Five-time Olympian John Shuster passes the U.S. men’s curling baton to Chaska’s Danny Casper

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Instead of staying in hotels, curling teams prefer to rent homes. Players aren’t isolated in a room, and there are spaces to strategize or to just hang out.

The John Shuster rink, out of Duluth, rented a house for the U.S. Curling Team Trials here last week. They made pulled pork in a crockpot and watched hockey when not talking shop.

Tabitha Peterson’s rink went the same route. Team Peterson had lasagna waiting for them after Game 1 of their finals series on Friday.

Danny Casper’s rink, also out of Chaska, rented a house as well.

“They were right next door,” Shuster said. “We had some fun with it during the week. Danny stopped over almost nightly.”

Casper has work to do to duplicate the career of Shuster, a 10-time national champion, five-time Olympian and 2018 gold medalist.

But last week, Shuster saw his temporary neighbor begin to move in on his territory.

But when Team Casper turned back Team Shuster on Sunday to win the men’s curling trials, it meant the mantle was passed.

After winning Game 2 on Saturday, Shuster wondered if Team Casper’s mentality would change heading into a win-or-go-home Game 3. The Casper rink didn’t crack, taking control of Game 3 in the sixth end and never letting up.

“Made us pay for shots we left out there, that’s for sure,” said Chris Plys, Shuster’s third.

And it is Team Casper in line to represent the United States at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo games in February, ending Shuster’s five-Olympic run that began in 2006.

There is a hitch: Casper must finish in the top two at the eight-team Olympic Qualification Event next month in Kelowna, British Columbia.

According to Curling Zone, Casper is ranked eighth in the world. Shuster is tenth. A team skippered by Korey Dropkin, also out of Duluth, is 22nd. The teams have been battling each other on the circuit in recent years.

Shuster beat Casper, for instance, to win the 2023 men’s national playdowns. And as a nod to Casper’s ability, Shuster brought Casper in as an alternate for his team that claimed silver in the U.S. Steel Pan Continental championships that were held in Virginia, Minn., last month. The gesture was made while Casper was being treated for Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves. Casper feels much better now.

“They took me in as their alternate, knowing I was dealing with all this stuff,” Casper said. “But they still found value in me. That meant a ton, seeing that from a team that we’ve looked up to for so long.”

Shuster has been pushed to stay on his game. Casper has been learning what it takes to reach an elite level. Dropkin entered the trials with every bit of a chance to win.

Through all the encounters in recent years, battling against each other in tournaments and breeding friendships through competition, Casper has thrived.

“So all three of those teams have been understanding of that, and really good about that. And we’re all pretty good friends, so it’s an interesting dynamic, but cool.”

Shuster’s Olympic career, which included a bronze medal in Italy in 2006 and a gold medal in South Korea in 2018, began at age 23. Casper, a former junior national champion, has a chance for his Olympic career to begin at 24. No one on Casper’s team is 30 yet. If they can hold off challengers in this growing sport, could they follow in Shuster’s success?

And while Shuster’s amazing run has ended, he’s not necessarily ready to relinquish his status as the face of U.S. men’s curling.

Despite some aches from throwing thousands and thousands of rocks for a career, he feels fine physically. He’s still performing at a high level and still considers the sheet his happy place. Finding the right teammates would be key.

“I’m not counting me out, necessarily, because I got nothing else to do,” Shuster said. “I’ve got no job.”

Matt Hamilton, from McFarland, Wis., sounds like a willing partner.

“I’m not getting any younger,” he said. “Thirty-six feels old and then I look at all three of these guys who are older than me and I’m like, yeah, maybe I still got some juice.”

Team Casper will head to Kelowna to start competition on Dec. 6 against China, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Korea and the Philippines for Olympic berths.

“Everyone needs to get behind these guys for the next three months,” Hufman said. “They are amazing.”

That support continued late Sunday night. Instead of Casper coming over to Shuster’s home following matches earlier in the week, the entire Team Shuster went next door to Team Casper’s place. And they hung out into the early morning.