In the bustling city of Philadelphia, Scott Dunnam balances a dual life: a retail bank director by day and a dedicated curler by night. A graduate of the McIntire School of Commerce in 2015, Dunnam has developed a passion for a sport that often captures global attention only during the Winter Olympics.
Curling, a strategic ice sport, involves sliding a 40-pound stone across a 150-foot sheet of ice towards a target known as the “house,” with the aim of scoring more points than the opposing team. The game also incorporates synthetic-bristle brooms used to influence the stone’s trajectory.
The Philadelphia Curling Club in Paoli, Pennsylvania, where Dunnam was first introduced to the sport, is one of nearly 200 member clubs associated with USA Curling. Dunnam’s uncle, a club member, played a pivotal role in introducing him to curling.
“Once we were old enough, they’d try to get us into it,” Dunnam recalls, speaking of his family’s gatherings at the club. This early exposure led to a new generation of skilled curlers in the Philadelphia area, including his former mixed doubles partner Taylor Anderson-Heide, a U.S. Olympian now competing in Italy. Anderson-Heide’s father, Wayne, was instrumental in coaching the team that Dunnam joined at just 12 years old.
Competing from a young age, Dunnam faced seasoned curlers in tournaments, saying, “We’d be in these (under-21) tournaments playing against guys in college with beards… But then eventually you become the old guys and (start winning).” His journey through middle and high school was marked by a blend of curling, soccer, and golf, with curling captivating his strategic interests.
While attending college, Dunnam hadn’t planned to continue curling until his younger brother, Andy, needed a skip for his team. “We would go to tournaments once a month throughout the winter,” he shared, maintaining his involvement alongside academic commitments. This led to the success of “Team Dunnam,” which earned a silver medal at a junior national event during his third year at UVA.
Dunnam’s friends at UVA grew intrigued by his curling exploits, often watching his games online and peppering him with questions. He frequently explains the sport as “shuffleboard on ice,” acknowledging that while it simplifies the concept, it does not capture the full complexity of curling. “There are two bullseyes, two teams. They alternate throwing shots, and at the end of each round, whichever team is closer to the center of the bullseye scores points,” Dunnam elaborates.
Team Dunnam, featuring Scott’s brother Andy and cousin Cody Clouser, has consistently qualified for the USA Curling National Championship since 2018, achieving fourth place multiple times. Their Olympic ambitions were closest in 2021 at the U.S. Olympic Curling Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, where they also secured a fourth-place finish.
Despite a demanding full-time job, Dunnam still aspires to reach the Olympics, although he admits, “Some things would probably need to change for that to become a reality.” Until then, he remains potentially the only Wahoo who leaves campus on weekends to pursue curling excellence. “I would imagine I’m the only one who’s ever done that,” he laughs.
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