A mother and her son will watch with interest when the Olympic torch comes to Okotoks this Monday. That’s because they will be carrying the torch just a few days later as the flame makes its route to Vancouver for the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 12.

Kathy Coutts and her son Logan have supported each other in preparation for running in the 2010 Winter Olympics Torch Relay next week. The torch will make its way through Okotoks next Monday. photo by Bruce Campbell

Fourteen-year-old Logan Coutts will carry the torch on Jan. 20 in Canmore while his mother, Kathy Coutts, will have the Olympic flame five days later in Oliver, B.C.

They are two of several foothills area residents who will carry the torch in its cross-nation journey to Vancouver.

Family run

Kathy Coutts was elated when she heard the good news she was going to carry the torch. However, she wasn’t about to share the news with the world.

“Logan and I both applied,” Coutts said. “I learned in July, but I had a mixed reaction. I was excited for myself but I wanted Logan to have the opportunity more than me. So I had to rein in my enthusiasm and I prayed that Logan would get chosen.”

Someone up there must have been listening.

Logan got his notice about a month later. He didn’t rein in his enthusiasm. When he got permission to announce the honour, the student body president at Okotoks Junior High School wanted to let his classmates know.

“They didn’t believe me,” Logan said. “Some of them did, but a lot of them didn’t until I wore my (torch relay) T-shirt to school.”

Logan applied to carry the torch through SoGo Active, a program directed at getting youths active.

On his on-line application, Logan stated the torch relay was an opportunity “for ordinary people to do an extraordinary thing.”

He’s looking forward to his approximately 300m run in Canmore.

“I think it is a one time chance,” Logan said. “I like sports. To carry this flame that represents sports is exciting.”

He added he is also a proud Canadian to be part of the biggest sporting event in this country’s history.

The Couttses will have no problem running the 300m. Kathy, Logan and his sister Megan, have run the last three Sheep River Road Races (5km).

However, they have not had to run while carrying the weight of an Olympic torch before.

“We have been practicing with a weight at home,” Logan said.

The Coutts family will be seeing flames in their sleep. Not only will the family watch the Okotoks run on Monday. The whole family will be going to Canmore and Oliver, B.C. to watch Logan and Kathy run respectively.

The long run

Norm Brennand should have no problem running his leg with the torch this Sunday. He has thousands of kilometres of running behind him and has the support of more than 100 runners from the Okotoks area.

“As far as I am concerned it won’t just be me carrying the torch, it will also be the Big Rock Runners,” said the 56-year-old Brennand. “Without a doubt, I wouldn’t still be running without their support.”

He will be wearing a 2009 Sheep River Road Race running shirt under his official Olympic wear when he runs with the torch in Lethbridge. The Sheep River race is organized by the Big Rock Runners.

Brennand has been a member of the Big Rock Runners for 13 years. He has completed several marathons and in the Olympic spirit, has helped bring together a pair of geographic rivals together through sport.

On his torch relay application Brennand told of helping to organize the Friendship Run which is the annual event where participants run between the communities of High River and Okotoks (approximately 22km).

“It promotes friendship and relationships through sport, kind of like the Olympics,” Brennand said.

He’s been watching the coast-to-coast torch relay on the Internet. He’s humbled by the fact he will soon be carrying the eternal flame of the Olympics.

“I am very flattered to be one of those carrying the torch,” Brennand said. “I am happy that my kids will get to see me do it and I’m looking forward to the two and a half minutes when I will be able to represent my country.”

Brennand will be running at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Running with kids

An Okotoks resident will be able to live one of the most thrilling Olympic moments.

“I remember watching the torch relay when it came through my hometown of Mooretown, Ont. in 1988 and I would say that’s been my most exciting Olympic moment,” said Nick Ruigrok.

Ruigrok will have the torch in his hand on Monday, Jan. 18 when he participates in the torch relay in High River.

Ruigrok was selected to carry the torch by the Royal Bank’s Hockey Leader program. Ruigrok is presently with the Okotoks Midget AA Oilers coaching staff and is helping with Timbits Hockey.

However, he is most known in the foothills as chairman of Kidsport Okotoks.

“This is a once-in-a-life opportunity to carry the torch,” Ruigrok said. “It’s an honour to be recognized for what we have been able to achieve through KidSport and minor hockey.”

Okotoks KidSport provides financial assistance to families in need in order for their children to play organized sports.

To follow the torch relay go to www.ctvolympics.ca/torch/follow-torch/index.html

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