Peterson sisters prepare for Beijing Olympics
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Sisters Tabitha and Tara Peterson walk on water in St. Paul – that’s because they hang out at the St. Paul curling club, and also happen to be two of the best curlers in the world. They hope to prove that next month in China as they participate in the Beijing Olympics.
Tabitha has won curling medals in Junior Championships, National Championships and at last year’s World Championships.
Four years ago at the Olympics, Tabitha was on the U.S. Team that cam up one win short of the medal round.
“After the last Olympics, I kind of had this moment where I was like, ‘Am I gonna keep playing? Or was this, like, good enough?’ and it was kind of like, ‘No, I don’t want to just go to the Olympics again and compete. I want to go and get a medal.”
Her longtime teammate and younger sister Tara didn’t play those 2018 games.
Sisters Tabitha and Tara Peterson walk on water in St. Paul - that's because they hang out at the St. Paul curling club, and also happen to be two of the best curlers in the world.
“I took some time away from curling to finish dental school, which I would do again,” said Tara.
Dental degree in hand, it wasn’t exactly pulling teeth to get Tara to rejoin the team, and the two sisters earned a spot in this year’s Olympics together.
“Part of me was like ‘I’m doing this for her’, you know, because everyone else on the team had been before. I remember the first time that we won – I’m like tearing up thinking about it – four years ago, it was just very, very special. And so to have her, you know, with us for that… like yeah… it’s cool,” said Tabitha.
“I’m super excited for just the whole team USA vibe. Like being in the Olympic village with all of Team USA – being part of that whole team USA – not just Team USA curling – but just everybody… and meeting some really cool people and some really great athletes,” said Tara.
Tara also mentioned dental school – she is now a dentist, and Tabitha is a pharmacist – two occupations that require focus and precision. Those skills are also required to be good enough at something to be an Olympian.
“There’s the precision part, but also the hard work to get through all the schooling that we’ve gotten through and then to get as far as we have in curling. Just working hard and doing that. It definitely plays a part in both of them,” said Tara.
On top of focus, precision and drive, add in thousands of hours of practice.
“We practice five days a week, you practice for about an hour a time,” said Tara.
That makes it nice to have another elite player in town and in the family.
“It definitely helps to you know, have a practice partner and someone to just work with and continue to do it with and someone that gets it,” said Tara.
“”You know they’ll always be there and yeah, it’s great. To have her living in the city so that we can practice and do all the stuff that we’re doing right now to train for the Olympics together. It’s nice to have someone,” said Tabitha.
Next month, Dr. Tara becomes an Olympian.
“It’s a really cool thing to add to the end of my name. We’ve got “DDS” and now we got “Oly.” I don’t even know yet!” exclaimed Tara.
They could also be the first Americans ever to medal in Olympic women’s curling.
“We have a really, really good chance if we can have a good week and put it all together – that we’ll be on the medal stand,” said Tabitha.
“I know we can beat these teams. We have beaten every single team that we will be playing, so it’s very likely that we should be on the podium,” said Tara.
Something to keep an eye on as the curling begins on February 2 – Tabitha is the skip for the U.S. team, which means she runs the show.