Apolo Ohno, Crystal Krebs, Eddie Mio others share love for Colorado Springs as they are inducted into city’s sports Hall of Fame
Apolo Ohno went through his standard routine Tuesday.
The eight-time Olympic medalist came to the World Arena often during his 11 years training as a speed skater for the Olympics. Tuesday night he found the spot he used to sit and visualize his training and performance.
Only this time there was no training, no upcoming Olympic games but rather the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony hosted by the Colorado Springs Sports Corp.
Ohno headlined this year’s inductees which included former University of Colorado at Colorado Springs catcher Crystal Krebs, first employee and first commissioner of the Mountain West Conference Craig Thompson, former Colorado College hockey goaltender Eddie Mio, Coronado alum and four-sport star Jessika Stratton Caldwell, former Mitchell High star running back and three-sport athlete Terry Miller, the Palmer Terrors 1980 girls’ swim and dive team and the 1995-96 Colorado College Tigers hockey team.
The inductees are Colorado Springs through and through.
Miller recalls playing football at Memorial Park at a young age, Mio remembers serving at Pizza Plus, now Panino’s, on college night and Ohno reminisces about running at Garden of the Gods and how the Manitou Incline was his best friend.
“I feel like foundationally, Colorado Springs was a huge part of my career. For the bulk of my athletic, Olympic career it taught me everything,” Ohno said. “I found my mojo again when I lost it. I found it alone when I was on the mountain. For me, it was the blend of the natural beauty here the nature that we have mixed with the very hard brutal training that we did. It was a special place.”
Ohno captured two gold medals, two silver medals and four bronze medals in short track speed skating at the Olympics, becoming the most decorated American Olympian in the history of the winter games. He also claimed 12 United States national championships.
He’s so well known that even one of his fellow inductees was star struck. Krebs, who was inducted for being the first UCCS athlete in any sport to be named a Capital One All-American, noted how much of an honor it was to be inducted alongside the accomplished Olympian.
Krebs had a career .511 batting average as a catcher and hit 44 home runs and 129 RBIs in two years with the Mountain Lions. Her 25 homeruns in the 2004-05 season set a Division II NCAA record. She also held the triple crown for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference leading in batting average, RBIs and home runs.
Krebs, who coached locally at Lewis-Palmer and is now a teacher at Timberview Middle School was thrilled to be a part of this year’s induction class. She strives to be a role mode her daughters who were on hand to watch the ceremony.
“I just keep getting humbled and humbled with every honor that I get,” she said. “It’s funny because they asked me if I wanted to be (inducted) and I was like, ‘does anyone ever say no?’
Mio enjoyed a seven-season career in the NHL playing for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings stopping pucks as a netminder in the league.
But one of his favorite stops was Colorado Springs where he made 3,000 saves for the Colorado College Tigers from 1972-1976.
He almost didn’t come but once he saw the beauty of Colorado Springs when coming out of the airport he knew this would be his collegiate home.
Mio holds the record for most saves in a single game (72) and in a single period. Now more than 50 years later, he can hardly believe the city he said had 80,000 people has nearly half a million people calling it home.
A CC Tiger for life, he was on hand Saturday to watch this season’s Tigers defeat Long Island University 3-2 to improve to 4-0 on the season.
“Anytime you’re recognized for something you love to do…I’m on top of the clouds right now it’s been awesome,” he said. “First of all walking into (Robson) arena was awesome. … But then to watch the team actually play and play well. I’ve known Kris (Mayotte) when he was at the University of Michigan and I know he’s going to do wonderful things. And I think the people of Colorado Springs, you wait it’s going to happen and they’re going to be a powerhouse again.”
Special award recipients
Bob Graf, Col. F Don Miller Award Winner
Pam Shockley-Zalabak, Thayer Tutt Sportsman Award Winner
Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, Pikes Peak Community Legacy Award Winner
Apolo Ohno, the eight-time Olympic medalist in short track speed skating, waves to the crowd as he is introduced with Winter Olympian Chris Coleman during the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction ceremony Tuesday at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs.
Former University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball player is inducted during the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Former University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball player speaks during the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Jessika Stratton Caldwell, a four sport star at Coronado High School, speaks during the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 induction ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
