2014 Athlete Ambassadors

Marissa Castelli

Sport: Figure Skating

Hometown: Cranston, R.I.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian
• Olympic bronze medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Marissa shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged approximately 90 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organizations, which are based near her training community:
  • Oak Square YMCA; Brighton, Massachusetts
  • Waltham Boys & Girls Club: Waltham, Massachusetts

Kendall Coyne

Sport: Ice Hockey

Hometown: Palos Heights, Ill.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)
• Two-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)

 

Community engagement:

• Along with fellow local Olympian Emery Lehman, Kendall shared her story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, and donated sports equipment to the following organization:
  
  • Elmhurst YMCA in Elmhurst, Illinois

Brianna Decker

Sport: Ice Hockey

Hometown: Dousman, Wis.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)
• Two-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)

 

Community engagement:

• Brianna shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged nearly 500 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organizations which are located in her hometown and training community:
  • Cushing Elementary School in Delafield, Wisconsin
  • Oak Square YMCA in Brighton, Massachusetts

Bill Demong

Sport: Nordic Combined

Hometown: Vermontville, N.Y.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Five-time Olympian (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)
• Two-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)

 

Community engagement:

• Bill shared his story, donated sports equipment and encouraged roughly 600 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organizations, which are based near his current residence and training town:
  • John C. Fremont Elementary School and the YMCA Community Family Center in Taylorsville, Utah
  • Lied Boys & Girls Club in Salt Lake City, Utah

Meghan Duggan

Sport: Ice Hockey

Hometown: Danvers, Mass.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2010, 2014, 2018)
• Three-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 2 silvers)

 

Community engagement:

• Meghan shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged nearly 80 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organizations, which are based near her hometown and training community:
  • Oak Square YMCA in Brighton, Massachusetts
  • Charlestown Boys & Girls Club in Charlestown, Massachusetts

Susan Dunklee

Sport: Biathlon

Hometown: Barton, Vt.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)

 

Community engagement:

• Susan shared her story, donated sports equipment and talked to approximately 650 young people about living an active and healthy lifestyle at the below schools in her training community and hometown:
  • Parley's Park Elementary in Park City, Utah
  • Craftsbury Academy in Craftsbury, Vermont

Jazmine Fenlator

Sport: Bobsled

Hometown: Wayne, N.J.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian

 

Community engagement:

• Jazmine shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged nearly 375 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at four separate events at the below organizations:
  • Wayne YMCA in Wayne, New Jersey
  • Boys & Girls Club of Wayne in Wayne, New Jersey
  • Success Academy Harlem in Harlem, New York
  • Paradise Valley YMCA in Scottsdale, Arizona

Keith Gabel

Sport: Para snowboarding

Hometown: Ogden, Utah

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Two-time Paralympian (2014, 2018)
• Two-time Paralympic medalist (1 silver, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Keith shared his story, donated sports equipment and encouraged approximately 500 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organization and schools in his hometown and training community:
  • YMCA Community Family Center in Taylorsville, Utah
  • Fraser Valley Elementary in Fraser, Colorado
  • Gramercy Elementary in Ogden, Utah

Brian Gregg

Sport: Cross-country skiing

Hometown: Winthrop, Wash.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian

 

Community engagement:

• Brian shared his story, led participants in physical activities, signed autographs, and donated new sports equipment to the following organization:
  • New Hope YMCA in New Hope, Minnesota

 Kelly Gunther

Sport: Long track speedskating

Hometown: Clinton Township, Mich.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian

 

Community engagement:

• Kelly shared her story, spoke about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, led the participants in physical activities and donated digital cameras and sports equipment to the following organization as part of its grand re-opening:
  • French Creek YMCA in Avon, Ohio

Joel Hunt

Sport: Para alpine skiing

Hometown: Kokomo, Ind.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Paralympian

 

Community engagement:

• Joel shared his story, led participants in physical activities, and donated new sports equipment to the following organization:
  • Kokomo YMCA in Kokomo, Indiana

Jimmy Joseph

Sport: Wheelchair curling

Hometown: New Hartford, N.Y.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Three-time Paralympian (2006, 2010, 2014)

 

Community engagement:

• Jimmy shared his story, donated sports equipment and encouraged nearly 90 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below schools in his hometown:
  • Robert Bradley Elementary in New Hartford, New York
  • Fisher Elementary, a YMCA of the Mohawk Valley afterschool site in Mohawk, New York

Jessica Kooreman

Sport: Short Track Speedskating

Hometown: Melvindale, Mich.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)

 

Community engagement:

• Jessica shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged approximately 160 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organizations near her hometown and training community:
  • Lied Boys & Girls Club in Salt Lake City, Utah
  • South Oakland Family YMCA in Royal Oak, Michigan

Torin Koos

Sport: Cross-country skiing

Hometown: Leavenworth, Mass.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Four-time Olympian (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)

 

Community engagement:

•   Torin shared his story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, led physical activities, and donated digital cameras and sports equipment to the following organization:
  • Wenatchee Valley YMCA in Wenatchee, Washington

Emery Lehman

Sport: Long track speedskating

Hometown: Oak Park, Ill.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)

 

Community engagement:

• Along with fellow local Olympian Kendall Coyne, Emery shared his story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, and donated sports equipment to the following organization:
  • Elmhurst YMCA in Elmhurst, Illinois

Debbie McCormick

Sport: Curling

Hometown: Rio, Wis.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Four-time Olympian (1998, 2002, 2010, 2014)

 

Community engagement:

• Debbie shared her story, donated sports equipment and encouraged approximately 55 young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organization in her hometown:
  • Sunset Ridge Elementary, a YMCA of Dane County's afterschool program in Middleton, Wisconsin

Elana Meyers Taylor

Sport: Bobsled

Hometown: Douglasville, Ga.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2010, 2014, 2018)
• Three-time Olympic medalist (2 silvers, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Joined by fellow Olympic bobsledder Jazmine Fenlator, Elana shared her story, donated sports equipment, and encouraged young people to live an active and healthy lifestyle at the below organization:
  • Scottsdale/Paradise Valley Family YMCA in Scottsdale, Arizona

Christian Niccum

Sport: Luge

Hometown: Woodinville, Wash.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2006, 2010, 2014)

 

Community engagement:

• Christian shared his story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, led physical activities, and donated digital cameras and sports equipment to the following organization:
  • Cottage Lake Elementary School in Woodinville, Washington, in partnership with the Northshore YMCA

Anna Ringsred

Sport: Long track speedskating

Hometown: Duluth, Minn.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian

 

Community engagement:

• Anna shared her story and spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle to the following organization:
  • Duluth Area Family YMCA in Duluth, Minnesota

Ida Sargent

Sport: Cross-country skiing

Hometown: Craftsbury, Vt.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2014, 2018)

 

Community engagement:

• Along with fellow Olympic cross-country skier Susan Dunklee, Ida led participants in various physical activities, shared her story, and donated digital cameras and sports equipment to the following organization
  • Craftsbury Academy in Craftsbury, Vermont

Simon Shnapir

Sport: Figure Skating

Hometown: Sudbury, Mass.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2014 Olympian
• 2014 Olympic bronze medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Simon shared his story, donated sports equipment and talked to nearly 50 young people with his partner Marissa Castelli at the below organization in his training town:
  • Oak Square YMCA in Brighton, Massachusetts

Lauryn Williams

Sport: Bobsled and Track and field

Hometown: Houston, Texas

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Four-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2014)
• Three-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver - track and field; 1 silver - bobsled)

 

Community engagement:

• Lauryn shared her story, spoke about the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, and donated sports equipment to the following organization:
  • Hampton Preparatory School in Dallas, Texas, hosted by the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.