MONROE — Nicholas Welty, a Monroe High School senior, along with his teammates qualified for the U18 curling national championships in Lafayette, Colorado on Jan. 12-15.

The team — comprised of Welty, Matthew Lannoye (Poynette), Campbell Packard (Arlington) and Brody Weichmann (Milwaukee) and coach Mike Thurston (Poynette) — participated in a qualifying event in Eau Claire, where they finished second of six teams. Throughout the season, they went to other U18 events, compiling a 4-2 record. Their two losses came to the same team.

Twenty-four teams — 12 boys and 12 girls — will participate in the event. Teams receive berths from their region: Alaska, Mid-America, Great Lakes, Midwest, Mountain Pacific, Dakota Territory, Pacific Northwest, Minnesota, Wisconsin and GNCC. There is also an At-Large berth, with the final two teams coming from the host club. This year, that is Rock Creek Curling. 

Despite the success they have been having, Welty’s team has been together for just one year. In fact, prior to the qualifying event in Eau Claire, the team only practiced together twice. 

“It’s amazing to see how fast this group has come together,” Welty said. “I believe the team chemistry was just instantly there from the first time that we started curling.”

Welty started curling in middle school and has been coached by John Bazley since.

“I personally want to give a big thank you to John Bazley for coaching me through all of my seven years of curling and getting me to be as good as I am to make it to this competition,” Welty said.