Canadian curling great Brad Gushue named high-performance director with USA Curling

Brad Gushue experienced the high of standing on top of the podium many times. USA Curling is hoping his guidance will help American curlers follow his lead.

The recently retired skip, a six-time Brier champion who won Olympic gold in 2006, has accepted a high-performance director position with USA Curling, the federation said Wednesday.

“I think the impact that I could have on a number of athletes and coaches is exciting (while) still staying in an industry that I’ve grown up with and I’m comfortable with,” Gushue said.

Gushue, who will remain based in St. John’s, N.L., will oversee national team operations, athlete development pathways and high-performance strategy.

He’ll work closely with American athletes, coaches, and support staff to align practice and training systems, identify talent and guide competition planning, among other duties.

“Brad’s competitive resume and knowledge of the game are well-known, but he brings other qualities and skills that are essential in this position,” USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell said in a statement. “He has extensive experience as a manager of business operations and as a leader of teams both on and off the ice.

“We are thrilled to welcome him as we work to achieve the kind of international success that builds the sport at every level.”

The U.S. won silver in mixed doubles at the Milan Cortina Olympics last February. The men’s team won gold in 2018 and bronze in

2006, while the women’s team has never won an Olympic medal, placing fourth this year.

Gushue closed out his competitive playing career last March with a playoff loss to Olympic champion Brad Jacobs. He also won Olympic bronze in 2022, world gold in 2017, and earned 15 Grand Slam titles over his career.

“I still love the game, and I’m still passionate about the game,” Gushue said. “The playing part, I’ve moved on past that. So the fact that I can still be heavily involved in the game was an appealing fit for me.”

Phill Drobnick, who served as national team director through the 2026 Games, will move into a newly created coaching and competitions director role.

He’ll work closely with Gushue to develop and deliver a coach education curriculum that helps foster the next generation of talent, USA Curling said.

It won’t be the first time that Gushue has worked with a different program. He also spent about six weeks working with the South Korean women’s team skipped by EunJung Kim ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Other top Canadian curlers — both active and retired — have worn international colours in various roles in recent seasons and vice versa.

John Epping coached Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller to a women’s world title this past season. Wayne Middaugh previously worked with Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg and Glenn Howard coached Scotland’s Eve Muirhead, to name a few.

David Murdoch left British Curling in 2023 to serve as Curling Canada’s high-performance director. And Swedish curling great Niklas Edin has coached several teams in recent seasons, including one skipped by Canada’s Kayla MacMillan.

“This is a small sport, and there’s not a whole lot of positions,” Gushue said. “We are such a big country in a small sport that for us, as athletes that are coming out of the sport, to be able to utilize our expertise, there are a lot of people that have to go abroad.

“I think there’s an opportunity to hopefully grow the game internationally.”

Gushue plans to hit the ground running with a visit to Colorado this weekend. He’ll attend an emerging talent showcase at the Rock Creek Curling club in Lafayette.

“I’m excited about it,” he said of his new position. “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be new. It’s going to be nerve-racking. Lots of different emotions.”

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With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press