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Tag: precision

  • Olympic games a long time coming for Team USA curler Korey Dropkin

    I was born and grew up and raised at the Curling Club. That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, *** place with *** down to earth approach to the sport. It was so nice growing up there. Some curling clubs have more of *** commercial business feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have *** real homey feel, and Brimstones is top of the list in terms of. That home club feel, um, and that’s like one of the things, probably the thing I appreciate most about Brimstones. Dropkin learned precision, teamwork, and strategy there. Three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, *** bronze medal at the Junior Olympics. You know, it was that moment where I was like, wow, this is incredible. Like look at this medal. Now I want some more of this. Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. With his mixed doubles partner Corey Thiessen, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized would happen for *** very long time. It’s just knowing that if I keep my head down, if I keep working hard, and if I keep dreaming big, that one day I can get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t, if I don’t let up, if I don’t. You know, if I keep going, I can get there. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiessen playfully use the nickname Corey and Corey to reference their team. On the road to Milan Cortina, I’m Fletcher Mackle.

    Olympic games a long time coming for Team USA curler Korey Dropkin

    Updated: 3:00 AM PST Jan 22, 2026

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    The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight. “I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.”It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.”It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.”Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said. And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.

    The first curling club was founded in Scotland in 1716, but curling didn’t become an Olympic medal sport until the 1998 games in Nagano.

    As a child, Korey Dropkin watched Olympic curling on TV, and it was love at first sight.

    “I was born and raised growing up at the curling club,” Dropkin said.

    That club, Broomstones in Wayland, Massachusetts, a place with a down-to-earth approach to the sport.

    “It was so nice growing up there, you know, some clubs have a commercial, business-like feel, and then there’s curling clubs that have a real homey feel, and Broomstones is top of the list in having that home club feel,” Dropkin said.

    Dropkin learned precision, teamwork and strategy there, three core principles he mastered, resulting in early success, a bronze medal at the Junior Olympics.

    “It was that moment when I was like, this is incredible, like look at this medal, now I want some more of this,” Dropkin said.

    Unfortunately, international success eluded him until now. Teaming with mixed doubles partner Cory Thiesse, he’s headed to his first Olympic Games, something he visualized for a long time.

    “Just knowing that if I keep my head down and I keep working hard and dreaming big, I could get there, and it might not be smooth because it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but if I don’t let up, if I keep going i can get there,” Dropkin said.

    And now he’s there. Dropkin and Thiesse use the playful nickname “Cory and Korey” for their team.

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  • Kendama enthusiasts bring ancient game to life in Boston

    Kendama enthusiasts bring ancient game to life in Boston

    BOSTON PUBLIC GARDEN WITHOUT STUMBLING UPON SOMETHING TRULY FASCINATING. OH YEAH, TODAY, KENDAMA. THERE ARE SEPARATE PARTS, RIGHT? THIS IS CALLED SOMETHING. IT’S THE KEN AND THE TAMA, WHICH TRANSLATES TO SWORD AND BALL. KEN. THE SWORD AND THE TAMA. THE BALL. KENDAMA MEANS BALL AND SWORD GAME. THE GAME’S ORIGINS ARE SOMEWHAT MYSTERIOUS. SOME TRACE IT TO THE FRENCH BALL AND CUP GAME POPULAR ACROSS EUROPE IN THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES. HOWEVER, IT ARRIVED, THE TOY JOURNEYED ACROSS CONTINENTS AND CENTURIES BEFORE EVOLVING INTO THE GAME. WE’RE LEARNING ABOUT TODAY. WHEN I PICK UP THIS OBJECT AND I JUST START PLAYING WITH IT, I GO, IT’S NOT LIKE SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT I’M JUST MORE KIND OF HERE. I’M JUST PLAYING WITH THE KENDAMA. THAT’S THAT’S ALL MY BRAIN IS THINKING ABOUT. I’M USING MY HANDS A LITTLE HAND-EYE. I’M THINKING ABOUT WHAT TRICKS I WANT TO DO. SOMETIMES YOU REALLY GET DOWN TO MOVE TO LIKE, CATCH SOMETHING, AND THAT FEELS GOOD TO MOVE YOUR BODY. A RARE BUT FAST GROWING PURSUIT THAT BLENDS THE PRECISION OF JUGGLING THE INTENSITY OF SWORD FIGHTING, AND THE FLAIR OF A DANCE BATTLE ALL WITHIN A POCKET SIZED TOY. BUT IS IT A GAME OR A SPORT? KENDAMA IS A VERY NEW SPORT, SO THERE AREN’T A LOT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS ON WHAT THE RIGHT WAY TO PLAY IS. AND WE KIND OF, AS A COMMUNITY, ARE FIGURING IT OUT OURSELVES. IT’S FREESTYLE WHERE PEOPLE GO HEAD TO HEAD AND THEY GET LIKE 45 SECONDS TO A MINUTE ON STAGE, AND THEN A SET OF JUDGES DETERMINES WHICH TRICKS THEY LIKED MORE. YEAH, WE MAY NOT ALL BE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE GRACEFUL FLOW OF BRANT DUFFY AND FINN POUNDS, BOTH LEADERS IN MASS KENDAMA, A GROUP THAT MEETS EVERY SUNDAY AT THE QUINCY QUARRY TO SESH. IT’S A WOODEN STICK WITH CUPS AND A SPIKE, PLUS A BALL ON A STRING. SIMPLE, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN SPIN THE BALL AND KEEP YOUR EYE RIGHT ON THAT CENTER HOLE. A NICE GRIP ON THE KEN. THE REAL MAGIC IS IN THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE BALL AND GRAVITY. DO YOU THINK I’LL EVER GET IT ON THERE, GUYS? YES. OH! MILLIMETERS. I HAVE FOUND MY KRYPTONITE. YOU SWING, YOU MISS, YOU TRY AGAIN. BUT WHEN THE BALL FINALLY LANDS IN A CUP OR SPIKES PERFECTLY, WHEN YOU GET YOUR FIRST SPIKE, YOU SEE PEOPLE’S EYES LIGHT UP IMMEDIATELY. IT’S JUST LIKE WORLD CHANGING. AT LEAST IT WAS FOR ME. AND PRACTICE, AS THEY SAY, MAKES PERFECT ISH. OH, THANK GOODNESS, THANK GOODNESS. OK

    Visitors to the Boston Public Garden are discovering the captivating world of Kendama, a centuries-old toy that combines elements of juggling, sword fighting, and dance. The origins of Kendama are somewhat mysterious, with some tracing it to the French ball-and-cup toy popular in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to have reached Japan around the same time, possibly traveling along the Silk Road from China.”When I pick this up, I am just here, all I am thinking about is Kendama,” said one enthusiast. “Sometimes you really get down and that feels good to move the body, so it is body and mind and spirit.”Kendama is a fast-growing pursuit that blends precision, intensity, and flair within a pocket-sized toy. While some consider it a game, others view it as a sport. “Kendama is kind of a new sport, so there are not a lot of rules on how to play, so as a community we are figuring it out ourselves,” said a participant. The Kendama Boston Group meets every Sunday at the Quincy Quarry to “jam” or “sesh.”

    Visitors to the Boston Public Garden are discovering the captivating world of Kendama, a centuries-old toy that combines elements of juggling, sword fighting, and dance. The origins of Kendama are somewhat mysterious, with some tracing it to the French ball-and-cup toy popular in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to have reached Japan around the same time, possibly traveling along the Silk Road from China.

    “When I pick this up, I am just here, all I am thinking about is Kendama,” said one enthusiast. “Sometimes you really get down and that feels good to move the body, so it is body and mind and spirit.”

    Kendama is a fast-growing pursuit that blends precision, intensity, and flair within a pocket-sized toy. While some consider it a game, others view it as a sport. “Kendama is kind of a new sport, so there are not a lot of rules on how to play, so as a community we are figuring it out ourselves,” said a participant.

    The Kendama Boston Group meets every Sunday at the Quincy Quarry to “jam” or “sesh.”

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