Hale Williams Students Get Dose of Olympic Gold

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by Dwayne T. Ervin

Students and faculty gave awarm welcome to OlympicGold medalist Bryan Clay atHale Williams Prep School atDuSable Campus last Thursdayas part of Chicago PublicSchools Principal for a Dayprogram.

Bryan Clay was born inAustin, Texas but moved toHawaii and graduated fromJames B. Castle High School in1998, where he competed intrack and field. He attendedAzusa Pacific University wherehe trained under Coach KevinReid.

Clay won a gold medal in thedecathlon that featured 10 trackand field events in the summerOlympic Games this year inBeijing China. He also had asilver medal in the 2004Olympic Games in Athens,Greece and was the 2005 worldchampion.

Clay went on a tour of theschool and talked to studentsand faculty members. He congratulatedthe football teamduring the school announcements.

As the students walkedthrough the halls to the assembly,they were excited to seeClay. While the student and facultyentered the gym for theassembly, there was a videoshowing the summer Olympics.

Coach Van Dyken, PhysicalEducation teacher and Boys andGirls basketball coach for 7thand 8th graders, thanked theChicago 2016 Olympic committeefor participating in thePrincipal for the Day program."Principal for a Day is anotherway that Chicago 2016 isdemonstrating our ongoingcommitment to reaching theyouth in Chicago and educatingand exciting them about amateursport and Olympic valuesand ideals," said Patrick G.Ryan, chairman and CEO ofChicago 2016 in a releasedstatement. "We hope the studentswere inspired by the storiesthey heard and came awaywith a better understanding ofwhat it means to be an Olympicand Paralympic athlete and partof the Olympic movement."

Clay told the students whatinspired him to get involvedwith track and field and growingup with divorced parents."The only time I saw my dadwas through the fence duringrecess," Clay said.

"I want to let kids know thatthere is more out there thanwhat they are seeing now, thereare more opportunities outthere," he stated. "I want childrento dream big and that theycan accomplish anything theyput their minds to. It is importantto let children know that ifI can do it they can do it. TheUnited States has had a hugepresence in the decathlon."

Clay felt that to have his namementioned with people whohave won gold medals is anhonor. "It was a huge honor tohave my family members sharein that moment with me. Thedecathlon gave me a chance."

He has been to Chicago threetimes and New York a few timesand all over the world doing televisionshows and photo shoots.He will start training again forthe 2012 Olympics. "We aretrying to hype up the 2016 bidfor Chicago," he continued. "Iwas inspired by watching theOlympics on television." Hisdream to be a part of theOlympics started when hewatched it in 1988. "If I canjust be inspired by watching it(the Olympics) on television,just imagine how it would be totake these children to theseevents so that they can be a partof it to experience gold metalmoments," he added.

During the assembly, studentsasked Clay questions aboutwhat motivated him to be in theOlympics and his experiencedealing with his anger.

Clay talked about the javelincompetition and gave an exampleof throwing an indoorjavelin. A student, CoachDyken and Clay threw theindoor javelin, but Clay threw itthe furthest.

Principal for a Day was startedby Chicago Mayor RichardM. Daley in 1998 to bring businessand civic leaders togetherto broaden their understandingof the accomplishments andchallenges of students, teachersand principals.

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