By Tess Alongi
Wayland Post Intern
Wayland’s Broomstones Curling Club clinched a victory at the U.S.A. Curling Club National Championship in March, securing their place as one of the elite curling clubs in the country.
The four person team, consisting of Alex Leichter, Ryan Hallisey, Jared Wydysh and Ben Clark team went undefeated in Men’s Pool A, winning all five of their games and dominating the final match.
The strategy for team captain Leichter was clear from the start. “Our plan going into the finals was pretty similar to our game plan the rest of the week,” he said. “We just tried to put as much pressure as possible on our opponents and just consistently get the right angles and the right setup to make their shots harder than our shots.”
That approach paid off in the final game. The team scored six points in the second half, taking control of the match early.
Leichter said the bond between the teammates and their deep connection to Broomstones made the victory even more meaningful.
“It’s very cool,” Leichter said. “Every time I’ve gotten to represent Broomstones in various ways has been awesome, and this was especially special because we’re four really good friends.”
The Club Nationals championship is unique in that teams must consist entirely of players from the same curling club, which adds an extra layer of pride and community to the competition.
Many in the club share a deep-rooted connection to Broomstones, including Broomstone President Rich Collier.