Building an Identity of Resilience

USA’s Team Strouse has been on a roller coaster ride for the past few seasons, but they’re starting to come into their own.

To see how the Traverse City-based squad got themselves to where they are now, including a semifinal finish in Swift Current this weekend, one needs to look back at last season.

In 2023-2024 Team Strouse found themselves riding the waves of a grueling curling season, starting the year strong and managing to qualify for two Grand Slams. After a 2-3 finish at the 2023 WFG Masters, the team went winless in their second Slam experience, and it seemed like the upward trend had abated as Strouse lost to Team Anderson in the semifinal at the USA national championships.

For a team coming off of a breakout campaign in 22-23, the bronze medal finish brought with it an important lesson.

“We got so much exposure to the highest level and learned we weren’t there yet but we wanted to be,” shared skip Delaney Strouse. “We had a lot of ups and downs as a team and we learned so much about ourselves and athletes.”

In May, USA curling announced lineup changes across its high-performance teams, including a surprise split up of Team Anderson and notably, the Anderson sisters. Sarah Anderson was moved to third for Team Strouse, creating a new set of dynamics for the team in the penultimate offseason before the 2025 Olympic Trials.

Strouse noted that while it was only one new person, it changed things for everyone—with Anne O’Hare moving to the front end to make room for Anderson. “We now have a new front end and back end, and everyone is adjusting to their new roles. We’re focused on being patient with ourselves and giving it time to work through all the challenges.”

Sarah Anderson seems to be enjoying those challenges. “It’s been fun to learn everyone’s strengths and push myself to bring out the best in my teammates.”

Strouse seemed to hit the ground running in a similar fashion to last year, with strong showings at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard and the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic in September. But as the leaves changed and temperatures dropped, their results began to drop as well.

Once again, it started with a Slam. Team Strouse dropped their three games at the HearingLife Tour Challenge in October to Canadian teams skipped by world champion Rachel Homan and multiple Canadian champ skips Kerri Einarson and Chelsea Carey.

It’s understandable to lose to those teams, especially when the list includes a squad currently enjoying one of the greatest runs of all time in the sport. However, for a country looking to see their rising stars take the next step on the international stage, it’s important to see them find wins against top teams.

Sydney Mullaney noted the busier schedule from the Slams took some adjusting. “We’ve learned the hard way about managing a busy schedule and peaking at the right time.”

Before this weekend’s strong showing in the RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown in Swift Current, Sask. it appeared the tides were starting to turn once again for Team Strouse. They went 3-2 at the Red Deer Classic, losing out to eventual runner-ups Team Fujisawa in the C qualifier, and then went on to a quarterfinal finish at the Dekalb Superspiel, losing to another eventual finalist in Korea’s Team Kim.

Beyond adding Sarah Anderson, another major change came off the ice with the team bringing on 1998 Olympic silver medalist Mike Harris as a coach. Mullaney noted, “We are learning a lot from Mike on how to define our team identity on the ice.”

The adjustments on and off the ice and their growth together as a team showed itself this past weekend in Saskatchewan. Despite dropping the A and B qualifier games to Xenia Schwaller and Kate Cameron, respectively, Strouse bounced back with a commanding victory over Kaitlyn Lawes in the C qualifier and their second win of the event over Corryn Brown.

While they lost in the semifinal as Strouse’s draw for the win ended up heavy, they’re keeping the bigger picture for the season in mind.

“Our main priorities this season have always been the U.S. national championship at the end of January and the Olympic Trials shortly after,” noted Strouse, who won bronze at the 2022 World Juniors. 

“While we strive to win every game and tour event we compete in, we recognize that tough losses often provide more opportunities for growth and learning than any win can.”

The 24-year-old skip stressed the importance of their resilience and their hunger to improve. 

“I have never encountered a more resilient and dedicated group of women,” said Strouse. “Despite facing numerous challenges, we’ve come back stronger every time. At the end of the day, we’re not curling for a paycheck—we all have careers, partners, and other important aspects of our lives. But we do it because we love the sport and are driven by our passion for it.”

The last couple of seasons surely have been a roller coaster for Team Strouse, but roller coasters are supposed to be fun, after all.