Warm welcome for Olympic gold medalist

Tomasevicz thanks community who made him an Olympian

By Larry Peirce
Lee Enterprises

Curtis Tomasevicz had a challenge on his hands Monday morning.

The gold medal-winning brakeman for the USA 1 Olympic bobsled team said that after more than 50 speaking appearances he had developed a speech he could adjust to fit the age of the audience, from grade schoolers up to adults.

This was different, standing in his high school's gym, looking down at friends, uncles, aunts, cousins and classmates, with the student body looking down from the bleachers. He graduated from Shelby in 1999.

"What am I going to say to the people that got me to the Olympics? These are the people that know my story," he said. "There is not much of a story to tell that you haven't heard or you don't know because you are part of this story. You guys raised me."

He could have said anything to the crowd; it still would have stood and roared when he pulled the gold medal from his pocket and put it on.

Buses shuttled the crowd from across town after the parking lot filled. Some had already caught up with the celebrity for pictures at the local bank or on his visit to the John Deere dealership in Osceola where his father works.

The event started with video highlights, and then Tomasevicz received official praise as a role model from student council president Derek Swanson, who also has his sights set on breaking Tomasevicz's triplejump record this spring.

Village Board Chairman Pat Davis issued a special proclamation.

"Team Night Train has sparked enthusiasm and pride throughout the community during the 2010 Olympics and beyond," Davis said.

Tomasevicz said he spent much of his young life at the school, starting as a preschooler running the halls when his mother, Amy, was a kindergarten teacher there.

The teachers taught striving for success and the coaches instilled the never-give-up attitude. He talked about being one of the four out of 120 tryouts to make the Nebraska football team, and the challenge of staying tough on the practice squad.

The experiences "taught me about hustling. About picking yourself up off the ground after you've been pounded," he said.

The Olympian offered the advice of late great college basketball coach Jim Valvano: To succeed you must know where you come from, know where you are and know where you are going.

He encouraged the students to examine their talents and pursue their dreams.

"You can't have success if you don't know what you have to change," he said. "It takes a lot of courage to change that."

Tomasevicz said he continually had to alter his goals after high school. The Air Force didn't pan out because he had suffered a broken collarbone. Then he could have easily quit the Nebraska football team, but he focused making a contribution as a special team's player.

Making the Olympic team started because "it sounded like fun. I didn't know it was going to affect so many people in so many ways."

He thanked the community for helping him - with finances and enthusiasm - to make the U.S. Team for the 2006 Olympics.

Several of the elementary students came prepared with good questions, and Tomasevicz used the occasion to explain the finer points of bobsledding, from the engineering of the specialized sled to the special shoes made to run on ice.

He held up the lightweight suit designed for speed.

"It takes two people to dress me," he said. "It takes a lot of courage to wear this in cold weather."

People who knew Tomasevicz as a child running around Shelby said that he was just a regular kid, spending his time in pickup football or basketball games.

Football coach Gerald Humlicek, an assistant coach during the 1990s, said he appreciated Tomasevicz's down-to-earth quality. Two days before USA 1 captured the gold, Tomasevicz remembered the Husky boys basketball team. "Thursday we played in subdistrict finals. He emailed coach (Terry) Chadek and wished us luck. He took time out from what he was doing."

Before the presentation started, Tomasevicz walked into the gym and stood at the end opposite the speaking platform, as if he was waiting for someone else to arrive and take the stage. There was no grand entrance for this local kid.

Humlicek wasn't surprised at that observation: "That's just the way he is. That's why a lot of people really like him. He is an unassuming guy."

Humlicek said that Tomasevicz's goal setting was ingrained back in high school. He recalled a game against Stromsburg that Tomasevicz dominated as a linebacker. The Huskies won.

"He always had a look in his eye. No one was going to beat him, just beat him. They were going to have to earn it," Humlicek said. Before the Stromsburg game, he told the coach: "There's no way I'm walking off the field without a win tonight. What he said to his classmates, he went out and did that night."

Shelby residents attending the event were beaming with pride.

"I'm really proud of him," said Caroline Funkhouser, who works at the Shelby Hotel. "I've known Curtis since he was small. I'm really proud of him. He's just normal. This hasn't changed him one bit."

Bob Hegi brought the Night Train whistle that he received from bobsled driver Steve Holcomb's mother. The whistles were blowing in celebration on the streets of Vancouver after the race.

Hegi said Curtis's mother taught all of his kids. He compared the Shelby school as a family atmosphere.

"When Curtis threw her the flowers, I caught them and gave them to her," he said. "He is a good kid. It's unreal. Just a nice all-around kid."

After the presentation, Tomasevicz posed for pictures with each class from the school.

He told reporters he enjoys speaking to kids and encouraging them to excel.

"I hope they remember to be proud of where they come from," he said. "It's huge to remember your past."

Tomasevicz closed his presentation by showing his gratitude.

"I hope you guys really do know how much it means to me to come to this school to speak to this audience," he said. "It is a pretty great feeling."

Photo by Larry Peirce
Photo caption: Curtis Tomasevicz is applauded as he walks to the stage Monday morning at Shelby High School.