Olympic curler explains strategy, Team USA preparation and life beyond the Games | Full interview

Team USA curler Tabitha Peterson discusses Olympic preparation, curling strategy and balancing life as an elite athlete with a full-time career ahead of the Winter Olympics.

In this extended interview, Peterson — the skip of the U.S. women’s curling team — explains how Olympic preparation works behind the scenes, from technical practice sessions and team communication to training camps leading into competition in Milan and Cortina. She breaks down the strategic side of curling, describing how reading the ice, anticipating opponents and thinking multiple shots ahead plays a major role in success at the Olympic level.

Peterson has been a key figure in U.S. women’s curling, helping lead Team USA to international success including a bronze medal at the World Women’s Curling Championship and multiple national titles. She also led her team through Olympic Trials and qualification events to earn a spot at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

The conversation also highlights a side of Olympic sports many viewers don’t often see. Like many American Olympians, Peterson balances elite competition with a professional career, working in healthcare as a pharmacist while training and traveling internationally. Stories like hers have become a major talking point during the Olympics as fans gain insight into athletes who juggle careers, family and competition at the highest level.

Peterson also reflects on the culture of curling, the sportsmanship that defines the game, and the surge in interest curling receives every Olympic cycle as new fans discover the sport. The interview provides insight into what it takes to compete as part of Team USA on one of the world’s biggest stages.

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