Launch the media gallery 1 playerLIVE OLYMPIC”
Have you ever met a famous athlete? Athletes like Sarah Hughes, Michelle Kwan, or Apollo Ono? Fifth grade students at Cunningham Grade School experienced a chance of a lifetime. On Friday, September 7, they were able to meet a real Olympian. Carmen Forest, a 1984 Olympic competitor in Team Handball, visited the students’ physical education class.
The presentation began with a preview of the 2008 Olympic Games which are to be held in Bejing, China. Since the number 8 is significant to this culture, the Opening Ceremonies are slated to begin on 08-08-08 at 08:08 a.m. Ms. Forest then provided the class with a glimpse of her Olympic experience. Although her dreams of competing in the Olympics began as a youngster, her Olympic quest actually started during her college years. Forest’s dream of becoming a member of the USA Women’s Basketball team took a rather unusual turn in 1974 when the USA Olympic Committee decided to organize a handball team. With little knowledge and absolutely no experience in team handball, a field of 100 women athletes was assembled for tryouts. Ms. Forest is one of these original 100 athletes invited to the tryouts.
Due to the boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games by the United States, Forest’s dream of Olympic competition was not fulfilled until 1984 – 10 years after her quest began. It was during this time that the team sought improvement. Competing against Europeans who had been playing handball since the turn of the century, the American team suffered numerous lop-sided defeats. Nevertheless, the team continued to “Live Olympic.”
Even though the USA Handball team finished with a 2-3 record, placing them fourth and out of medal standings, Carmen displayed the gold medallion she received to commemorate her Olympic experience. In addition to the medallion, the physical education class viewed several other items including a handball, which had been used in competition and had been autographed by Ms. Forest’s teammates, her handball uniform top, as well as an Olympic flag, “Sam, the American Eagle” (mascot of the ’84 Games), and “Izzy” (mascot of the ’96 Games).
Ms. Forest’s Olympic experience did not end with the ’84 Games. In 1996 she was one of hundreds of Americans to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay. Beginning in LA, the site of the last US Olympics, and winding across the US until it reached Atlanta, GA, the site of the ’96 Games, torch bearers were asked to transport the Olympic flame 1 kilometer (7/10 of a mile) before handing it off to the next bearer. Ms. Forest’s portion of the Torch Relay was through the streets of Emporia, KS. Needless to say, the fifth graders were in awe as Forest displayed the actual torch she used. Etched on the gold bands of the torch were the names of all host cities from 1886 – 1996 as well as the Olympic motto which when translated from Latin to English is “Swifter, Higher, Stronger.”
The Olympic presentation concluded with video highlights of the Sydney ParaOlympic Games. This video featured a variety of athletes who “Live Olympic” each day despite physical limitations. The combination of the music “Heroes Live Forever” and the action of the ParaOlympians seemed to stir all kinds of emotions in the audience.
Before departing for Pratt Community College where she is employed, Ms. Forest presented each student with an Olympic pin, a gift from the USA Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, and an autographed keepsake.
A famous athlete from Cunningham? Maybe someday. As
with Ms. Forest, her fame all began with a childhood dream and the
desire fueled by the motto “Live
Olympic.”
Olympian
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