- Wheelchair curling is a highly mental sport where athletes use a delivery stick to propel the stone from a stationary wheelchair.
- Unlike able-bodied curling, there is no sweeping, which places a greater emphasis on the thrower’s accuracy.
- The mixed wheelchair doubles discipline will make its debut at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina.
- Rule variations include pre-placed stones to encourage offensive play and fewer ends per game.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Steve Emt has matched up against the best. Nicknamed “Soldier” by his teammates, the former Army West Point basketball player-turned-UConn walk-on has guarded first-round draft picks and future NBA players — not to mention former teammate Ray Allen.
For two seasons, the sturdy guard dedicated his life to basketball. Practicing, watching film, and learning every intricate detail of the playbook.It’s nothing like the mental battle he undergoes every time he takes the ice for wheelchair curling.
Now, representing his country, the 56-year-old fires stones across the ice for a bid at Paralympic glory.
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How does wheelchair curling work at Winter Paralympics?
Wheelchair curling makes its fifth appearance at the Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina. Emt’s discipline, mixed wheelchair doubles, debuts at the 2026 Winter Games after four years as an event at the Wheelchair Mixed World Championships.
Emt has been a member of USA Curling for 12 years. The Hebron, Connecticut native is one of the most decorated and veteran wheelchair curlers in the history of the United States. For him, it’s simple.
“Wheelchair Curling is 99.9% mental. It is. We curl with a stick,” Emt said. “There is no physical activity involved. It’s mental. I’ve been on a court with future NBA players for two hours, running up and down, and not drinking water, and I’ve been on the ice for two hours, not drinking water, and I’m twice as sick when I get off the ice.”
Wheelchair curlers use a delivery stick to propel the smooth, 42-pound granite stone across the ice. Unlike able-bodied curling, athletes do not slide on the ice; instead, the wheelchair remains stationary during the throw.
“They could throw with their hand, but they all use these sticks that are pretty deadly,” said Peter Annis, national director and coach of the wheelchair program. “If you’re lined up right, and you throw it, it’s like shooting a rifle. It’s super accurate.”
There are no sweepers in paralympic curling. When the stone is released, it’s up to the curler’s accuracy. Sweeping normally helps teams shape the ice and increases the chances of the stone reaching a desired spot.
For mixed wheelchair curling, there must be at least one male or female on the ice at any given time, with four players and one alternate for each game.
“The strategy is a little bit different, because they can’t make some of the shots that able-bodied curlers can make because of sweeping. So, it’s a little bit simpler game,” Annis said. “At the same time, they can make every shot everybody else can make. It’s just they choose to make a little bit simpler call (decision) or shot.”
The World Curling Federation also allows for pre-placed stones before the beginning of each end. Two stones may be placed to encourage offensive action and to compensate for the lack of sweeping. The team with the hammer (the last shot of the end) may only place one stone in the house, while the team that throws first may place a stone as a guard as well as in the house. Wheelchair curling finishes after eight ends, unlike the 10 ends played in able-bodied curling.
In mixed doubles with two athletes, each member throws four stones before alternating throughout the end. Three stones are placed strategically before each end begins, with one allowed in the house and one as a guard in front of the house to hinder the opponent’s shots. The team with the hammer may place one stone in the house to counter their opponent.
One major change permitted this Paralympics is the ability for more communication between players and coaches during each end.
With no sweeping allowed, the move allows for greater real-time consideration between players and coaches to land on the correct decision before each stone’s release, especially in crucial moments. Teams often read the ice based on previous shot patterns and grooves that develop throughout a game.
Ten teams compete in the wheelchair mixed competition at Milano-Cortina, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals after round-robin play. Eight nations compete in mixed doubles under the same format.
The skill level required for the sport has increased significantly. Countries like China provide state-supported national programs, and Paralympic curlers often train full-time as essentially professional athletes.
Despite the unprecedented growth of the Paralympic movement, room for improvement remains within USA Curling. Many recently disabled athletes often turn to more high-paced options such as wheelchair basketball, rugby, or sled hockey.
“Normally, they (don’t) come to us,” Annis said. “Thats one area we do need to make huge improvements in is being able to find more. I mean, there are tons of athletes out there, and I think that’s going to be a big focus across all paralympic sports.”
Alex Carpenter is a reporter for the Paralympics Project, a partnership between USA TODAY Network and the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
