In The News

October 2nd, 2007

US Speedskating Athletes To Visit Local School

MILWAUKEE--- October 2, 2007 --- The Pettit National Ice Center, a U.S. Olympic Training Facility, is hosting US Speedskating’s Long Track Sprint Team September 30 – October 13. The Sprint Team will be in Milwaukee for lowland training in preparation for the upcoming skating season.

While the skaters are in town, they will also visit a local elementary school.

The skaters, along with US coach Ryan Shimabukuro, will visit Poplar Creek Elementary School in New Berlin on Wednesday, October 3. The skaters will meet with children in grades K-3 at 9:30am and students in 4th- through 6th grades at 10:15am.

The skaters will be part of Poplar Creek’s year-long theme of “Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies.” The U.S. skaters and coach will talk about the importance of training one’s mind and body to achieve success.

“We are so excited to have the skaters visit our students,” said Kelley Gravenkamp, 1st grade teacher at Poplar Creek. “The children will be excited to meet individuals who travel the world and represent the United States in speed skating competitions!”

Later in the school year, these Poplar Creek students will get to skate when they visit the Pettit Center for an all-school field trip to close the year in May.

Among those skaters expected to attend the Poplar Creek assembly include:

· Tucker Fredricks –2006 Olympian who hails from Janesville, Wisconsin

· Eli Ochowicz – 2002 and 2006 Olympian originally from Waukesha,Wisconsin

· Nick Pearson – 2002 Olympian from Vernon, Wisconsin

For more information on the US Speedskating Athletes or the Poplar Creek Elementary program, 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