The weekend got off to an amazing start at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Cary with Ben Sutton, President of IMG College, the world's largest collegiate marketing company, kicking off the revival of the North Carolina Sports Summit on Friday, September 28.

North Carolina leaders in the sports business and tourism industry followed, including sports marketing executives, Elizabeth Lindsey, Co-President of WMG Consulting and Cameron Wagner, Senior Vice President of GMR; sport venue managers, Susan Braman, General Manager of the Greensboro Aquatic Center, and Larry Perkins, Vice President & Assistant GM of the PNC Arena; sport governing body officials, Paul Seiler, Executive Director of USA Baseball, Nadine Day, President of US Masters Swimming, and Jeff Wise, Executive Director of the US National Whitewater Center; and Olympic experts, Tom Halleran, Director of Business Development, SP Plus Gameday, Will Johnson, Owner of WJ Events, and Shannon Mizell, Broadcast Operations Manager for NBC News.

A focal point of the day was the Olympic Coaches Luncheon. The Luncheon featured George Williams, Head Coach, 2004 (Athens) US Olympic Track & Field Team; Drew Johansen, Head Coach, 2012 (London) US Olympic Diving Team; David Marsh, Assistant Coach, 2012 US Olympic Swimming Team; and Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Head Coach, 2012 & 2008 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team.

Many thanks go to luncheon sponsors WMG Consulting, Duke University Athletics, St. Augustine's University, WRAL-TV and Fox50.

Students and sports industry executives dominated the attendees, with St. Augustine's University, NC State University, Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Campbell Law School represented among the 150 participants.

The next morning featured Olympic Outreach programs in table tennis and swimming, with a Table Tennis clinic at the Embassy, led by two-time Olympian Diana Gee of Cary, and 1987 US Olympic Festival Gold Medalist Kim Gilbert of Los Angeles. Simultaneous with the Table Tennis Olympic Outreach was the Swimming Olympic Outreach program held at Pullen Park Pool in Raleigh and led by Olympic Festival Gold Medalist Nadine Day.

Over 40 area young people participated in the two programs, accompanied by a roughly equal number of parents. Special thanks go to Dwayne Jones of the Town of Cary Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department, for coordinating the Table Tennis Outreach Program and providing the official Olympic Trials Table Tennis tables. Thanks, too, to Terri Stroupe, City of Raleigh Aquatics Director, and her team at the City of Raleigh Parks & Recreation Department for facilitating the Swimming Outreach Program.

The evening was highlighted by the Olympic & Paralympic Athlete Reception & Banquet that featured Olympians from the 1952 Games (Helinski, Finland) to this year's London Games. NC State NCAA Basketball Champion and 1972 Olympian Tommy Burleson, the last person at the Olympic Village to see the Israeli athletes alive, led a special moment of silence for the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre. Tommy also acknowledged the passing during the last year of three noted North Carolina Olympians: Anita Zetts, the state's oldest Olympian, a gymnast in the 1948 London Games; Mark Lenzi, Olympic Diver in the 1992 (Barcelona) and 1996 (Atlanta) Games and Head Diving Coach at East Carolina University; and coaching legend and former US Olympic Committee President, LeRoy Walker, Head US Olympic Track & Field Coach at the 1976 Montreal Games.

Brian Hoyle, the voice of the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena, served as Master of Ceremonies. Charlotte resident Cullen Jones delivered a heartfelt and entertaining keynote address, and testimonials by award winners Manteo Jones, Western Carolina University coach and 2012 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Men's 4x400 Relay (track & field); and Ashley Thomas, wheelchair athlete and Executive Director of Bridge II Sports in Durham inspired the 200 audience members.

Award winners were Cullen Jones, NC's most-decorated 2012 Olympian, the LeRoy Walker Outstanding NC Male Olympian Award; Manteo Mitchell, who ran his 4x100 relay leg on a broken leg, the Kay Yow Courage Award; and Bridge II Sports and its executive director, Ashley Thomas, the Triangle's Paralympic organization, the Hill Carrow Regional Sports Leadership Award. (The previous day Coach Mike Krzyzewski received the Al Buehler Coaching Excellence Award and Abby Johnston received the LeRoy Walker Outstanding NC Female Olympian (with her coach, Drew Johansen, accepting on her behalf).) This was Cullen Jones' second LeRoy Walker Outstanding NC Olympian Award, having captured the same honor with his 2008 Olympic Games performance in Beijing.

One other key component that truly helped "make" the weekend was the commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of U.S. Olympic Festival-'87, considered the Triangle's brightest shining moment and still the largest event ever staged in North Carolina. Festival athletes from as far as California, staff from as far as Nevada, volunteers and Board members all convened at the Athlete Reception & Banquet to reminisce and catch up with prior colleagues and associates. An extensive collection of Olympic Festival memorabilia decorated both the reception and dining areas and served as genuine reminders of the magnitude and professionalism of that monumental event.

Festival accomplishments such as the uniting of the Triangle; founding of North Carolina Amateur Sports, the State Games of North Carolina, and the Bull Durham Blues Festival; expediting of construction of I-40, Raleigh-Durham Airport, and fiber optic cable throughout the region; and the roadside flower program that continues across the state of North Carolina were cited as keys to growth, development, and cooperative planning efforts for the central region of the state.

1987 Olympic Festival athlete attendees were Greg Burgess (swimming), Nadine Day (swimming), Diana Gee (Table Tennis), Kim Gilbert (Table Tennis), and William Keever (swimming). Other Festival reunion attendees included 1) staff members Winkie LaForce, Participant Services; Tom Halleran, Transportation; Hill Carrow, President & Executive Director; Anne Franklin, Opening Ceremonies; Cathy Stuart, Legal; and Janis Matson, Operations; 2) Sport Coordinators Guy Troy, Modern Pentathlon; Al Buehler, Track & Field; and Jim McQueen, Table Tennis; 3) Board Members Bill Francis, Stan Campbell, Nora Lynn Finch, and Smedes York; and 4) Volunteers Nan Hannah and Jane Ragan.

North Carolina Olympians & Paralympians participating in the weekend's activities included:

Al Buehler, Greg Burgess, Tommy Burleson, Diana Gee-McDonnell, Sylvia Hatchell, Drew Johansen,  Cullen Jones, Leora "Sam" Jones, Jamill Kelly, Dave Kiley, Mike Krzyzewski, David Marsh, Manteo Mitchell, Lary Schulhof, Arnold Sowell, Guy Troy, and George Williams.

Special thanks go to our numerous outstanding sponsors, led by partners Capitol Broadcasting Company and Progress Energy, and including: Media Partners, Fox 50 & WRAL-TV; Gold Sponsor, NC Amateur Sports; Silver Sponsor, Sports & Properties, Inc.; Bronze Sponsor, Triangle Orthopaedic Associates; Official Suppliers, Town of Cary and the Embassy Suites Hotel; and Olympic/Paralympic Reception & Banquet Table Sponsors Atlantic Tire, Captive Aire, Eye Care Associates, Golden Corral, Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, Raleigh Orthopaedics, Red Hat, Sports Endeavors, and Summit Hospitality; Shared Table Sponsors, Cary Chamber of Commerce, Kast-a-Way Swimwear, and Kilpatrick Townsend; and Contributors Preston Development, Dek Driscoll, and Joe Freddoso.

The TSC is partnering with the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce and the Business & Professional Women's Association on SuperKNOW (Knowledgeable Network of Women), Wednesday, October 24, 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Hilton RDU, featuring the Triangle's NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches-Kellie Harper, NC State; Sylvia Hatchell, UNC; Joann McCallie, Duke; and Vannessa Taylor, NC Central-in an ESPN-style living room chat with moderator Debra Morgan of WRAL-TV. The SuperKNOW is a first-ever event  with all four coaches and is presented by Rex Hospital Pelvic Health Center. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.morrisvillechamber.org, while sponsorships and tables are available by contacting the Triangle Sports Commission at 919.678.1651 or froy@trianglesportscommission.com.