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Post by mtnme on Aug 17, 2009 9:50:25 GMT -8
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2009 20:55:01 GMT -8
Very happy Birthday, Jeff.
Best of luck in the weeks ahead!
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Post by mtnme on Aug 22, 2009 8:51:13 GMT -8
This photo brought over from TRF. Goofing around with 'skater art' by messin' with photo software.
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Aug 27, 2009 19:45:47 GMT -8
Way to go, Jeff! VMG Worldwide Signs U.S. Speed Skater Jeff SimonJeff Simon selects VMG Sports for exclusive marketing representation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 12, 2009 – VMG Sports, a sports division of VMG Worldwide, Inc., the world’s most preeminent and diversified sports and entertainment company is proud to announce the signing of 2010 Olympic gold medal prospect Jeff Simon to a worldwide marketing agreement. With the 2010 Winter Olympics coming up quickly Simon is preparing to take full advantage of all of his opportunities for this, his first of many Olympic gold medal runs. “VMG Sports is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Jeff Simon” said Nick Sampson, Vice President of VMG Worldwide “Jeff's incredible skill level, his intense dedication to his craft, and his great character and personality make Jeff a perfect fit for the VMG Worldwide team.” At the Olympic Trials coming up, commencing September 8th - 12th, 2009 in Marquette Michigan, Jeff Simon will confidently compete to qualify in four events at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver Canada. “I'm very excited to have the opportunity to sign with VMG Sports” said Jeff Simon. “I've been working very hard training to achieve my life long goal of excelling in the Olympics. I'm looking to maximize my potential both on and off of the ice. Signing with VMG Worldwide will give me the opportunity to maximize my potential off of the ice, and free me up to concentrate all of my efforts on preparing for the Olympic Trials, the 2010 Olympic Games, and excelling on the ice. This is the perfect time.” Jeff Simon has been successful at every level of short track speed skating that he has ever competed at. Some of Jeff's major achievements include two-time 2007 Junior World silver medalist, 2007 U.S. Junior champion, he is a two-time World Junior Team member and a two-time World Team member, 2008 World Team champion, six 2008-2009 World Cup medals (including two gold, one silver, and three bronze medals), and Jeff was voted the 2008 Eric Heiden Skater Of The Year. “We are very excited to have Jeff Simon join our elite client roster of professional athletes. Furthermore, our goal is to create new opportunities across a variety of platforms, including television, broadcasting, marketing and endorsements, licensing, speaking, entertainment and digital media. I am pleased that I will have the opportunity to work with him to build the equity in his brand” said Tyler Barr, President and CEO, VMG Worldwide. Jeff Simon is the U.S. Record holder in the 500 meter and 1000 meter short track speed skating events, and is a former World Record holder in the 500 meter short track speed skating event. Simon set all of these records while competing as a junior skater. He had two years of eligibility left, in 2008 and 2009, to skate in the Junior World Championships where he would have been the favorite to win the gold. Simon decided to bypass his final two years of eligibility to focus instead on the World Championships. About VMG Worldwide VMG Worldwide, Inc. is the world’s most preeminent and diversified sports and entertainment company. VMG’s diverse businesses include marketing and advertising, recorded music, artist management, sports marketing and promotions, talent representation, event management, digital media, filmed entertainment, and television programming to a global and passionate audience.
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Post by aaosmts19 on Sept 2, 2009 13:02:42 GMT -8
And as we get ready for the Oly's, from VMG's twitter: twitter.com/vmgworldwideSpeed Skating Olympic Trials start 9/8/09. Jeff Simon's coming out party. 12:59 AM Aug 16th from web
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 5, 2009 7:48:15 GMT -8
Speedskater hopes to glide through trials, compete for Olympic gold By Anthony Fenech / Las Vegas Sun Sat, Sep 5, 2009
Jeff Simon wasn’t like most teenagers when he was 14 years old. A serious athlete, he lived for speed. Took risks. Lived on the edge.
And on a day just two weeks shy of the start of high school, as he was waiting anxiously for his parents outside a speedskating clinic in Los Angeles, Simon prepared to broach with them a topic foreign to most teenagers: He would ask if he could leave home to train professionally.
That was six years ago. Now, five cities, four high schools, three homes, two states and one convincing car ride back to Vegas later, Simon is on the cusp of the very dream that led him to abandon the desert heat for a clean sheet of ice.
Since a young age, Simon has dreamed of an Olympic experience. Now 20 years old, his focus is the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Next week he will be one step closer to his dream when he competes in the 2010 U.S. Short Track Speedskating Olympic Trials in Marquette, Mich.
“Every day for the past 10 years, I wake up wanting to represent both my country and myself at the Olympics,” Simon said. “I feel good right now … I’m prepared and I’ve worked hard. I’m not going to let this moment pass by.”
That moment is a decade in the making, dating back to when Simon first learned about speedskating from a flier that prompted him to exchange his roller blades for ice skates. He started taking classes twice a week and the rest was history –- almost.
“I just remember him saying, ‘I want to learn to skate fast,’” said his mother, Nancy Simon.
Jeff Simon said he was told to decide between Boy Scouts and skating.
“I started to have a passion and drive to do well in skating, so I think I made the right decision,” he said.
His passion took him to Los Angeles for a weekend speedskating clinic hosted by renowned Dutch coach Wilma Boomstra.
“(Boomstra) said he had a lot of natural talent,” Nancy Simon said. “She mentioned that if they could get him there, they would be able to work with him and do some great things.”
Boomstra’s assessment piqued a heated discussion on the ride back to the valley from Los Angeles. His mother resisted at first. But his father thought otherwise.
Howard Simon said he remembered thinking at the time that, “'He’ll hate us forever if we don’t support this.'” Eventually, as a family, they decided to go for it.
So began the teen’s nomadic journey to pursue his dream. He spent almost three years in four California cities with a trio of skating families; then left to train in Marquette, in the upper peninsula of Michigan.
Making the move to the colder climate wasn’t easy. “I’m a West Coast kid at heart,” he said with a laugh.
Throughout his amateur career, Jeff Simon has picked up numerous awards and trophies. He holds two U.S. records in the 100- and 500-meter relays as a junior skater and has six World Cup medals from 2008, including last year’s Eric Heiden U.S. Skater of the Year award.
And, despite the pressure, this weekend he will line up and practice the same routine he always has.
He will make eye contact with one of his coaches, prepare his mind, line up and take off around a 100-meter racetrack, reaching speeds of up to 35 mph with dreams to once again leave home -- this time, hopefully, to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
“I know I’ve worked harder than my opponents,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure, but a lot of excitement.”
Just like an August day six years ago.
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 20, 2009 23:10:28 GMT -8
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 22, 2009 22:04:13 GMT -8
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Sept 24, 2009 23:37:59 GMT -8
The following Hero Card was provided by US Speedskating: And a few more from Jerry Search (09 Olympic Trials): True Grit:
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Post by aaosmts19 on Nov 13, 2009 16:30:20 GMT -8
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Post by mtnme on Jan 20, 2010 15:22:18 GMT -8
The computer photo clean-out continues... And in the 'OMG! Look how young they are!' category... Ryan Bedford, Jeff Simon, JR Celski, Carly Wilson (?), Katherine Reutter, and Lana Gehring. ...and check out the curly thick mop of hair on Jeff!
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Mar 28, 2010 14:33:00 GMT -8
Here's a 'find'... we'd heard that Jeff had given Long Track a go last December, and here's proof! US Long Track Championships - 500M - Salt Lake City - Dec 2009 / Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman, Getty Images
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Oct 22, 2010 16:26:14 GMT -8
A nice lil' article from TeamUSA.org, with some quotes from Jeff (Who, BTW, had a predictably awesome day in Montreal today - in case you hadn't noticed!) speedskating.teamusa.org/news/2010/10/22/u-s-short-track-speedskaters-kick-off-2010-2011-world-cup-season-in-montreal-oct-22-24/39155“As a team, on the men’s side, we expect nothing less than a successful event,” said returning U.S. World Cup skater Jeff Simon (Las Vegas, NV). “I’m excited to be starting a new season following a disappointing personal season last year. I'm strong, I'm motivated, and I'm hungry. We all are. We compete with the best because we can. We have a team full of new faces on the World Cup circuit, and I'm sure we will quiet any doubt to our performance this season,” added Simon. ------------------------- Continue kicking-butt-and-taking-names, Jeff!
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Nov 7, 2010 6:49:04 GMT -8
Here are Jeff's results from American Cup 1 - Oct 2-3, 2010 - Milwaukee: 2nd Overall 1500M - 2nd (A Final) 500M - 1st (A Final) 1000M - 4th (A Final) 1500M Super Final - 1st (tie) (A Final) Jeff’s finish earned him a slot on the Fall World Cup team – info (and hopefully some photos) from the World Cups will be coming soon! Isn’t this just the most awesome photo? Jeff leads Simon Cho and Travis Jayner at AmCup 1, Milwaukee. Photo Credit - Jerry SearchSee more of Jerry's photos at: www.nationalspeedskatingmuseum.org/Photo%20Albums/JerrysAlbums.htmTags: Jeff Simon / Simon Cho / Travis Jayner / Short Track Speedskating
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Post by Laura (Lori) on Nov 23, 2010 20:53:17 GMT -8
Here are Jeff's results from World Cups 1 (Montreal) and 2 (Quebec City) – he won three medals, including GOLD in the 1500M! I may be wrong, but I think this may be Jeff's first individual gold(?) World Cup 1 (Montreal) 1500M(1) – GOLD MEDAL; Heats (1st); Semifinals (1st); Finals (3rd) 1000M - Not Entered 500M - Prelims (2nd); Heats (2nd); Quarters (2nd); Semis (3rd); Final B (1st) 1500M(2) - Not Entered 5000M Relay – BRONZE MEDALWorld Cup 2 (Quebec City) 1000M(1) – Not Entered 1500M – MADE IT TO FINAL; Heats (5th – Advanced); Semis (1st); Final A (8th) 500M - Prelims (1st); Heats (1st); Quarters (1st); Semis (5th) 1000M(2) - Not Entered 5000M Relay – SILVER MEDALCredit for the following photos: Elena Viviani, Italian World Cup team Men’s 5000M Relay Bronze Medal – World Cup 1 (Montreal). L to R: Kyle Carr; Jeff Simon; Travis Jayner; Simon Cho Men’s 5000M Relay Silver Medal – World Cup 2 (Quebec City). L to R: Kyle Carr; Anthony Lobello; Jeff Simon; Travis Jayner; Simon Cho Tags: Kyle Carr / Anthony Lobello / Jeff Simon / Travis Jayner / Simon Cho / Elena Viviani / Short Track Speedskating
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