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Bill and Doctor Gretchen Curl love ice hockey so much they built *** rink in their backyard in South Dakota, and for their oldest daughter Britta, that became her happy place. The pin on her mother’s jersey is from the first hockey game Britta ever played when she was just 5 years old. She’s always kind of just pushed herself *** little bit further, but how far she’d go, unknown. Though making Team USA and playing in the Olympics was always. Weighs the goal, and I just thought it was *** cool childhood dream, but here she is. Getting to the international stage hasn’t been easy. After *** record-setting career at the University of Wisconsin, she was one of the final cuts for Team USA just before the 2022 games in Beijing. It was *** roller coaster. I mean, she got cut right before Christmas, and then somebody got hurt and she got called up and then right as she was about to board the plane to go to Beijing. Uh, she tested positive for COVID and couldn’t make it. So it was, it was *** rough ride for, for the last Olympics. So to make this one was, we were all in tears, tears of joy. Britta met her husband, Andrew, while they were at the University of Wisconsin. He was *** college wrestler. And understands the ups and downs of sports. He says going through the hard times makes this trip to Italy more memorable. Just to watch her dedication day in, day out, be there side by side with her as she’s getting ready for this, it’s been incredible. Have you thought about what the emotions will be like if she wins gold? I try not to think that far ahead and just take one day and one game at *** time. God, it’s gonna be incredible when, when that happens.
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Britta Curl-Salemme, a Team USA hockey player who overcame past challenges to reach the international stage, is supported by her family in Italy during her first Olympic journey. Her parents, Bill and Dr. Gretchen Curl, built an ice rink in their South Dakota backyard for their four children, fostering Curl-Salemme’s love for hockey from a young age. Gretchen Curl said, “She’s always kind of just pushed herself a little bit further.”While making Team USA and playing in the Olympics was always Curl-Salemme’s goal, her mother initially thought it was just a childhood dream. “I just thought it was a cool childhood dream, but here she is,” Gretchen Curl said.Curl-Salemme’s journey to the international stage has been challenging. After a record-setting career at the University of Wisconsin, she was one of the final cuts for Team USA before the 2022 Beijing Games. Her husband, Andrew Salemme, recounted the experience: “It was a roller coaster. I mean, she got cut right before Christmas, and then somebody got hurt and she got called up, and then, right as she was about to board the plane to go to Beijing, she tests positive for COVID and couldn’t make it, so it was, it was a rough ride for, for the last Olympics. So, to make this one was, we were all in tears, tears of joy.”Salemme, a former college wrestler, understands the ups and downs of sports and finds this trip to Italy more memorable due to the hard times they have endured. “Just to watch her dedication, day in, day out, be there side by side with her as she’s getting ready for this, it’s been incredible,” he said.When asked about emotions if Curl-Salemme wins gold, Gretchen Curl said, “I try not to think that far ahead and just take one day and one game at a time.” Salemme added, “God, it’s going to be incredible when, when that happens.”Curl-Salemme is a devout Catholic who enjoys talking about her faith and credits it for helping her achieve success on the ice.
Britta Curl-Salemme, a Team USA hockey player who overcame past challenges to reach the international stage, is supported by her family in Italy during her first Olympic journey. Her parents, Bill and Dr. Gretchen Curl, built an ice rink in their South Dakota backyard for their four children, fostering Curl-Salemme’s love for hockey from a young age. Gretchen Curl said, “She’s always kind of just pushed herself a little bit further.”
While making Team USA and playing in the Olympics was always Curl-Salemme’s goal, her mother initially thought it was just a childhood dream. “I just thought it was a cool childhood dream, but here she is,” Gretchen Curl said.
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Curl-Salemme’s journey to the international stage has been challenging. After a record-setting career at the University of Wisconsin, she was one of the final cuts for Team USA before the 2022 Beijing Games. Her husband, Andrew Salemme, recounted the experience: “It was a roller coaster. I mean, she got cut right before Christmas, and then somebody got hurt and she got called up, and then, right as she was about to board the plane to go to Beijing, she tests positive for COVID and couldn’t make it, so it was, it was a rough ride for, for the last Olympics. So, to make this one was, we were all in tears, tears of joy.”
Salemme, a former college wrestler, understands the ups and downs of sports and finds this trip to Italy more memorable due to the hard times they have endured. “Just to watch her dedication, day in, day out, be there side by side with her as she’s getting ready for this, it’s been incredible,” he said.
When asked about emotions if Curl-Salemme wins gold, Gretchen Curl said, “I try not to think that far ahead and just take one day and one game at a time.”
Salemme added, “God, it’s going to be incredible when, when that happens.”
Curl-Salemme is a devout Catholic who enjoys talking about her faith and credits it for helping her achieve success on the ice.
