Katie Beck, an Aksarben Curling member, was a three-time World Junior Curling Champion medalist, earning gold, silver, and bronze medals. Beck was one of Aksarben Curling's most accomplished curlers. In 2005, she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma and died in 2006 at the age of 24.
To help honor the memory of Katie Beck and her many accomplishments, the Aksarben Curling Board of Directors decided to name our new season championship cup after her: the Katie Beck Championship Cup.
Beck is remembered fondly by many curlers, both among Aksarben Curling and across the country. USA Curling created the Katie Beck Memorial Award, which has been given to junior curlers who exemplify Beck’s characteristics, including coachability, good sportsmanship, positive attitude, and commitment to competitive junior curling.
We invited curlers to share their memories of Katie Beck so we could share them with our curling community.Read on to learn more about Katie Beck.
If you have memories of Katie Beck that you would like to share please send them to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
I first met Katie in Junior Nationals competition when she curled out of Nebraska. Both of my children curled in those competitions out of the GNCC during the 1990’s and then later as adults in nationals. Through my eyes, she always stood out not just as a very accomplished curler but more importantly how she interacted with people both on and off the ice. That smile was infectious, always coupled with a positive persona and always approachable.
My direct connection to Katie was as a coach. I was working with a GNCC team that included my daughter Chrissy Fink Haase, and we were competing in the Olympic Trials in Madison, WI in 2005. Katie joined us as a fifth player, immediately accepted her role and did all she could to support the team. She freely shared her successful experience and insights at both the national and international levels, practiced tirelessly and most memorably for me, sat next to me on the warm side of the glass when she wasn’t playing. Her insights were invaluable, such an asset to our team. While we didn’t accomplish our goals for the competition, we were all better off for the experience with Katie’s participation.
I will always remember Katie Beck fondly, for her world class curling skills and bright smile, that distinctive curly hair and positive engagement with so many she met; a true joy and privilege to have known her.
Respectfully,
Dave Fink
Schenectady NY and Broomstones Curling Clubs
Katie was beautiful inside and out! A natural leader. No doubt she’d have been an Olympic medalist. She oozed confidence with a generosity of spirit and a loving nature with skills to match.
Barb McLaughlin
As a curler and a person, Katie Beck won in all the ways. Katie is the first and only Aksarben Curling Club member to win a World Championship. Katie whipped all takers during the one-on-one games that dominated our practice time together.
Katies sharp wit and sharp elbows rhetorically bested a curling club full of professional braggarts, inconsiderate oafs, and dullards. The lady could talk some smack and shoot some peels. Katie was a good friend, a loyal teammate, and a daughter to an amazing family.
Though we lost Katie to cancer in 2006, her spirit and competitive fire live on through this award and the memories of all who knew her.
Scott Jordan
