My Uncle Bill driving the Four-Man Bobsled
Lake Placid, NY 1980
What most of you may not know is that The Olympic Games have been in my family for a long time. My grandfather was a boxer back in the games (I'll have to ask my mother for the exact year) and his son, my Uncle Bill, participated in the 1972 Olympic Games in Sapporo, Japan as the driver of the Four- man Bobsled team.
As a young girl, I remember looking at all of his pictures, framed and arranged in a "gallery" that hung in a hallway. The magic and excitement seemed to exude from each photograph; the beauty of the Olympic flag being carried into the Opening Ceremonies, my Uncle in his "Country outfit" with the red striped scarf and long leather coat with a beaming smile. Even team members in the cold sled sharpening "barracks" looked exciting.
My uncle is a retired Navy Seal and it was always evident in unspoken terms that you didn't want to mess with him. Ever. If business needed to get done, well, it would. But, that part of him was never, ever on the surface. He is a very kind, quiet man. A gentle giant if you will. A true family man that was always supportive and full of great stories of diving days (he always brought back the most amazing shells from the ocean), travels and athletic competitons that brought him around the world.
He taught me how to strive to be the best in any sport I chose to participate in and most importantly, how to play fair and be a competitor with good sportsmanship. It is a code that I live up to even to this day.
In preparing for the 1980 Lake Placid Games, my uncle and his team trained in Lake Placid, NY at Mt. Van Hoevenberg every weekend. Looking at these pictures, I still can't believe that they were driving these big hunks of metal with a motorcycle helmet and a track suit down an icy mountain.
Let me please preface the next sentence with He is Okay.
Unfortunately, my uncle's Olympic dream of competing in the 1980 games came to an end about a month before the games started as his sled flipped on a training run and he broke his back. Again, he is okay. I believe that he never returned to Lake Placid after that. I've tried to get him there to see me compete in speedskating events, but he doesn't travel much anymore.
That experience fueled a lifelong athletic dream of following in his footsteps one way or another to go to the Olympic Games. I have played many, many sports and reality is I am just too old to compete at that level. I know, I know. What about Dara Torres? I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think my family (or me for that matter) are willing to commit the time that is needed to compete at that level. It's hard enough for National level meets. I am certainly competitive and will "play" for as long as my body will let me, that's for sure.
My Olympic dream will have to happen in the form of the written word. I have a 1 in 5 shot in making it to the finals of the Microsoft Office Winter Games blogging competition where I then have a 1 in 3 shot. Not bad odds. One in Three. I'd say that would be the difference of a Bronze, Silver or Gold Medal.
I am shooting for the Gold! You can help me get there!
Vote for Kelly at http://officewintergames.com/. Cast your vote every day until 11/29/09.
I so want to add my own picture gallery to the hallway and maybe inspire my kids or nieces and nephews the way my Uncle Bill inspired me.
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