John Shuster is a curler from the United States who resides in Superior, Wisconsin. Under his leadership, Team USA became the first American team to win gold in curling at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He also took home a bronze at the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006.
John Shuster | Early Life, Family, Education
John Shuster was born on November 3, 1982, in Chisholm, Minnesota, under the sign of the Scorpio. He hasn’t given any information about his family or parents, although it is likely that he did grow up in a home where curling was practiced.
John’s mother frequently took him to a curling club during his early years, which sparked his interest in the sport. Interesting fact: His father used to curl (a skip).
Similar to how John’s curling career began with a bribe, Dr. Pepper was used to securing the nicest popcorn and pool table at the concession stand for him and his mother.
They had much to do there when they frequently visited, even if they didn’t want to attend the game. But as time passed, John’s love for curling grew, and he started to practice it religiously.
Moving on, because there was a junior league on Saturdays for those who wanted to give it a try, his father stopped him from throwing rocks during the men’s league. When he was twelve years old, he made his first curling throw.
Education
If we talk about John Shuster’s educational background, he graduated from Chisholm High School after finishing his high school courses. After that, he received his degree from the University of Minnesota.
Little is known about his education, just as there is little information about his family history, parents, or siblings.
John Shuster | Career
Before making his professional debut, John Shuster started playing curling when he was a teenager. It all started when he came across a flyer for a junior curling program at school during his sixth-grade year.
John soon joined the game, and he fell in love with it right away. Later, in December 1997, he traveled to Duluth to watch the final Olympic trials. This ultimately proved to be the pivotal moment that pushed and committed him to curl.
Professional Curler
For Pete Fenson’s team, John Shuster played lead when he first started playing curling. His debut abroad was in the 2003 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship.
John participated with his team in the 2005 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship two years later. Sadly, they lost the tiebreaker game, but they came back after winning the 2005 US Olympic Curling Trials.
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The 2006 Winter Olympics became a reality thanks to this particular game. The bronze medal that John and his team took home from the event served as the USA’s first-ever medal in the sport of curling.
Shuster’s Team
John Shuster left the group and formed his own after the Olympics competition. He took part in the 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship as a skip.
In the match in Moncton, New Brunswick, his team was eliminated from contention in a tiebreaker game. At the 2009 United States Olympic Curling Trials, he and his team went on to win the match.
This game determined the squad that will represent the United States in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. John then received Chris Plys as a replacement from the coaches after failing many last-rock attempts.
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After the game, he put his team back together. This time, Zach Jacobson, John Landsteiner, and Jared Zezel made up his team.
The following year, Zach was replaced by John’s longtime teammate Jeff Isaacson. John earned his second victory on a world tour at that precise minute in the 2012 St. Paul Cash Spiel.
Following that, in 2012 and 2013, John earned back-to-back bronze medals at the American Men’s Curling Championship. After taking first place in the qualifying round, John’s third Olympic season got off to a rocky start.
Rejection at High-Performance Program (HPP)
The American squad has already lost a handful of games before the 2018 Olympic games officially begin. With this in mind, the United States Curling Association organized an athlete combine.
To enhance their performance in the Olympics, they terminated Shuster and their comrade Landsteiner from the High-Performance Program (HPP).
As a result, he later created a brand-new group of players dubbed “The Rejects,” which included Tyler George at third, Matt Hamilton at second, and Landsteiner in the front of the pack.
They won the gold medal at the 2015 National Championships by defeating the HPP-selected team.
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To earn another bronze medal, they similarly defeated Yusuke Morozumi of Japan. With this, they won the country’s first medal in the World Men’s Championship since 2007.
The US curling team talked about their path to their fourth Olympics trip after winning the 2017 US Olympic Curling Trials.
Pyeongchang Victory
John Shuster’s team lost the first four of their six games at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. But ultimately, they prevailed in all three of the remaining games.
They overcame Kevin Koe, a two-time world champion, in the semifinals. They achieved the first Olympic gold medal in curling for the whole United States.
“I guess they figured: this guy failed in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and he’s getting a little older. It was a learning experience. But I didn’t learn it until halfway through the 2018 Games, which is kind of sad and crazy.”
Post Olympics
After his performance in the Olympics, the derogatory claims that #JohnShusterSucks was trending on Twitter were long gone. His team won the 2019 American Men’s Curling Championship.
At the 2020 United States Men’s Championship, he also defends his title. The 2020 World Men’s Curling Championship was another event in which he was slated to represent the United States.
The event was swiftly postponed, however, because of the ongoing pandemic. After that, he played through a number of games amid the constant disturbance caused by the pandemic.
Awards
- Olympics (one gold and one bronze)
- World Curling Championships (one bronze)
- Winter Universiade (one gold)
- US Men’s Championship (seven gold, one silver, and one bronze)
- US Olympic Trials (five golds)
- World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (one bronze)
- US Olympic Trials (one silver)
- The United States Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (one gold and one silver)
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John Shuster | Net Worth and Salary
John Shuster hasn’t actually disclosed his salary or sources of money up to this moment. However, it’s estimated that he has a net worth of about $1 million.
John and his family released a new book titled Juicing With The Kids in May 2020. This project is simple and conveys the family’s beliefs through visuals.
Several businesses, notably Think Rice and Columbia Sportswear, also sponsor him.
John Shuster | Personal Life and Relationships
Sarah Shuster, John Shuster’s childhood sweetheart, and the couple have two stunning sons. They are currently married. Despite the fact that not much is known about their wedding and sons, they have a cute family.
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According to her Instagram photos, Sarah Shuster is a pharmacist.
Covid and Quarantine
In March 2020, Sarah Shuster attended the US Club National Championships. She later contracted the novel coronavirus, as did nearly 75% of the attendees at that occasion.
John Shuster and his family, therefore, went into self-quarantine while his wife awaited the test results. Initial signs of Sarah’s illness were excruciating back pain, respiratory issues, and a loss of taste and smell.
“It was a pretty close-knit group. We were in a small space, so we were using the same rocks. It’s scary to see how fast it could spread and how contagious it is and we were in a group of athletes, right, so a lot of us are young, healthy individuals.”
Body Measurements
John Shuster, a well-known curler in the sport, weighs 88 kg and stands at a respectable height of 1.83 meters (6 feet) (194 lbs).
John is a fair-skinned man with short, neatly-trimmed dark brown hair. He also has eyes that are the same color.
Social Media
Instagram: John Shuster (@shoostie) with 4.8k followers.
Twitter: John Shuster (@Shoostie2010) with 17.6k followers.
John Shuster | FAQ
How many Olympic games has Shuster participated in?
Shuster, who was selected to carry the American flag at this opening ceremony, won’t experience the same kind of whirlwind victory trip as he did after 2018. He is also unlikely to vanish from our life, though. Despite having already competed in five Olympic Games
Where is John Shuster’s apparel from?
John Shuster sports personalized jerseys and Columbia Sportswear athletic apparel.
Quick Facts
Full Name | John Shuster |
Date of Birth | November 3, 1982 |
Birth Place | Chisholm, Minnesota |
Nick Name | None |
Religion | Unknown |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
Age | 40 |
Height | 1.83 meters (6 feet) |
Weight | 88 kg (194 lbs) |
Hair Color | Dark Brown |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Build | Athletic |
Father’s Name | Name Unknown |
Mother’s Name | Name Unknown |
Siblings | Unknown |
Education |
|
Marital Status | Married |
Wife | Sarah Shuster |
Kids | Two sons, one named Luke Shuster |
Profession | Curler |
Club |
|
Team | Chris Plys (Third), Matt Hamilton (Second), John Landsteiner (Lead), Colin Hufman (Alternate) |
Position | Skip |
Mixed Doubles Partner | Cory Christensen |
Net Worth | $1 million |