Jamie Moriarty may not have won a gold medal at the recent 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, but the bobsledder did receive one from the 1st grade students at St. Raymond School in Mount Prospect.

“We’re really excited,” said 1st grade teacher Patty Kramer as the students, teachers and parents awaited Moriarty’s arrival the afternoon of March 5.

Moriarty, a 28-year-old Winnetka native and member of the USA-3 four-man bobsled team, arrived at the school and was greeted by a throng of children waving American flags and holding banners.

As the students swarmed around Moriarty, they presented him with a gold medal with the phrase “St. Raymond’s No. 1 Bobsledder.”

During the Olympics in February, the 1st grade teachers at St. Raymond coordinated their lessons with the games. The students learned about the history of the games and the importance of teamwork. They even had the opportunity to watch some of the events live, Kramer said.

Moriarty, whose bobsled team finished 13th, was invited to the school to help illustrate the lessons the students learned over the course of two weeks. Serendipitously, the mother of one 1st grader worked with Moriarty’s wife, and the event was set in motion.

When Moriarty arrived, the 1st grade students and teachers took him on a tour through the hallways of the school. Other students and teachers stood outside their classrooms waving, clapping and holding out their hands for high fives.

Finally, the group settled in a classroom, where Moriarty shared Olympics stories and positive messages.

“The other competitors from other countries—you get really close to them and make a lot of friends,” Moriarty told the children. “It’s very important to be a good sport.”

He told them how his father played professional football for the Atlanta Falcons and how he himself began his athletic career playing arena football. He was sidelined after an injury, and while watching the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, he took an interest in bobsledding.

Moriarty told the students that with lots of hard work, he was able to begin competing in the event relatively quickly. He joined the U.S. team in 2006 and competed in his first race that same season. During the 2008-2009 season, he won two gold medals on the America’s Cup tour, which he pulled out of his bag to show the students.

St. Raymond parent Bill Pinter said he thought Moriarty’s story would inspire the children.

“He got on the fast track,” Pinter said. “There are guys who have been doing it all their lives. He’s a newcomer.”

The children asked Moriarty questions ranging from “When is your birthday?” to “Did you know about the Georgian luger who was killed?”

Moriarty’s stories were as humorous as they were inspirational and educational. Students asked him what it was like to live in the Olympic village and eat in the cafeteria, and he responded with an anecdote that few 1st graders could resist.

“One of the best things about the cafeteria—maybe I shouldn’t be saying this—is you have unlimited McDonald’s,” he said.

Students also were excited to hear about what it was like to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies, which many of the students and parents watched on TV.

“The opening ceremony was incredible,” Moriarty said. “I can’t even begin to describe it. It’s a unique moment for an athlete. It’s a moment for us to walk out and enjoy everyone going crazy. That’s the moment when you realize the dream of being an Olympian is a reality.”

By Jeff Danna
Triblocal.com reporter