Maine Winter Sports Center marks 10th year

    The Maine Winter Sports Center is celebrating our 10th anniversary this month and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the celebration than with our first homegrown medal at a World Championships!     Fort Kent’s Grace Boutot won the silver medal at last month’s World Junior Biathlon Championships in Canmore, Alberta – the site of the 1988 Winter Olympics. Her medal is not only the first for an athlete coming completely through the MWSC program, it is also the first medal ever for an American women at the Youth World Championships.
    All of us at the MWSC are very excited for Grace and her family for this inspiring accomplishment. In sports, there is no more hallowed ground than the podium and Grace worked her way onto that podium with dedication, discipline, a commitment to excellence – and yes – with grace.
    Grace has become the most visible face for a group of inspiring young MWSC athletes, all of whom have made the commitment, are making the sacrifices and in the process have become remarkable role models for the youth of Maine. I am proud of all of them.
    It is particularly satisfying to remember that former MWSC athletes Tracy and Lanny Barnes, (Lanny is the first American female to win a medal at the World Biathlon Championships in the Junior division in 2002 with a silver and later that week won a Relay bronze with her sister Tracy Barnes and Carolyn Tracey), started a youth biathlon program in Fort Kent through which Grace got her start. In exchange for our support, we ask our athletes to develop programs that give back to the communities of Aroostook County and it is clear the Barnes twins’ effort hit its mark. It only gets better when you know that Grace’s coach of the last three years is Gary Colliander, Tracy Barnes’ husband.
    Grace’s accomplishment last month should bring a measure of pride to a lot of people. The Libra Foundation’s incredible vision and support over the past 10 years has made it possible for us to build the skiing infrastructure, hire the coaches, support the athletes and provide the opportunities for the Grace Boutots, Russell Curriers, Hilary McNamees, Meagan Toussaints and Nick Michauds to represent us all on the World stage.
    TD Banknorth, TAMC and Cary Medical Center should feel immense pride for the role they have played over the years. Their support of our events has allowed Maine to put its best foot forward as we hosted the World and North American Championships over the past 10 years. Not only have these events helped create a new economic model for Aroostook County, they have expanded the horizons and exposed our children to new cultures and new perspectives.
    And finally, the thousands of volunteers, who have always been so selfless with their time and energy, deserve to share in this important milestone. You are the ones who have put on the World Cups, World Championships and countless North American, National and regional championship events, through bone-chilling cold, at all hours of the day and night at the expense of a significant amount of your personal time and energy.
    In my conversations with a lot of you over the years, you were hoping that some day and in some small way, your efforts would help get one of our own onto the podium. Last month that dream came true – for Grace and for a lot of other people.
    Andy Shepard of Yarmouth is president and CEO of Maine Winter Sports Center.