USA Curling hires Canada great Gushue as high-performance director to boost Olympic gold-medal hopes
One of Canada's greatest curlers has been hired to improve the United States' gold-medal chances at the next two Olympic Games.
apnews.comBrad Gushue has been appointed as the high-performance director for USA Curling, announced May 2026, signaling a shift from competing to leading the US program alongside its Olympic/World ambitions. He steps into the role after retiring from competition, with USA Curling aiming to bolster coaching, talent identification, and overall high-performance culture ahead of the next Olympic cycles. This move marks a notable cross-border development in American curling, as Gushue brings a storied Canadian résumé to help elevate the US program on the world stage.[1][2][3]
Key points
- Role: High-performance director for USA Curling, over a four-year horizon toward Paris 2024 and the 203 home Games in Salt Lake City (2030s timeline implied by program scope).[1]
- Background: Six-time Brier champion, Olympic gold (Turin 2006), world titles and Grand Slam success; retirement announced prior to taking the US role.[2][3]
- Objectives: Enhance athlete development, coaching education, talent scouting, and competitive results in world championships and Olympics; collaborate with both men’s and women’s programs.[2][1]
Context and quotes
- Gushue described the move as a rare opportunity to stay connected to curling while bringing his business leadership experience to USA Curling; he emphasized the goal of building a program capable of podium finishes on the world stage.[1][2]
- USA Curling CEO highlighted his competitive resume and broader leadership qualities as essential to advancing the sport across the United States.[2][1]
Illustration
- The development could lead to stronger talent pipelines and better performance at international events, similar to how high-performance directors have shaped programs in other sports.
If you’d like, I can pull the latest statements from USA Curling and summarize how each program area (coaching, scouting, and athlete support) is expected to change under Gushue’s leadership, with direct quotes and dates.