LEGACY CLAIR YOUNG: THE IMPACT OF GREATNESS


REACHES HEARTS OF MANY By Kelly Pugliano


only to have the athlete heart, filled with drive and grit raise you back up. When he spoke those words to a skat- er, he understood their meaning better than most; Clair was not only a top cyclist, but also a competitive speedskat- er and coach. Clair’s first love was the bike. He got in- volved in the sport of speedskating as means to keep his fitness steady through the win- ter season. He found he loved the thrill of the ice and the speed that went with it. It also was a sport the whole fam- ily could take part in and that was something he held very important.


Clair Young, beloved husband, father,


grandfather, friend and coach, shared his passion for speedskating with others for more than 20 years. He was a humble man who many believe had no idea the magnitude of the impact he would leave behind both on and off the ice. He had the gift of making others shine, as he stayed behind the scenes, and he liked it that way. Clair Young believed in hard work and if


you were one to put 110% into your train- ing and your racing, then you were okay in his book, because he would tell you, “The one’s that win are the ones who suf- fer the most.”


And as far as sports go, no one knows


how to suffer more than a speedskater, other than maybe a cyclist. They are similar in sorts and both understand that sense of breaking your body down to complete exhaustion, lungs pleading for oxygen, legs burning so bad it feels they will never function normally again,


16 RACING BLADE Fall 2011 www.usspeedskating.org


“My Dad believed in two things when it came to sports. One: the family that plays together stays together. Two: the value of sport carried over into everyday life, teaching one about competition, build- ing character and self- confidence,” said Clair’s daughter, Sheila Young Ochowicz. “My dad worked out every day. He knew the value of staying healthy and would always tell us: be sure to take care of your legs, always keep them strong. They will carry you through life.” He was part of the Greatest Genera- tion and the values and experiences that molded this man of few yet warm and supportive words, would cross over to the ice as well. He raised a close family and created an environment on the ice that made the skating community feel like family too. Clair loved to coach. He enjoyed pass- ing along his knowledge and he was good at it. The connection he made with those


on the ice was instant and life changing. He inspired so many to work hard and follow their dreams; to believe that they could make it, no matter what their back- ground or talent level, with constant sup- port and positive reinforcement. Support and real joy came when he would watch his children and grandchildren compete. “If I was racing in Milwaukee, my


grandparents would always come from Michigan to watch and cheer me on,” granddaughter Elli Ochowicz shared. When visiting her grandparents af- ter competing in the Vancouver Winter Games, where she finished 17th place in the 500 meters and 26th in the 1000 meters, Elli remembers her grandfather being so proud.


“He came up to me and put his arm


around me and said ‘You did good, kid.” She’ll never forget that.


Her mother has the same type of mem- ory. Sheila Young Ochowicz made Olympic history at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, Austria, by becoming the first US athlete to win three medals in any Winter Games; a gold medal in 500 meters, silver in 1500meters and bronze in the 1000 meter distance in women’s speedskating. Sheila recalled the moment she won her gold medal. She searched for her dad, fighting through the crowd. “I finally found him and when I did, I gave him a big hug and said, ‘Thank you for everything’ it was definitely a feeling of we did it!” That moment shared on TV inspired another young man and his brother. Kip and Cory Carpenter were only young kids when their father witnessed Sheila’s post- Olympic cereal com- mercial and the scenario played of her thanking her dad. The elder Carpen- ter said “I want that for my boys” and sought out Clair to see if he would coach Kip and his brother Cory. “My father brought us over to practice and almost instantly, the Young’s made


Photo courtsey of USA Cycling


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