USOTC in full holiday swing

The holidays are a time to remember and rejoice, and this is especially true for the athletes and staff at the United States Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. This year as many as 50 resident athletes gathered together on a Team USA float, along with the city of Colorado Springs, to celebrate the season, remember a boy with a big heart and rejoice in the spirit of the holidays and Olympism at the 25^th Annual Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Colorado Springs on December 5.

Just days after the Festival of Lights Parade, the USOTC hosted its 12^th Annual Make-A-Wish event where families could come and allow a child, escorted by a resident athlete or staff member, to browse through tables of gifts to purchase for themselves and their family members with their seven "Wish" dollars. After browsing, the children could watch or help wrap the gifts they've chosen and get a picture taken with Santa Claus.

Photo: Sherry Von Riesen Ian Lyons (L) standing with Lopez Lamong, US Track and Field Olympian and US Flag Bearer for the Beijing Games, at last year's Festival of Lights Parade. Amidst all of the festivities, many thought of a young boy who touched the heart of so many Olympians. Ian Lyons, a 13-year-old boy who had been treated at Memorial Hospital, located next door to the OTC. Ian battled a rare and aggressive form of cancer called Aveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, and was made an honorary resident athlete at the OTC after the hospital reached out the USOTC to support Ian in his struggle for health. He attended events, met athletes and was an integral part of the Festival of Lights Parade last year. He marched alongside the athletes, many of whom had become his friends.

While visiting the OTC, Ian was introduced to all of the resident athletes and Olympians, including Michael Phelps, who spent the entire day with Ian. Ian was the Team Captain for the USOTC Men's Weighlifting Team who shaved their heads for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. The first week of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Ian found out that he was cancer-free, the OTC celebrated his remission.

Unfortunately, Ian's cancer returned, and he passed away on April 27, 2009. This year, in Ian's honor, a live Christmas tree was placed on the float to stand in Ian's place so that he remained a part of the parade. The tree will be planted on the OTC campus in his memory.

"We are thrilled that the Olympic Training Center would honor Ian by planting a tree in his name," said David Lyons, Ian's father. "The OTC athletes and staff inspired him in his fight with cancer and the tree will be a living memorial to the love, faith and strength that Ian inspired in all of us."

Dave Bullock, vehicle services manager on complex, was the designer and engineer for the float. He says it took him about two weeks to complete with the help of facilities management staff Allen Larson and Phil Mann.

"I was trying to put forward a mountain vista resembling Pikes Peak but also the idea of where Winter Games take place," Bullock said. "The signage that I used was to promote U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams on front at the base of Pikes Peak. The signage down the sides was to acknowledge Colorado Springs support and how important it is to us. The sign on the rear was to encourage people to follow our teams at the [Vancouver Winter Games] via TeamUSA.org using both the Vancouver USA Team and USA Paralympic Team logos as well as the Amazing Awaits logo."

"[Working on the float] was an opportunity to promote our athletes, mission and hopefully build a stronger tie with Colorado Springs," Bullock said. "I have been truly fortunate to have been able to work with the USOC for the better part of my life and I really enjoy the moments that I can promote who we are and what we do."

Photo: Sherry Von Riesen Athletes sitting on the float, with the Christmas tree in memory of Ian Lyons, at the Festival of Lights Parade.The athletes were pumped for the parade, all decked out in Team USA winter gear. They ran amongst the crowd, giving high-fives to amp up the excitement (and keep warm in the blustery cold weather).

"It was really fun marching in the parade and getting the crowed excited," said Anna Palmer, USA Judo athlete. "A lot of us were running around giving the fans high-fives and saying "hi" to the kids. It's great to get out in the community and give the city faces to Team USA elite athletes training here in their backyard. Plus it's always fun to hangout and see fellow athletes outside of the training room."

The athletes were so excited for the event that they even had smiling faces despite an unexpected hardship that morning.

One of the resident buildings on complex, home to many athletes, had a water main break due to extremely low temperatures, flooding all four floors of the building. The unfortunate accident has put many athletes out of their homes and destroyed many belongings including computers, cameras and clothing.

For the next 12 or so months, while the building is under repair, displaced athletes will move to a variety of locations on complex and throughout Colorado Springs. The athletes reigned in their emotions to gather for what they consider a very important event for Ian Lyons, the USOC and the Colorado Springs community.

"The athletes left for the parade thirty minutes after learning their rooms were flooded, not knowing what their rooms were like. But this parade was so important to them that they pulled clothes out of their cars and borrowed items from friends to make sure they made it on time," said Sherry Von Riesen, athlete services coordinator and designated "dorm mom". "There was not one mention or complaint about the state of their rooms."

The displaced athletes had from 7 p.m. when the parade ended until 10:30 p.m. that night to clean out their rooms. Some of the USOTC women's wrestlers, were leaving for China at 4 a.m. Monday morning.

"It's not that I ask the athletes to do something," Von Riesen said. "They ask me what they can do to help. The athletes love giving their time to this community because they recognize how much this community gives to them. I have never seen the athletes get as excited for an event than for this parade."

Despite their own struggles, the night still belonged to Ian Lyons and the athletes who believed so strongly in acknowledging his memory.

The holidays are a very happy and important time of year for the USOTC with parades, gift giving and an infinite amount of holiday spirit. The athletes and staff hope their efforts to bring holiday cheer have a lasting impact on Colorado Springs and believers in the Olympic movement.

Vanessa Virbitsky contributed to this story.

Tags: Anna Palmer, Festival of Lights Parade, Ian Lyons, Make-A-Wish, Michael Phelps, St. Baldrick's Foundation, Taylor Carlson, Team USA, USOTC, Vanessa Virbitsky