Emily and Blake @ USA Curling MD Nationals

One day, we (Emily Schweitzer (27) and Blake Hagberg (26)) decided to pack our things and move across the country. We landed in St. Paul, MN primarily because of the curling culture and competition in the area. We arrived during the peak of the pandemic in October 2020 with no friends, no jobs, and had no idea what each day would bring. In our 3+ years in the Twin Cities, we have met so many amazing people and made some wonderful memories.

This year, we made a big push to qualify for the US Mixed Doubles National Championship. We attended 3 World Curling Tour (WCT) events where we earned a substantial number of WCT points at each. If we hadn't attended all 3 events, we wouldn't have qualified for Nationals. Each of these events came with some significant costs to entry such as airfare, transportation, meals, and lodging. As unsponsored athletes, the national championship is no different and will come with additional costs.

Our competitive curling future is highly dependent on the costs associated with these events since we'd also like to continue to experience other things in life. The support of family and friends over the years is the only reason we are where we are today. And that support comes to us in a multitude of ways from cheering us on and watching our matches, to helping us cover some of our costs.

So at this time we'd like to ask from those who have the means to consider a small donation to help us continue competing at a high level in the sport we love for at least a few more years. With all of the amazing friends we have met along the way, we don't want any one person to make a large donation unless you really have the means to. A lot of small donations really goes a long way.

Thank you again to all of our friends and family for your amazing support of our passion over the years. We wouldn't be where we are today without each and every one of you.