|
In
The News
August 21st, 2007
U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton Select Athletes At Pettit Center
MILWAUKEE--- August 21, 2007 --- The Pettit National Ice Center, a U.S.
Olympic Training Facility, recently hosted tryouts for the U.S.A.
Bobsled
and Skeleton Federation.
The U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation was at the Pettit Center
during
the Wisconsin State Fair. The Pettit Center is located adjacent to the
Wisconsin State Fair grounds and each year provides fair-goers with
free ice
skating admission. The U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton federation held
tryouts
to find athletes to invite to a training camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. in
September. The try-outs, which were held on Sunday, August 5, attracted
a
wide-range of candidates.
“Out of all athletes that were tested at the Wisconsin State Fair
recruiting
event in the Pettit Center, we believe we found three potential bobsled
athletes and a handful of skeleton athletes,” said Amanda Bird,
Marketing
and Communications Manager for the U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton
Federation.“These athletes will have an opportunity to be evaluated with head
coach and
2002 Olympic bronze medalist Brian Shimer for a shot at the national
team.”
The three athletes from Wisconsin invited to Lake Placid are:
Dan Kamin – 23 years old from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and a
graduate of
Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Kamin is a recent graduate of St.
Cloud
State in Minnesota where he played football for four years. Kamin set
a
school record with the longest touchdown run in St. Cloud State
history; a
97-yard scamper vs. Minnesota State – Mankato.
Michael Snow – 24 years old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Snow is a
graduate
of Menomonee Falls High School where he was active in athletics. Snow
never
had an off-season since he played football, hockey, track and soccer.
Snow
was at the Pettit Center with his daughter the day of the tryouts for a
day
of fun and ice skating when he was encouraged by U.S.A. Bobsled and
Skeleton
to take part in the tryouts.
Aaron Courtney – 36 years old from Merton, Wisconsin. Courtney has
been
competing for four years as a professional power lifter. In 2005 he set
an
all-time Top 20 record by dead lifting 830 pounds. Courtney heard about
the
team tryouts on the radio and decided to give it a shot.
“I am very excited to learn more about bobsled and get a chance to make
a
national team in an Olympic sport,” said Kamin after a recent workout.“I’m
not aware of any local bobsledders. When I mention bobsled, people
instantly
talk about the movie Cool Runnings (about the 1988 Jamaican Bobsled
Team),
but I want them to ask me about the team here in the United States!”
Additional athletes were also selected to participate in “Skeleton
School”
in November.
The U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton Team is celebrating its best season
ever
after winning 39 World Cup and six World Championship medals, along
with
four overall World Cup titles. On his way to claiming the 2007 overall
bobsled World Cup title, Steven Holcomb won 10 medals this season.
For more information about the U.S.A. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
tryouts at the Pettit Center, please contact Rob Multerer 414.266.0100, ext. 132 or by email at rmulterer@thepettit.com.
Contact: Rob Multerer
Director of Operations
Pettit National Ice Center
414.266.0100, ext. 132
rmulterer@thepettit.com
|
