Olympian Ryan Reser and Paralympian Myles Porter Conduct Demonstration for President Barack Obama

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Only a small fraction of Americans will ever have the opportunity to wear the letters “USA” on their backs at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.   

Even fewer of those people get the chance to meet the President of the United States.  

And how many of those can say they taught President Barack Obama how to throw, choke, pin or armbar his foes? 

On Tuesday the answer became two as Olympian Ryan Reser and Paralympian Myles Porter conducted a judo demonstration for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on the South Lawn of the White House.

Reser and Porter were part of a contingent of more than a dozen Olympic and Paralympic athletes who were at the White House to support the bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games to come to Chicago.  

“I've called Chicago home for nearly 25 years. It's a city of broad shoulders and big hearts and bold dreams; a city of legendary sports figures, legendary sports venues, and legendary sports fans; a city like America itself, where the world – the world's races and religions and nationalities come together and reach for the dream that brought them here,” President Obama said during his address.  “We want them in the heart of our proud city… Chicago is ready. The American people are ready. We want these Games.”

After the President and First Lady both showed their enthusiasm for bringing the Games to their hometown, Reser and a local elementary school student performed several throws while Porter chatted with the Obamas about the basics of judo.

“It was really awesome and they both seemed to get really into it.  President Obama asked a lot of questions and I explained that we can pin people like in wrestling, but they only have to pin somebody for a couple seconds, but we have to hold them down for 25 which is way harder,” Porter laughed.

Reser and Porter then took turns throwing each other, but, although President Obama took off his jacket and shoes, he wasn’t able to participate in the demonstration.

“Oh I told him right away that if Ryan’s out there being thrown by a 12-year-old, the President of the United States could definitely take him,” Porter said.  “He was great, though, and looked like he really wanted to try it, but I don’t know how throwing the President would’ve gone over with the Secret Service.”

Porter and Reser had the chance to meet with the President and First Lady both before and after the demonstration.

“He was pretty easy to talk to,” Reser said.  “He just walked straight up to us, we introduced ourselves and we talked about judo and sports.  He was really great overall.”

Prior to the White House visit, Porter and Reser also did demonstrations at Lake Ridge Middle School in Woodbridge, Va.

“We did a demo for 400 sixth graders.  They were super excited and had a lot of energy when we talked to them,” Reser said.

After the demonstration, Reser and Porter went around to the classrooms where they talked to the students and signed autographs.

“It’s cool I met Obama and I loved being at the White House, but the school visits are what it’s all about,” said Porter who shared his story of competing as a visually impaired athletes with the students.  “You never know you’ll change a 12-year-old’s life.  I met 400 kids today and I know I’m gonna impact at least one.”

 

 

Tags: Myles Porter, Ryan Reser