Independent School District 196: Peterson Sisters Curling Their Way From Eagan To The Beijing Olympics

Press release from Independent School District 196:

February 3, 2022

The winter sport of curling is an Olympic favorite; a game of strategy and high-stakes moves that leads to exciting finishes. And the team to watch at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is led by two Eagan High School graduates, sisters Tabitha and Tara Peterson. Rising stars in the sport sometimes dubbed “chess on ice,” the sisters will be competing as the U.S. Women’s Curling Team under their own moniker, Team Peterson.

"We love the lifetime sport quality of the game as well as the social aspect," Tabitha said.

Tabitha (’07) is returning for her second Olympic appearance and will take on the lead role of “skip.” Four years ago, she was successful at the Olympic trials and went on to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang as “vice-skip.” The U.S. Women’s Curling Team finished in eighth place.

Beijing will be the debut Olympic appearance for Tara (’09), however she is no stranger to stiff competition. Since 2009, she has competed in three World Junior Championships and three Women’s World Championships. Last spring, she earned a bronze medal at the 2021 world championship, proving that she is Olympic ready.

"I am very excited to have Tara with us this time around," Tabitha said. "She came as a spectator in 2018 and now gets to experience the Olympics in a whole different way."

Since their competitive curling careers began in 2005, collectively the sisters have won multiple state championships and national junior championships, participated on gold medal teams and competed against some of the top curling athletes in the world.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, training for the Peterson sisters continued, albeit a bit different. Tabitha said many of their events were canceled along the way, but "we have tried to remain flexible and creative to keep our edge." And in November 2021, training paid off when Team Peterson swept the competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials to punch their ticket to Beijing.

"We feel really good about our roster and have great confidence going into the event," Tabitha said. "This Olympics, we believe we can stand on that podium and bring home a medal. It's going to be tough, there are so many good teams, but we are ready to grind it out!"

Team Peterson is comprised of Tabitha and Tara Peterson, Aileen Geving, Becca Hamilton, Nina Roth and their coach, Laine Peters. Team Peterson kicks off their run at gold on Feb. 9 at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Team, when they face off against the women’s Russian Olympic Committee. Follow the team’s schedule on the Olympics website.

This press release was produced by Independent School District 196. The views expressed here are the author’s own.