Tucker West, shown here with his parents, Pam and Brett West, is competing for Luge Gold Saturday, Feb. 8. From 9 to noon, The Ridgefield Playhouse will host a free coverage on the big screen.
The Ridgefield community has been focusing support for its Olympian, Tucker West, the 18-year-old Ridgefield native competing at the Sochi Games.
A group from William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty decided that they wanted to make sure there was much support for Tucker as he competed in the Olympics, and have erected Olympic flags along Main Street.
Amy Rocco, Paul Gervais, KC Peckham, and Nancy Honeyman were joined by Steve Carlson, Alan and Elizabeth Bates, Dierdre McClain, Lisa Carroll, and Gale Hagele as the committee.
With one of the Olympic flags in the village are Olympian Leslie Krichko, Mary Phelps and Amy Rocco. A group from William Pitt Sotheby’s purchased and hung the flags to honor Tucker West’s participation in the Winter Olympics. —Thomas B. Nash photo
Ridgefield Supply donated the dowels to hang the flags from.
Troop 76 Boy Scouts Hayden Townsend and Martin Herlihy produced a video capturing community support on Main Street for Tucker, the youngest member of the men’s luge competition in the Winter Olympics.
Adding to the hometown encouragement is Leslie Krichko, a Ridgefield resident who competed in the 1980 and 1988 Olympics in cross country skiing. She’s part of the Team Tucker movement in town to build excitement for the Ridgefield Olympian.
Ms. Krichko recently shared her Olympic experiences during a weekly meeting of Boy Scout Troop 76 at Jesse Lee Memorial Church.
The Ridgefield Playhouse on Saturday morning will carry coverage of the luge competition on the big screen.
To share support for Tucker, visit facebook.com/groups/1397278830521220/ and listen a story heard nationwide on NPR’s All Things Considered at npr.org; search for Tucker West.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, from 9 to noon, the Ridgefield Playhouse will host a broadcast of the Olympics on the big screen to honor Tucker. The event is free to the public.
Refreshments will be available for purchase in the Playhouse lobby.
Tucker is a student at National Sports Academy High in Lake Placid, N.Y. His career highlights include Junior World Cup team relay bronze medalist (2013 with Summer Britcher, Ty Anderson and Anthony Espinoza), 2012 U.S. champion (tied with Chris Mazdzer), and 2012 U.S. team relay champion, among many others. Fun facts about Tucker: He is an honor student and the youngest-ever start championship titlist holder, when he was 16.
“We are delighted that the Winter Olympic competitions can be streamed for our Playhouse audience, so let’s all join ‘Team Tucker’ this Saturday, Feb. 8, in the theater from 9 a.m. to noon to watch Tucker compete for luge gold,” said Allison Stockel, Playhouse executive director.
“There are two runs in which Tucker will compete that morning which we’ll be able to watch on the big screen. Get in the Olympic spirit, and support our very own home-grown Olympian!”
For more information, go to ridgefieldplayhouse.org or call the box office at 203-438-5795.