Rachel Homan is one of Canada’s most accomplished curlers, known for her multiple national titles, world championships, and Olympic appearances. Born on April 5, 1989, in Ottawa, Ontario, she has competed at the highest level of international curling for more than a decade while balancing family life as a mother of three.
Over the course of her career, she has built a reputation for consistency, leadership, and sustained excellence in Canadian women’s curling. Her achievements include five Canadian national championships, three world titles, and qualification for three Olympic Winter Games.
Quick Profile
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Rachel Catherine Homan |
| Date of Birth | April 5, 1989 |
| Age | 36 years old |
| Birthplace | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Current Residence | Beaumont, Alberta, Canada |
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Position | Skip |
| Spouse | Shawn Germain (married 2016) |
| Children | Three (Ryatt, Bowyn, Briggs) |
| Education | BSc Human Kinetics (Ottawa), BEd (Alberta) |
| Canadian Championships | 5 (2013, 2014, 2017, 2024, 2025) |
| World Championships | 3 (2017, 2024, 2025) |
| Olympic Appearances | 3 (2018, 2022, 2026) |
Growing Up in a Curling Family
Rachel Catherine Homan was born and raised in Orleans, a suburb of Ottawa. She came from a family with deep roots in curling. Her parents, Craig and Cathy Homan, were both active in the sport, as was her older brother Mark.
Her great-grandfather and grandfather curled while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, establishing a family tradition that would continue through generations. This environment naturally shaped her introduction to the sport at an early age.
She began curling at age five through the Little Rock program at Rideau Curling Club in Ottawa. What started as a childhood activity quickly developed into serious competitive pursuit as her natural talent became evident.
By age 12, she was competing in provincial championships. Between 2003 and 2006, she won four consecutive provincial bantam championships, becoming the first curler to achieve this feat. Previous record holders had won only twice.
According to her official Team Canada profile, she captured gold at the 2007 Canada Winter Games at age 17, signaling the beginning of an elite career.
Education and Personal Development
Rachel attended Cairine Wilson Secondary School in Ottawa before pursuing higher education at the University of Ottawa. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Kinetics.
During her university years, she worked as a personal trainer at GoodLife Fitness, applying her academic knowledge while continuing to develop her curling career. This dual focus demonstrated her commitment to building options beyond competitive sport.
Years later, she returned to education and earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta in 2020. Completing this degree while managing elite competition and raising young children reflected exceptional time management and determination.
Her educational background has provided professional opportunities outside curling, including continued work as a certified personal trainer and potential future career paths in teaching or coaching.
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Building an Elite Team
Rachel’s longest-standing curling partnership is with Emma Miskew, her teammate since they were 11 years old. This decades-long collaboration has been central to her team’s success and stability.
Her current team composition includes Tracy Fleury at third, Emma Miskew at second, and Sarah Wilkes at lead. Team chemistry and continuity have contributed significantly to their consistent performance at major competitions.
The team has won five Canadian national championships at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2024, and 2025. They are three-time World Champions, winning titles in 2017, 2024, and 2025.
In 2017, her team made history by completing the World Championship undefeated with a 13-0 record. This marked the first perfect record at the women’s world championship in 39 years, establishing them among the sport’s elite teams.
They also hold the record for most Grand Slam of Curling titles with 20 victories, demonstrating sustained dominance in the sport’s most competitive events beyond national and world championships.
Olympic Appearances and Challenges
Rachel has represented Canada at three Olympic Winter Games. Her first appearance came at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, where her team finished sixth despite entering as medal favorites.
She competed again at the 2022 Beijing Olympics in mixed doubles alongside John Morris. The different format provided a new challenge but did not result in medal success.
In December 2025, she qualified for her third Olympics after winning the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. Her team dominated the trials with eight victories in nine matches, including sweeping the best-of-three final.
She will represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, at age 36. An Olympic gold medal remains the significant achievement missing from her otherwise comprehensive list of accomplishments.
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Marriage to Shawn Germain
Rachel married Shawn Germain in September 2016. Shawn is a former professional hockey player who grew up in Edmonton and played in various minor and professional leagues before transitioning to a career as a firefighter.
The couple met in 2014 and developed a relationship built around mutual understanding of athletic demands and competitive pressures. Their partnership has evolved to support both Rachel’s continuing curling career and their growing family.
Shawn has taken on substantial childcare responsibilities, enabling Rachel to maintain her training schedule and compete in tournaments that require extended travel. This division of family responsibilities has been essential to her continued success.
The family relocated from Ontario to Beaumont, Alberta, to be closer to training facilities and family support systems. This move reflected their commitment to creating an environment that could sustain Rachel’s athletic career while raising young children.
Family Life and Children
Rachel and Shawn have three children: Ryatt Mitch, born in June 2019; Bowyn, born in March 2021; and Briggs, born in September 2023. Managing three young children while competing at elite levels has required careful planning and significant support.
According to a CBC Sports, she has been transparent about the challenges of balancing motherhood with professional athletics. She competed at the 2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts while eight months pregnant with Bowyn.
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Less than one month after giving birth to Bowyn, she won a Grand Slam title. She returned to competition shortly after each of her three pregnancies, demonstrating both physical resilience and commitment to her athletic career.
Her openness about motherhood and professional sport has provided visibility to challenges many female athletes face. She has discussed the logistics of breastfeeding schedules, childcare arrangements during tournaments, and the mental demands of switching between parent and competitor roles.
Financial Aspects and Net Worth
Rachel Homan has not publicly disclosed her exact financial details. As a top-level Canadian curler, her income comes primarily from tournament prize money, Grand Slam events, sponsorship agreements, and athlete funding programs in Canada.
While some online sources estimate her net worth in the seven-figure range, exact figures are not officially confirmed. Curling does not generate the same commercial salaries as major professional sports, but elite athletes build stable careers through competition success, endorsements, and long-term sponsorships.
Prize money from Grand Slam of Curling events provides substantial earnings for top teams. Corporate sponsorships and endorsement deals with athletic brands contribute additional income. Government funding through programs supporting high-performance athletes adds financial stability.
Her work as a certified personal trainer provides income outside competitive curling, as detailed on her LinkedIn profile. Her team also generates revenue through merchandise sales and branded products.
Her husband’s income as a firefighter contributes to household financial stability, reducing pressure to make career decisions based solely on short-term financial considerations. This has allowed Rachel to focus on performance rather than pursuing every commercial opportunity.
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