, 2022, Southern California Curling Center in Vernon, California, hosted the 2022 U.S. 5-and-Under National Championship.
The Championship welcomed curling teams from across the United States with five years of curling experience or less to compete for the national title.
USA Curling member clubs across the United States hosted qualifier bonspiels to qualify teams for the 2022 Championship.
After 18 qualifier bonspiels, a field of 24 teams earned berths to the National Championship at the Southern California Curling Center.
The 24 teams were divided into four pools of six to complete a round robin that would advance the top two teams each from each pool to the playoffs.
Team Ramm (Justin Ramm, Scott Moss, Ryan Hood, and Dave Dickinson), curling out of Madison, Wisconsin, went 4-1 in pool play to punch their tickets to the playoffs, qualifying out of Pool D.
After dropping their first game 7-1 to Team Dolan from Ohio, Team Ramm rattled off four consecutive wins and continued to carry their winning momentum into the playoffs.
The Wisconsin-based team defeated Team Pifer from North Carolina in the quarterfinals and then won 10-2 over Team Parks from California in the semifinals, earning a spot in the Championship final matchup.
At the end of the week, it was the Justin Ramm-skipped rink out of Madison, Wisconsin, that earned the 2022 U.S. 5-and-Under National Championship title by defeating fellow Wisconsinites, Team Binish, in the Championship final.
"It feels amazing,” reflected Justin Ramm. “I think Dave gave me a bear hug that almost cracked a rib."
Despite being new to the sport, the dedication and passion that met on the ice of Southern California Curling Center last week was everything but novice.
"We put in a lot of hard work over the last couple of years,” said vice Scott Moss. “Playing a lot together, spieling a lot...practice makes perfect."
While there could only be one winner, the goal of the Championship, providing access to competitive experience, was achieved as the Championship marked the national stage debut for several teams.
“To me, piloting our 5-and-Under National Championship gives curlers who found our sport later in life something major to play for,” said five-time Olympian and 5-and-Under supporter John Shuster. “Some of the most passionate people you see about our game are the newest to our sport.”
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.
