Their story
From Saturday juniors to world champions
Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral and Jack Wendtland all started in our Saturday Junior Curling Program, some as young as seven. They began playing together as a team in 2018, then moved into Club leagues, junior and open bonspiels, and national competition.
Since 2019 they have been coached by longtime Member Mike Peplinski, a 1998 Olympian and USA Curling National Junior Development Coach. Early morning practices before school turned into national titles, a trip to the Olympic Trials, and in March 2026, a world championship.
It is rare for an entire elite team, coach included, to come out of one club. Team Hebert is proof of what our junior program can grow.
A note from the team
A special thank you to ECCC Members for being patient as we learned the game, for donating to our fundraisers, for teaching us the finer points of competition, and for supporting and encouraging us every step of the way.
The team
2025-26 world championship lineup
Caden Hebert
Skip
Jackson Bestland
Vice skip
Benji Paral
Second
Jack Wendtland
Lead
Daniel Laufer
Alternate
Coaches: Mike Peplinski, 1998 Olympian (Nagano, the first Games with curling as an official medal sport), and Ann Swisshelm.
Results
The journey
2026
U.S. Junior National Champions, second straight title
April · Bismarck, ND · Beat Team Grabow 5-2 in the final, earning a return trip to the 2027 World Junior Championships
2026
World Junior Men's Champions GOLD
March · Tårnby, Denmark · Beat Canada 7-6 in the semifinal and Italy 8-6 in the final
2025
World Junior B Champions
December · Finland · Undefeated, beat Switzerland 5-2 in the final to qualify for World Juniors
2025
U.S. Olympic Team Trials
November · Sioux Falls, SD · Went toe to toe with the country's top men's teams
2025
U.S. U21 National Champions
April · Bowling Green, OH
2025
World University Games, Silver
January · Torino, Italy
2024
U.S. U18 National Champions · U.S. U21 Nationals, Silver
U18 in Denver, CO · U21 at home, here at the Eau Claire Curling Club
2023
U.S. U18 National Champions · U.S. U21 Nationals, Silver · Canadian Junior Cup Champions
Denver, CO · Wayland, MA · Oshawa, ON
2022
U.S. U21 Nationals, Fourth · Badger State Games, Bronze
Plover, WI · Wausau, WI
2021
First U.S. U21 Nationals, Fifth
Chaska, MN
2019
First competitive season
Wisconsin U18 Playdowns and first junior bonspiel wins
Sportsmanship and awards
- 2021 Curtis Cup, team sportsmanship award voted by all players
- 2021 Bev Schroeder Memorial Award, Caden Hebert, outstanding first time Nationals curler
- 2023 Garland Legacie Sportsmanship Award, Caden Hebert
- 2023 Katie Beck Memorial Award, Benji Paral
- 2023 USOPC Developmental Coach of the Year, Mike Peplinski
Bonspiel highlights
- Eau Claire Open Bonspiel, winners in 2023 and 2024
- Eau Claire Open Junior Bonspiel, 2023 U21 champions
- St. Paul Men's International, runners up in 2023, the first juniors to reach the final in its 90 years
- Kyle Satrom Memorial Junior Bonspiel, 2020 champions, 2022 runners up
- Rice Lake, Madison and Wausau junior and open events, 2019 to 2022
Through the years
In the news
- WEAU: Team Hebert wins second straight junior national curling title (April 2026)
- USA Curling: Hebert captures world junior curling title (March 2026)
- WEAU: Team Hebert wins gold at World Jr. Curling Championships (March 2026)
- WEAU: Team Hebert dominant in World Junior B victory (December 2025)
- WEAU: Eau Claire's Team Hebert gets set for Olympic Trials (November 2025)
- WEAU: Team Hebert wins Junior National Curling title (April 2025)
- WEAU: Team Hebert earns silver at World University Games (January 2025)
Support the team
Help them get to the next one
Competing at this level means travel all season. Caden, Jackson, Benji, Jack and Daniel thank the friends, families, curlers and businesses who have supported them. To become a supporter, email the team.
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Thank you to our supporters
Presto · FASTSIGNS · Geno's Pizza · Madison St. Auto Body · Clearwater Dental · Craig's Curling Shoes · Amy Von Bargen Pottery · Scheels · Smiles in Motion · Eau Claire Insulation · Hardline IcePad · Precision Pipeline · Ready Nutrition · Hy-Vee
