Chris Gilbertson
USA Nordic Head Jump Coach, Nordic Combined
Steamboat Winter Sports Club
Steamboat Springs, CO
chris@usanordic.org
Flags
Everyone always asks me why I don’t use a USA flag on the coaches’ stand. My father brought me up with the belief that the American Flag was sacred and should always be treated with respect. He had served in the Army Air Corp during World War 2 in England in charge of 500 men to repair B-17s. Later, he would go on to the 530th/9th Aviation Squadron, Strategic Air Command assigned to the Atomic Weapons Squadron and installed the trigger device. He would continue to work in civil service in and around DC until his retirement, so his love for our country and the flag was very deeply rooted.
I do however have some very fond memories of seeing the US Flag on top of the winner’s podium. There was the time during World Championships in Liberec 2009, honestly not sure which medal event it was, might have been Kikan Randal’s in which Torin Koos and I belted out the National Anthem during the flag raising ceremony. I say I can’t remember which one, because as was discussed in an earlier Story Project, we got to go to meet the Mayor of Liberec a few times and drank more than a few beers in the McDonalds off of the main square.
There was also the time in Predazzo that we got to sing the National Anthem when Sarah Hendrickson aka Giggles won World Championships in 2013. As I typed this, I almost said 1st, but that honor goes to Lindsay Van who won the first ever Women’s World Championships Normal Hill event in Liberec 2009. Watching Nancy Hendrickson and Chris Johnson drink celebratory wine was a secondary highlight. I also ended up singing/butchering the French National Anthem for Jason Lamy Chappuis with his coaches. This is a long story that goes back to singing national anthems under the outrun in Chaux Neuve with the hill crew with bottles of Anis.
The picture I post on Facebook every once in a while is my favorite. TWO Americans on top of the podium at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. Billy and Johnny jumped and raced themselves, but that was the culmination of many years by many different athletes and coaches.
But by far my most memorable flag raising ceremony was the first one I ever witnessed in person. It was in December 2008, my first year coaching the US World Cup Team. The competition in Ramsau, Austria was close to Christmas, but Billy and Johnny really wanted to compete. So Clark Sullivan and I said OK, we will miss Christmas with our families so you can compete. We ended up having a great Xmas party when Anders Johnson, Blake Hughes, Nick Alexander, Chris Lamb came over from their apartment in Bad Mittendorf Austria. Billy scored 2 podiums that weekend. Billy’s winning result came during and massive snowstorm in the cross country part of the race (of course Billy would find a way to powder ski). It was still dumping snow for the podium ceremony, so just Billy and I went. It was a great feeling watching the American flag fly high over Austria. Thinking about that still chokes me up.
I’m back with the US Nordic Combined Team now, trying to help recreate the magic we had back then. The guys are different, but the desires are the same. We haven’t had the success yet of the other guys, but I and convinced we can be just as good a team.
Here’s to many more American Flags atop the podium.
