PARALYMPICS: Games kick off Friday night with Opening Ceremony

PARALYMPICS: Games kick off Friday night with Opening Ceremony{mosimage}TORINO, Italy – The 2006 U.S. Paralympic team will kick off the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games Friday night with the Opening Ceremony at Stadio Olimpico in Torino.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Torino time. Mono-skier Chris Devlin-Young will lead the U.S. team into the Opening Ceremony as the U.S. team flagbearer.

The 2006 U.S. Paralympic team consists of 56 athletes – 11 women and 45 men.

‘The members of the team representing our country have been preparing for years and have risen to the top of their sports’ said USA Chef de Mission Trygve Myhren. ‘The coaches and support staff for the teams have cleared the way for an excellent group of athletes to be fully prepared for the opening day of competition tomorrow. We are excited about our prospects as we launch into major events on the first day of the Games.’

Competition for the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games will get under way Saturday, March 11 and will continue through Sunday, March 19.

A total of 20 states are represented as the home state of the 56 athletes of the 2006 U.S. Paralympic team. Colorado boasts the most with 12 followed by New York with eight.

Below is the list of U.S. athletes who have been entered for competition at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games, as well as the state-by-state roster listing.

2006 United States Paralympic team roster by sport
(Name; hometown)

Alpine skiing (27)
Women (7)
Sandy Dukat; Vail, Colo.
Lacey Heward; Boise, Idaho
Allison Jones; Colorado Springs, Colo.
Hannah Pennington; Winter Park, Colo.
Laurie Stephens; Wenham, Mass.
Elista Storey; Sun Valley, Idaho
Stephani Victor; Park City, Utah

Men (20)
Kevin Bramble; Truckee, Calif.
Carl Burnett; Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Erik Bayindirli; Deer Mountain, Utah
Chris Canfield; Breckenridge, Colo.
Nick Catanzarite; Winter Park, Colo.
Chris Devlin-Young; Campton, N.H.
Clay Fox; Portland, Ore.
Ralph Green; Eagle-Vail, Colo.
Gerald Hayden; Winter Park, Colo.
John Knudson; American Canyon, Calif.
James Lagerstrom; Dearborn, Mich.
Roger Lee; Winter Park, Colo.
Monte Meier; Park City, Utah
Andy Parr; Rockland, Maine
Reed Robinson; Incline Village, Nev.
George Sansonetis; Fraser, Colo.
Josh Sundquist; Harrisonsburg, Va.
Joe Tompkins; Juneau, Alaska
Tyler Walker; Franconia, N.H.
Brad Washburn; Winter Park, Colo.

Coaching staff/team assistants
Kevin Jardine; head coach, Winter Park, Colo.
Lasse Ericsson; assistant coach, Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada
Ray Watkins; assistant coach, Mount Shasta, Calif.
Ben Roberts; ski technician, Denver, Colo.
William Johnson; ski technician, Georgetown, Colo.
Patty Hawks; team leader, Breckenridge, Colo.

Nordic skiing (9)
Women (3)
Monica Bascio; Evergreen, Colo.
Candace Cable; Truckee, Calif.
Kelly Underkofler; St. Paul, Minn.

Men (6)
Bob Balk; Long Beach, Calif.
Steve Cook; Salt Lake City, Utah
Mike Crenshaw; Boulder, Colo.
Chris Klebl; Heber City, Utah
Greg Mallory; Portland, Ore.
Dan Perkins; Syracuse, N.Y.

Coaching staff/team asssistants
Jon Kreamelmeyer; head coach, Frisco, Colo.
Rebekah Bunting; assistant coach, Bozeman, Mont.
Scott Peterson; assistant coach, Park City, Utah
Jon Zdechlik; assistant coach, Frisco, Colo
Sandy Metzger; team leader, Breckenridge, Colo.

Sled hockey (15)
Men (15)
Steven Cash; Overland, Mo.
Taylor Chace; Hampton Falls, N.H.
Dave Conklin; La Crosse, Wis.
James Connelly; Galloway, N.J.
Bradley Emmerson; Amherst, N.Y.
Manuel Guerra Jr.; Plymouth, Minn.
Michael Hallman; Hatboro, Pa.
Lonnie Hannah; Mansfield, Texas
Joe Howard; Kingston, Mass.
Timothy Jones; Mt. Ephraim, N.J.
Andrew Lipsett; Mesquite, Texas
Christopher Manns; Buffalo, N.Y.
Alexi Salamone; Grand Island, N.Y.
Kip St. Germaine; East Falmouth, Mass.
Andy Yohe; Bettendorf, Iowa

Curling (5)
Women (1)
Danell Libby; Chatham, N.Y.

Men (4)
James Joseph; New Hartford, N.Y.
Augusto Perez; East Syracuse, N.Y.
James Pierce; North Syracuse, N.Y.
Wes Smith; Glenburn, Maine

Total number of U.S. athletes
Women:11
Men: 45
Total: 56

U.S. Paralympic team roster by home state
(Name; hometown; sport)

Alaska (1)
Joe Tompkins; Juneau, Alaska; Skiing-Alpine

California (4)
Bob Balk; Long Beach, Calif.; Skiing-Nordic
Kevin Bramble; Truckee, Calif.; Skiing-Alpine
Candace Cable; Truckee, Calif.; Skiing-Nordic
John Knudson; American Canyon, Calif.; Skiing-Alpine

Colorado (12)
Monica Bascio; Evergreen, Colo.; Skiing-Nordic
Chris Canfield; Breckenridge, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Nick Catanzarite; Winter Park, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Mike Crenshaw; Boulder, Colo.; Skiing-Nordic
Sandy Dukat; Vail, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Ralph Green; Eagle-Vail, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Gerald Hayden; Winter Park, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Allison Jones; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Roger Lee; Winter Park, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Hannah Pennington; Winter Park, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
George Sansonetis; Fraser, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine
Brad Washburn; Winter Park, Colo.; Skiing-Alpine

Idaho (2)
Lacey Heward; Boise, Idaho; Skiing-Alpine
Elista Storey; Sun Valley, Idaho; Skiing-Alpine

Iowa (1)
Andy Yohe; Bettendorf, Iowa; Sled Hockey

Maine (3)
Carl Burnett; Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Skiing-Alpine
Andy Parr; Rockland, Maine; Skiing-Alpine
Wes Smith; Glenburn, Maine; Curling

Massachusetts (3)
Joe Howard; Kingston, Mass.; Sled Hockey
Kip St. Germaine; East Falmouth, Mass.;Sled Hockey
Laurie Stephens; Wenham, Mass.; Skiing-Alpine

Michigan (1)
James Lagerstrom; Dearborn, Mich.; Skiing-Alpine

Minnesota (2)
Kelly Underkofler; St. Paul, Minn.; Skiing-Nordic
Manuel Guerra Jr.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Sled Hockey

Missouri (1)
Steve Cash; Overland, Mo.; Sled Hockey

Nevada (1)
Reed Robinson; Incline Village, Nev.; Skiing-Alpine

New Hampshire (3)
Taylor Chace; Hampton Falls, N.H.; Sled Hockey
Chris Devlin-Young; Campton, N.H.; Skiing-Alpine
Tyler Walker; Franconia, N.H.; Skiing-Alpine

New Jersey (2)
James Connelly; Galloway, N.J.; Sled Hockey
Timothy Jones; Mt. Ephraim, N.J.; Sled Hockey

New York (8)
Bradley Emmerson; Amherst, N.Y.; Sled Hockey
James Joseph; New Hartford, N.Y.; Curling
Danell Libby; Chatham, N.Y.; Curling
Christopher Manns; Buffalo, N.Y.; Sled Hockey
Dan Perkins; Syracuse, N.Y.; Skiing-Nordic
Augusto Perez; East Syracuse, N.Y.; Curling
James Pierce; North Syracuse, N.Y. Curling
Alexi Salamone; Grand Island, N.Y.; Sled Hockey

Oregon (2)
Clay Fox; Portland, Ore.; Skiing-Alpine
Greg Mallory; Portland, Ore.; Skiing-Nordic

Pennsylvania (1)
Michael Hallman; Hatboro, Penn.; Sled Hockey

Texas (2)
Lonnie Hannah; Mansfield, Texas; Sled Hockey
Andrew Lipsett; Mesquite, Texas; Sled Hockey

Utah (5)
Eric Bayindirli; Deer Mountain, Utah; Skiing-Alpine
Steve Cook; Salt Lake City, Utah; Skiing-Nordic
Chris Klebl; Heber City, Utah; Skiing-Nordic
Monte Meier; Park City, Utah; Skiing-Alpine
Stephani Victor; Park City, Utah; Skiing-Alpine

Virginia (1)
Josh Sundquist; Harrisonsburg, Va.; Skiing-Alpine

Wisconsin (1)
Dave Conklin; La Crosse, Wis.; Sled Hockey