Northern California Olympians Announce Recipients of 2008 Grant Awards

Travel and Training Grants for Future Olympians and Paralympians

San Francisco, CA……The Northern California Olympians (NCO), a chapter of the USOC Alumni Organization, announced today the recipients of the NCO grant program. A total o $8,550 was distributed to the following 2008 Olympic hopefuls:

Sebastian Bea - Rowing
Kelly Crowley - Paralympic Cycling
Mathew Deakin - Rowing
Cassidy Krug - Diving
Gerek Meinhardt - Fencing
Wayne Lo - Paralympics Table Tennis
Amy Acuff - T&F, High Jump
Suzanne Powell - T&F, Discus
Stephanie Trafton (Brown) - T&F, Discus
Barbara Grassmer - ParaEquestrian
Megan Cooke - Rowing, Women's Eight & Pair
Matthew Azevedo - Wrestling
Shannon Rowbury - T&F, 800m, 1500m, 3k, 3k Steeple, 5k
Lauren Todt - Badminton
Tye Harvey - T&F, Pole Vault

NCO Travel and Training grants provide direct financial assistance to athletes with successful competitive records who have the potential to qualify for future Olympic or Paralympic Teams. Funds are to be used for coaching, specialized training, equipment and travel.

Jim Schmitz, co-chair of the NCO Grant Program and Olympian (weightlifting), explains, "This is the fourth time the NCO has awarded grants - and it is always exciting to help provide funding for Olympians and Paralympians from Northern California - to be able to help future Olympians and Paralympians from our hometowns."

Barbra Higgins, co-chair of the NCO Grant Program and Olympian (fencing), adds, "We are proud to have supported Gerek Meinhardt, Fencing, who was unranked in senior competition and ranked 50th in junior competition four years ago. In April of 2007, he was ranked 73rd in senior competition and 37th in junior competition. Now in October, he is ranked 18th in senior competition and is in a strong position to make the Olympic team in 2008."

Funds for the NCO Travel and Training Grant Program come from the proceeds of the NCO Welcome Home Dinner, held every four years, just after the Olympic and Paralympic Games, from contributions from Olympians from past teams and community members.

For more information on the grant program, www.NCOlympians.org.

The Northern California Olympians (NCO) is the organization of Olympians and Paralympians from past and present teams who live and work in Northern California. The NCO offers fellowship to past and current Olympic and Paralympic team members, coordinates appearances at youth, community and corporate events; and supports an active, visible, nationwide and worldwide Olympian organization. The NCO is a chapter of the U.S. Olympic Alumni Association. Membership in the Northern California Olympians is open to all Olympians and Paralympians from any country. For more information, please see www.NCOlympians.org.