OGDEN — In a world where world-class athletes often seem to be above the law — and say they're not paid to be role models — Andy Roza is a breath of fresh air. And he's a heckuva competitor to boot.
The three-time national champion, skip of the U.S. men's junior curling team, is set today to lead his teammates into the semifinals of the 2001 World Junior Curling Championships. And with a 7-2 record in round-robin competition since the tournament began March 15, including a victory over defending world champion Sweden, the Americans are set to try for their first world championship since 1984.
Yet when 20-year-old Roza, from Omaha, Neb., is not "throwing" 40-plus-pound granite stones at The Ice Sheet in Ogden, he is visiting with Youth Impact programs for inner-city youth and helping potential curlers grow the sport here. The young athlete, whose team won bronze in the 1999 world junior championships, is also planning on entering the seminary after graduation from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he is in international studies. He's Roman Catholic and hopes to spend his life in the ministry — with a little curling on the side.
Of course, curling has never been on the sidelines for Roza. He began curling in 1988 with friends who are on the U.S. team with him today — Chris Becher, Scott Jordan and Steve Jaixen. Alternate Tyler George, from Duluth, Minn., joined the team this year.
"I've curled since I was 8," Roza said. "We had junior league, and we'd put both feet in the hack. Then you get old enough and you have to do it the adult way."
In curling, you "throw" (or slide) a granite stone, which has a handle on it, toward a "house," in the shape of a bulls-eye, on the other end of the ice. Opponents try, on their separate turns, to knock your rocks out of the house while getting as many in the house as they can. Points are scored according to whose rocks are closest to the center. There are nine ends (or innings) in each game. Curling has been called chess or golf on ice.
As Roza and his friends grew up, they realized their interest and talents for the sport were beyond junior leagues. "I liked the people I met curling. There was a lot more interest [on his part] in curling than other sports. Curling was different."
Of course, early on it was more about fun and friendship for Roza and his teammates. "There were weekends that were fun," he recalled. "There was a summer camp in Wisconsin. They put ice on a hockey arena. Weekends like that got me started. I was learning more about the finesse of the game. [And] friends I made on those trips cemented for me how curling is a really fun sport. We were 10, 11 and 12 years old."
Remembering the early years with Jordan, Jaixen, Becher and others, Roza recalled Saturday junior league. "We'd go over to each other's houses after junior league and spend the night. We have known each other for who knows how long."
And they have competed with each other for just that long. In fact, Roza and Becher are on a men's team which will compete in the Olympic qualifiers March 28-April 1 in Duluth, Minn. Also on that team is Roza's older brother, Chad. Their father, Ralph, coaches the men's junior team.
"It's a family thing," the younger Roza said, with a smile.
He hopes that his team's success here will carry over with him to the qualifiers and lift him toward the Olympic trials at The Ice Sheet in Ogden in December. Then he's thinking Salt Lake City in 2002.
But until then, he is concentrating on this year's junior world championship. The U.S. men's junior team takes on Denmark today at 1 p.m. in semi-finals. On Sunday, the men's bronze medal game will be played at 9 a.m., while the gold medal game is at 1 p.m.
For the women's teams, the bronze medal game is today at 1 p.m., while the women's finals are at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at The Ice Sheet ticket booth.
E-mail: julied@desnews.com