As the US Women’s Olympic Curling Team competes for bronze in the Winter Olympics, an Eagle has also made their mark on the curling world. Competing at the U-18 nationals in Lafayette, Colorado, Kalina Petrova ‘27 and her team captured bronze at that level, marking a major achievement in her sporting career.
The competition was hosted by USA Curling, sport’s national governing body. Petrova was part of the four-person Team Biescker. While the rest of her team is from the Midwest, she was the only curler from New Jersey. Going into the tournament, Petrova had never medaled at a national competition, but remained optimistic. “I felt hopeful,” said Petrova. “I had never won a medal before, but I hoped that all of the practice and hard work that I put in would pay off.”
The hard work reaped its benefits, with Petrova reflecting proudly following the achievement. “After the win, I felt confident in my abilities,” she said. “It was a proud moment not just for me but also my coaches, family, friends, and all supporters.”
For Petrova, curling has been a lifelong endeavour. She has been on the ice for more than 12 years, and has been competing nationally for four years. Curling is woven into Petrova’s family history, with her dad competing for the Bulgarian national team and her mom being a fan of the sport as well. When her parents introduced her to the sport, she was captivated by the depth and required commitment. “It’s not a dilly-dallying sport,” Petrova explained. “You need good technique to play, and that’s one of the major factors of why I connected with it so fast and continue to play today.”
Beyond the podium finishes, however, Petrova also values the new friendships and opportunities that curling has brought. With a busy competition and practice schedule, Petrova finds herself in a different part of the nation almost every three weeks. Competing across the country with this level of commitment has allowed her to meet various types of people and build lasting relations in what she describes as a “very mature sport” due to its demands of responsibility and teamwork. Before most of Edison High’s students’ lights are on, Petrova’s mornings on the ice have already begun. After the chill of the rink has replaced the warmth of her bed, Kalina heads to EHS, where she has permission to arrive 15 to 20 minutes after the bell. She utilizes two study hall periods to stay ahead in her rigorous classes, including four honors and AP classes, and to make up time lost due to after-school practices.
After the ring of the final bell, her school day ends, but her curling schedule begins. Petrova trains at the gym at least six days a week and competes in games that end between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. Petrova’s schedule is physically and mentally demanding, but she embraces this routine.
“My hard work, given my workload schedule and practices, and winning bronze gave me motivation to keep going, and the path was eventually worth it,” she said.
Her hard work paid off at the U-18 nationals, and also in other competitions. Petrova has qualified for Women’s Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the end of February, as well as the U-21 Nationals in Bismarck, North Dakota, in early April, where she will be competing with a new squad, Team Pekowitz. The U-21 Tournament gathers the top eight girls’ teams across the nation, where the winning team earns the honors of representing the United States at the World Junior Championships.
“I am very excited to play in the nationals, especially because my team is one of the youngest to be in the top ten in the nation. It’s fun competing at such a high level,” Petrova said.
The nerves, she mentions, are always there, but they come with the territory. “You definitely get nervous before every game but because you have worked very hard to reach this stage, you have to eventually move on and honestly that is what makes competing fun: the adrenaline rush,” Petrova said.
As for the Olympics, the path is a long but clear one. A country earns its spot based on performances at Worlds, and teams can further qualify through pre-trials events before one team ultimately claims a berth to the Games at the Olympic trials. Petrova hopes that one day, with continued dedication, she too will be able to represent the US at the Winter Olympics.
