DETROIT – U.S. Olympic curling coach Mark Lazar has his sights set on gold for the Winter Games.
“Our men’s team was the reigning gold medal champs from Pyeongchang, Korea. And so they’re feeling fairly confident,” Lazar said. “Also, working with Tabitha Peterson’s team -- and they’re a really highly ranked women’s team and just coming off a bronze medal at the World Championships -- so everyone’s playing great. So we’re really excited about our chances here.”
Lazar, 44, competed in 13 national curling championships, and has always placed in the top five. In 2006, he qualified for Olympic trials.
Now, he’s coaching all three U.S. curling teams, and at his very first Olympics.
“It’s one of your dreams as an athlete, now as a coach, to be a part of that,” Lazar said. “It’s ... mind blowing ... just seeing all the countries and realize that you’re ... on that global stage.”
Born and raised in Toledo, Lazar has many ties to Metro Detroit. He’s been a member at the Detroit Curling Club for more than a decade.
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Fun fact: The club hosted the first international event on the Detroit River, with curling teams from across the Midwest and Ontario.
“It’s kind of a neat honor we’re one of the oldest curling clubs and we’re here in the Olympics,” Lazar said. “And that Midwest work hard mentality of, you know, let’s put our nose down to the grindstone and work hard. That’s really exciting.”
With the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics just days away, the magnitude of what lies ahead is sinking in for Lazar.
“(It’s) surreal, beautiful. To see how Beijing is done up getting ready for the Olympics ... we went through the village today and just how remarkable that is just the the Olympic spirit is just running through through everything,” Lazar said. “It’s just really exciting. It’s just such such a big movement and it’s amazing thing that you’re part of it.”
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