Dropkin aiming to inspire next generation of American curlers

TORONTO — Korey Dropkin is somewhat of a hype man on the ice, pumping his fist after a great shot or playing up to the crowd to feed off of their vibes. 

That was on full display in February during the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, as Dropkin and Cory Thiesse went on a sensational run in mixed doubles to win the silver medal, as fans, family and friends were cheering them on loud and proud.

As Dropkin lived out his Olympic dream, having all of that support made a difference. 

“It really added to the whole atmosphere of being able to just enjoy myself and have fun,” Dropkin said. “I'm definitely an energy guy when I'm on the sheet, so as much energy and vibes that I can circulate, and the energy that I can also breathe from the crowd, it's helpful for me. 

“I had the most fun week of curling in my entire life and I was at the Olympics, so that was pretty special. Obviously, it would have been nice to bring home a gold, a different colour, but we were really, really proud of that silver medal because there were 10 amazing teams and any of those 10 teams could have been sharing that podium. We were very happy for Rasmus and Isabella (Wranå) because they're a great team and they deserve every bit of that gold medal that they have, but more motivation of course to get back there and try to go reclaim that gold medal game position.” 

He’s been a hype man for the sport off the ice, too. Dropkin and Thiesse, who both live in Duluth, have been on an award tour since returning home from Milano Cortina, making various stops for media appearances as well as celebrations at Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Twins games. 

“It's been quite incredible, just an honour to receive the type of recognition that we're getting,” Dropkin said. “It's amazing just to get an understanding as to how much of our community, how much of our country, is really tuning in, watching the sport of curling and watching us do what we do and becoming passionate about our sport because we love our sport so much and demonstrating how much we love that. 

“I feel like we were really able to give the viewers a bit of that passion, a bit of that energy, even from their comfortable seat on the couch while they're watching through the TV.”

Although Dropkin has been dubbed Captain America as the leader of Rock League’s Frontier Curling Club franchise, it appears he’s taken a page out of Spider-Man’s playbook as with great power comes great responsibility. Dropkin and Thiesse have also taken time to visit elementary schools and give back to the community by sharing their stories. 

After all, Dropkin was once like them, just a kid from Southborough, Mass., who had an Olympic dream after watching the U.S. men’s team win bronze in 2006. Twenty years later, he’s the Olympic medallist hoping to inspire the next generation.

“I think one of the most special parts about the post-Olympic experience has been going to the elementary schools throughout our city in Duluth and getting to talk with all those young kids and like 500-plus kids in each of these schools that we get to share this medal with. When you break the medal out in front of them, they start smiling cheek to cheek with this big spark in their eyes,” Dropkin said. “For us, me and Cory, that was really the age that we were when we lit our Olympic dream, so even just to be able to maybe touch one of those kids to inspire them to have a big dream like we did when we were their age is something that's pretty special and we're hopeful of. 

“Hopefully, some of those kids start curling too, but even if it is their own sport or their own craft in life, being able to share something so special that means so much to us that helps inspire and ignite a passion, a fuel for their own desires in life, it's a pretty cool opportunity for us. That's been a pretty darn special bit that we've been getting to experience.” 

The $64,000 question (or multi-million-dollar question in today’s economy) that the sport has yet to answer is: How can curling maintain its momentum post-Olympics? Millions of people tune in to the sport, but there’s so much more to curling than just a two-and-a-half-week span once every four years. It’s something the sport has struggled with ever since curling became a full-medal sport at the Olympic Winter Games in 1998. 

A frequently asked questions during the Games: Is there a professional curling league? The Curling Group’s Rock League is aiming to solve that piece of the puzzle. 

The all-new pro league features six franchises of five men’s players and five women’s players competing in different curling disciplines. Rock League will run a full campaign next year, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to capture some of the post-Olympic audience and made its debut this week with a condensed one-week schedule at TMU Mattamy Athletic Centre. Round-robin play and Sunday’s playoff stage features men’s fours, women’s fours and mixed doubles with the franchise that is victorious in at least two of the three games winning the match. Saturday’s seeding matches consist of mixed fours.

Like TGL in golf, Rock League has taken a traditional sport and given it a modern twist, minus the giant simulator screen of course, by speeding up the pace of play and creating a more engaging atmosphere with an on-ice bar and sheet-side viewing area, providing an alternative for diehard fans but also attempting to appeal to the casual audience.

Dropkin was selected as one of the six captains as he heads the American-based Frontier Curling Club. For him, it’s all about getting more people to watch the sport and show the next generation that becoming a full-time professional curler is something they can aspire to.

“It's so amazing that we have Rock League now and I want to do everything that I can personally to help support the league with my role being captain of the Frontier Curling Club,” Dropkin said. “You can bet that I'm going to do everything I can because for me it's so important to be part of this new chapter of our sport and to really help build it to become something special. 

“To be able to show these kids that there's something more than just nationals and worlds and Olympics, but there's like an actual league out there that can be financially rewarding and you can actually get to a point where you're playing your sport that you love, the sport of curling, and make a living around the world. 

“For us, especially in the U.S., it's something that I've been dreaming about and want to be part of. Who knows if I get to it in my lifetime and get to experience that, but if the kids that are coming up the pipeline, the kids that are starting to watch curling, the kids that are wanting to get into curling, if they start to see that and they're able to experience that, that's just part of the growth of the sport that I want to be part of.” 

It has already taken shape this week with Frontier fans making the trek from the United States to TMU Mattamy Athletic Centre for Rock League’s premiere.

“It's been great. Just so nice seeing, first, having family here. My parents were here all week. I know they had to leave today, but it's just special to have them here. They wanted to be part of Rock League, see what it's all about. My fiancée just flew in a couple of nights ago, so having her here is lovely,” Dropkin said. 

“We have a lot of friends that have come through and wanted to join the party out there and then also some new faces that have loved watching curling, especially during the Olympics, and they're not too far away from here. They decided to travel, make the drive and see what Rock League is all about, so it's pretty special for us.” 

You love to see it, especially Dropkin, who said he had heard people questioning what Rock League was going to be about. Would it live up to the hype? Leave it to the hype man himself to answer that. 

“They always say when they step in and see what's going on the sheet of ice, and you see that between the sheets, and they're like, yeah, this is very cool,” Dropkin said. “It's great to see the fans coming in, really appreciating the product that Rock League is and that The Curling Group has put forward out there on the ice.”

All mixed up 

Frontier Curling Club also includes Stefania Constantini, who skipped the women’s team on opening day Monday before having to return home to Italy due to a prior commitment. 

General manager Chris Plys shuffled his lineups, moving Thiesse over from the mixed doubles team to throw third with Tabitha Peterson at skip. Super spare Linda Stenlund jumped in at lead as Taylor Anderson-Heide shifted over to play mixed doubles with Dropkin. 

Considering Dropkin previously played mixed doubles with Taylor’s twin sister Sarah Anderson, it almost felt natural. 

“I've spent years playing with her twin sister Sarah, so as close to Tae as you can get,” Dropkin said with a laugh. “It's a new dynamic still, but she's a great player and a great head on her shoulders, so it's been fun to fill out that dynamic and help her try to make shots and play her best.” 

Anderson-Heide said it was fun playing with Dropkin as well.

"He's a supportive teammate, high energy, and it just really makes it enjoyable to be out there," she said. "This is a great event to be playing at." 

Although it was a curve ball, Dropkin welcomed the change-up.

“It’s definitely a bit of a twist because I think Cory and I were probably expecting to roll as is, and it's a pleasure to be able to play with Taylor too though because I hadn't before,” he added. “That's what this is all about too, kind of getting tossed into new formats and new teams that you haven't played with before. For me, it's healthy to be able to be tossed in that situation too that all these other athletes are trying to work through and get a feel for.” 

Order was restored Friday as Constantini returned to the lineup and helped skip the women’s team to a 7-6 comeback victory in a shootout that also gave Frontier the match point over Northern United.