Ben

Vorpahl

• U.S. Junior Nationals: 2016, 2015 (9th)
• Wisconsin Junior Playdowns:  2016 (champion), 2015 (champion)
• 2012 Wisconsin State high school champion

About Ben Vorphal:

Curls out of: Portage CC

Who/What introduced you to Curling?

My sister was the first person in our family to curl, and then my brother and I decided to pick it up as well.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up?

Aaron Rodgers

What other sports do you play?

Soccer for Ripon College

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions?

I have a specific stretching ritual that helps me to get focused, as well as listening to a motivational speech. Usually I choose the speech from the movie “Miracle” but replace “Soviets” with whoever I happen to be playing at the time.

What is your career highlight to date?

Qualifying for Junior Nationals last year (2015).

What is one shot you would like to try one more time?

I would like to try both of the shots that led to my two Runners-up finishes in the High School Championships.

Do you have any hidden talents?  Something unique about yourself?

I am very musical and theatrical. I have been the lead in multiple school musicals and plays, and also play piano, trumpet, euphonium, and tuba. I do a very good Frank Sinatra impression, and he is my go-to for any karaoke competition.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

You are the one who has to look in the mirror every day.

What is your favorite sport other then curling?

Soccer (the REAL fútbol)

What is one thing you’d like to do before you die?

Travel the world, whether by myself, with family, or with friends.

What sporting event would you most like to attend?

The Olympics, either summer or winter.

What do you wish you were better at?

I wish that I had more patience.

Person dead or alive you would most like to have dinner with?

I would most like to have dinner with my future wife, whomever that may be, so that I don’t have to waste time finding her.

Favorite Bands/Music?   Mozart, Billy Joel, and Jon Bellion.

Television Shows? AMC’s The Walking Dead.

What is your favorite Movie(s)?

The Marvel’s Avengers movies.

Who was most influential in your curling development?

Todd Gabower, from Janesville, Wisconsin, who instructed me at many curling camps and has always been a positive influence in my curling career.

What is your most embarrassing moment on the curling ice?

Giving up a 7-ender to Ben Miller, a current teammate.

Where would you like to spend a week’s vacation?

On the sunny beaches of Culebra, an island off of the coast of Puerto Rico.

What hobbies do you have?

Acting, singing, playing soccer, hiking, enjoying the outdoors, and making memories with friends.

What is your earliest curling memory?

Attending curling camp in Eau Claire with my brother and teammate Rob Shlimovitz.

What kind of Training Regimen do you follow?

Getting in as many hours of curling as my college schedule allowed, and then spending lots of my winter break at the curling club.

Any nicknames?

Captain, referencing Captain Von Trapp, my first lead role in a high school production.

Curling Strengths?                                                                                   

Sweeping, staying focused on the game, and trusting my teammates.       

What kind of goals have you set for yourself?

To be competitive in every game that we play, to never give up, and to make the page playoffs.

Do others in your family curl?

My brother is on our team here at Junior Nationals, and my father and sister curl as well.

What do you enjoy most about curling?

I have always enjoyed being a part of a team with good chemistry, and curling provides many great opportunities for this. I also enjoy the friendly culture that exists between curlers, even between rivals.

What is your Education background?

I graduated Portage High School in 2013, and I now attend Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin. I plan on graduating with a degree in Biology, then becoming a dentist and orthodontist.

Other Olympic sport you’d like to try?

I would like to try Olympic diving or synchronized swimming.

Most memorable curling experience?

Winning the 2012 Wisconsin High School State Championship with fellow teammate Rob Shlimovitz.

Who is your greatest competitor?  Rival?

My brother and teammate, Alex Vorpahl, is my greatest competitor. Although we have usually been on the same team, there is usually a brotherly power struggle between us.

Favorite color?

My favorite colors are blue and old gold, the colors of my fraternity, Sigma Chi.

Favorite Book?

The Normal Shield, which contains the values, morals, and history of The Sigma Chi Fraternity.