Convention Visitors Catch the Olympic Spirit

October/November 2001 IBEW Journal

One of the most coveted souvenirs of the IBEW Convention was an autographed hockey puck from 2001 Winter Olympic hopeful and Local 57, Salt Lake City member Mark Hoaglin.

"We’ve had the longest line here," said PacifiCorp’s Douglas Bennion, who estimates Hoaglin signed as many as 2,000 pucks in the week of the Electrical Industry Exposition and the 36th International Convention that followed.

Hoaglin, who sat beside a red two-man bobsleigh, has been a journeyman lineman with Utah Power since 1983. PacifiCorp’s subsidiary, Utah Power, is co-sponsoring the ’02 Salt Lake City Winter Games with the IBEW.

A grandfather as well as single father of three children, Hoaglin, 43, is a former Mr. Utah. But he has overcome many challenges to see Team USA within his reach today. At the age of 10, he and his brothers and sisters found themselves homeless and on the streets. Hoaglin also battled drug abuse but turned his life around. When he was approached at his gym a year ago with the opportunity to be a part of the bobsleigh team, he never looked back.

Because Hoaglin needs to spend several hours lifting, pushing and doing other exercises that simulate the sport each day, Utah Power recently relieved him of his duties climbing poles and now pays his salary and benefits while he trains full time. Local 57 and other IBEW locals have been contributing to the four-man team’s equipment, training and traveling expenses, which are significant.

"People think we have sponsors and other forms of support but we don’t," Hoaglin said. "You’re all independent contractors until you get to the trials. But if you get past those, that’s when you get some help."

Six-time power-lifting champion Hoaglin will put his training to the test in time trials in December in Park City, Utah. Between six and 10 teams will compete for the fastest time down the icy track. Only the two fastest teams, plus one alternate, will make it onto the USA’s Olympic team. And once they make it, the odds against taking a medal are great—traditionally countries like Germany, Switzerland and Canada capture the gold, silver and bronze prizes.

"The Swiss look really tough this year," said Hoaglin, speaking from his quarters in California where he worked out with members of the Romanian team. "But you have to remember these teams have been practicing the sport for hundreds of years. The U.S. team hasn’t medalled in over 60 years."

Even this fall, when Hoaglin should be devoting all of his free time to working out, he’s finding that many hours must be spent fundraising. He estimates the team is still several thousand dollars short.

Utah Power will be key to the Salt Lake City Games when they open on February 8. The company—and IBEW linemen, relay/communications technicians and mechanics—will be delivering the equivalent of broadcasting 10 pro football games a day for 17 days.

The IBEW will be present on the field and behind the scenes at the Olympics. One member of Local 125, Portland, Oregon, and another member of Local 57 will be participating in the torch relay leading to the lighting of the flame to open the games.