Students at St. Timothy High School gathered Feb. 7 to honour an Olympian with a Cochrane connection.
Alex Green, wrestling coach and math teacher at St. Tim’s, has bragging rights this Sochi season, as his brother is a competing biathlete.
A small army of youth gathered around a green banner at lunchtime, honouring their teacher’s brother, Brendan Green, by texting and tweeting him pictures as a sign of support for his 2014 Olympic run; Brendan hails from the Northwest Territories.
“There was green everywhere you looked…it was so humbling,” said Alex, laughing about the excitement his family has experienced over having one of their own as an Olympic competitor.
Alex said Brendan, 27, was raised in a Nordic centre from an early age. All six children were avid athletes from the start and the eldest sibling, Paul, was a competing biathlete at the World Cup level.
“We were basically skiing as soon as we could walk,” laughed Alex, musing over how his sisters have ‘coached’ younger brother, Brendan, through the years.
Brendan competed in the Biathlon Men’s 4 x 7.5 km Relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where the group placed tenth.
Alex said the greatest challenge his brother has faced is a long recovery from a double back surgery that he underwent last year.
“Last season was his rebuild season…that’s almost the success story itself.”
So far Brendan has completed twice in the last week, with at least two more competitions to go.
Brendan told his brother that the track is Sochi is quite icy and poses some safety concerns.
On Feb. 8 Brendan competed in Biathlon Men’s Sprint, placing 23rd; on Feb. 10 he competed in Biathlon Men’s Pursuit, placing 35th.
