Amy Becher Explained

Amy Becher
Birth Date:24 May 1978
Birth Place:Omaha, Nebraska
World Championship Appearances:1

Amy Becher (born May 24, 1978) is an American curler from Omaha, Nebraska.[1] In 2000, she won the United States Women's Curling Championship as vice-skip on Amy Wright's team. They went on to represent the United States at the 2000 World Women's Curling Championship.

Curling career

Becher competed at her first junior national championship in 1994, finishing last. She returned to junior nationals in 1995 and finished fourth. Becher again improved her results at the 1996 Junior Nationals, winning the championship as skip of her own team. As Team USA at the 1996 World Junior Curling Championships they finished last with a 0–9 record. In 1997 Becher joined Risa O'Connell's team at third, defended her junior national title and improved her World Juniors result by finished in fourth place at the 1997 World Juniors. She returned to the World Junior Championships a third time in 1999, as alternate on Hope Schmitt's team.

Upon moving from juniors to women's curling, Becher joined Amy Wright's team at third and found success quickly. At her first Women's National Championship in 1999, Team Wright took the silver medal when they lost to Patti Lank in the final. They again faced Team Lank in the final of the 2000 Women's Championship, this time winning with a final score of 12–9. As national champions, Becher and Team Wright earned a spot at the 2000 World Women's Championship as well as an opportunity to compete at the 2001 United States Olympic Curling Trials. At World's, they finished in a three-way tie for sixth place with a 4–5 record. During the 2001 Olympic Trials Wright felt she was not playing good enough and stepped aside, allowing Becher to take over skipping duties.[2] Despite the change in line-up, they finished in a three-way tie for last place with a 3–7 record.

Personal life

Becher's parents would bring her along to the curling club when she was young. She started curling competitively through the Ak-Sar-Ben Curling Club's juniors program.

Becher graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a double major in chemistry and teaching.

Awards

Teams

Season Skip Third Second Lead AlternateCoachEvents
1995–96Amy Becher Theresa Faltesek Monica Carlson Heather Miller Stacey Liapis
(WJCC)
1996 USJCC
(10th)[4]
1996–97Risa O'Connell Amy Becher Missi O'Connell Jennifer Herning
(WJCC)
1997 USJCC
(4th)[5]
1997–98Laura Delaney Amy Becher Carrie Ward Becky Nelson Jodi Armstrong 1998 USJCC (SF)[6] [7]
1998–99Amy Becher Natalie Simenson 1999 USWCC [8]
Hope Schmitt Nikki Baird Katlyn Schmitt Teresa Bahr Amy Becher (6th)[9]
1999–00Amy Wright Amy Becher Joni Cotten Natalie Simenson Corina Marquardt Bob Fenson 2000 USWCC [10]
(6th)[11]
2000–01Amy Wright Amy Becher Nikki Baird Natalie Nicholson Joni Cotten Bob Fenson 2001 USWCC (SF)[12]
2001–02Amy Wright Amy Becher Natalie Nicholson Nikki Baird Joni Cotten Bob Fenson 2001 USOCT (4th)[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Amy Becher . USA Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030402181515/http://www.usacurl.org:80/biographies/amy_becher.htm . Apr 2, 2003.
  2. News: Erickson leads curling trials . Mar 25, 2021 . Desert News . Dec 13, 2001.
  3. Aug 25, 2011. USA Curling Team of the Year. 2011-12 USA Curling Media Guide & Directory. 134. Mar 25, 2021.
  4. Web site: Kärcher World Junior Curling Championships 1996 . World Curling Federation . Mar 25, 2021.
  5. Web site: Coca-Cola World Junior Curling Championships 1997 . World Curling Federation . Mar 25, 2021.
  6. Web site: Junior Women Teams . 1998 USCA Junior National Championships . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/19990220092010/http://www.jr-nationals.usacurl.org/jr-women.htm . Feb 20, 1999.
  7. News: Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . The La Crosse Tribune . Feb 17, 1998 . 9.
  8. Web site: Lank, Somerville teams win USA Curling Nationals . USA Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/19991013204117/http://www.usacurl.org/Duluth/prfinals.htm . Oct 13, 1999 . Mar 6, 1999.
  9. Web site: STAR CHOICE World Junior Curling Championships 1999 . World Curling Federation . Mar 25, 2021.
  10. Web site: Wright’s team has the right stuff this time around . USA Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010411194857fw_/http://www.usacurl.org/Ogden/prwomfinal.html . Apr 11, 2001 . Mar 11, 2000.
  11. Web site: Ford World Curling Championships 2000 . World Curling Federation . Mar 25, 2021.
  12. Web site: USA Women's Team Members . Madison Curling Club . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010423002001/http://www.madisoncurlingclub.com/nationals/teams/womens/teamusa.html . Apr 23, 2001.
  13. Web site: Teams . USA Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20020604024005/http://www.usacurl.org/ot2001/otframe.html . Jun 4, 2002.
  14. Web site: Team Somerville wins U.S. men’s Olympic curling berth . USA Curling . Mar 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021218034535/http://www.usacurl.org/Press%20Release/draw13trials.htm . Dec 18, 2002 . Dec 15, 2001.