An Interview with Olympic Bronze Medaist Speedskater JR Celski

I sat down with Olympic bronze medalist JR Celski in a little coffee shop on a rainy day in Vancouver, BC.

This video is also available on the KING5 Olympic Zone

Canadian Ice Dancing Gold Medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir Press Conference

After asking Canadian Ice Dancing Gold Medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir a couple of questions at their February 23, 2010 BCMC Press Conference, I then interviewed Scott's dad, Joe.

The video is also on the KING5 Olympic Zone

GOOD FRIENDS WIN GOLD AT HOME
By Brennan LaBrie

Earlier this month I wrote a blog for the News-Tribune and mentioned that I did not know what to expect while covering the Olympics, but that the unexpected was half of the fun. Well, yesterday morning something unexpected popped up – and it certainly was fun.

Scott Boir and Tessa Virtue, the Canadian ice–dance couple who won gold Monday night, did a press conference at the British Columbia Media Center(BCMC) just hours after taking home the gold. The couple are very popular in Canada and people love the stories about how close they are and how they have skated together for most of their lives, having met when they were just seven and nine.

Both were very excited and proud, along with thousands of Canadians, but also credit American ice–dance couple Meryl Davis and Charlie White for helping in their win.

“We wouldn’t be sitting here now with gold medals without Meryl and Charlie. They’re an incredible team, they work so hard, not to mention that they’re just fabulous people,“ Virtue said. “We’re lucky to call them friends, and I think that we will be friends for a lifetime."

I grabbed the chance to ask a few questions of Virtue and Boir, and here they are:

There were some great performances last night – do you honestly enjoy close competition?

“Absolutely. We always want everybody at their best,” Virtue replied.” I think that’s just how you want a event. Entertaining for the crowd, exciting for everyone watching. And it’s great to come out on top. So we want everyone at their best. We want everyone to deliver a great performance, it’s just the sweeter for us!”

And how do you sleep when the next day is going to be the biggest day of your life?

“It is tough to sleep,” Boir replied, “and time ticks by so slowly. Yesterday was probably one of the longest days of my life. Actually, we’re still kinda living it! But you have to rely on your training. We really just trust our training when we get up there and believe in ourselves. We did our work before we went up there and we were going to be satisfied with ourselves no matter what happened, and that’s the best thing in the world.”

Great Gift Ideas

December 4, 2009
TIME For Kids (TFK)

Decorative Bowls and Flowerpots
I bought a bright-colored, glazed flowerpot and my brother and I took Sharpie markers and wrote nice moments from the past in a spiral shape around the pot, along with small doodles. It looks great and won't wash off! Our grandparents will see what our handwriting looked like for a long time. - Brennan LaBrie

Book Review: Drizzle

Drizzle
By Kathleen Van Cleve
Reviewed by TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie

Genre: Fiction

Number of pages: 368

What is the basic story line?
The book is about a magical rhubarb farm owned by a farmer and his family. It is a first-person narrative from the perspective of the farmer's 11-year-old daughter, Polly Peabody. The Peabodys are an ordinary family in an extraordinary situation. Their magical farm is a nationwide tourist attraction, featuring chocolate-flavored rhubarb, a lake that no one can drown in, and rain that falls every Monday at 1:00 p.m. The tourists come to witness the rain and to experience the famous "umbrella ride," a 20-story-high spinning swing ride. Life is going great for the Peabody family until one Monday when the afternoon rain stops for the first time in 86 years. The lake, the crops and the family business are at stake. Plus, Polly's cheery 17-year-old brother, Freddy, comes down with a serious illness, and money is needed to help him. Everyone in the family has his or her own theory about this bad turn of events, but only Polly knows that magic is the key, and it's up to her to find a way to save the farm and her brother.

Were the characters believable?
Yes, very much so. In fact, one of the reasons that I liked the book so much was that I could feel just how Polly felt throughout the book, and I could even relate to her mom and dad.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), how would you rate this book?
I would definitely give this book a 9. It is a great book with drama and action throughout. I was completely hooked and did not want to put the book down. I highly recommend it for anyone who is into magic--or who just wants to read a good book.

Fun (and Games!), Too!

By TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie
February 19, 2010

TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie reports from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

I arrived in Vancouver, Canada, on Wednesday, February 17, and found lots of activity on the streets. Everywhere I looked there were signs of national pride. The Olympic rings and the Canadian flag were splashed across everything from T-shirts to skyscrapers. Many messages on billboards showed a sense of humor. One billboard for an insurance company read: Speed skaters can't avoid tail-gaiting, but YOU can!

I'm enjoying myself in Vancouver. The city is surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains, and bridges over waterways. Its downtown district is fun to walk and has a great variety of cool shops and underground malls. Every few blocks there are musicians or art displays. Banners fill the city, and light shows fill the sky. (Read More)

A Birthday to Remember

By TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie
February 19, 2010

Canadian speed skater Marianne St-Gelais snags a silver medal on her birthday

Marianne St-Gelais skated into second place on her 20th birthday. The Canadian won the silver medal in the women's 500-meter short-track speed skating on February 17, at the Winter Games in Vancouver.


COURTESY LABRIE FAMILY

TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie met with Canadian speed skater Marian St-Gelais.

Her boyfriend and fellow short-track speed skater, Charles Hamelin of Team Canada, hugged her at the finish line. St-Gelais says she will be at the finish line to cheer Hamelin on when he races later this week.

St-Gelais, who grew up in the French-speaking province of Quebec, also speaks English. The friendly and energetic athlete beamed as she spoke to the press at the British Columbia International Media Center in Vancouver on Thursday morning. Many members of the Canadian press appeared proud to congratulate one of their own.

So what is it like to win on home turf?

"It's a really good thing," Saint-Gelais told TFK. "You're in front of your crowd, your Canadian crowd. It's amazing! It gives you wings. But it is really, really loud. It is great positive energy!"

Catching up with Shaun White

By TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie
February 22, 2010

TIME For Kids talks to Shaun White, snowboarder and Olympic gold-medal winner

TFK:
What goes through your mind before a competition?

WHITE:
I usually think about the trick that gives me trouble. I try to get into the zone, into a good state where I feel confident. I really feel that succeeding in the sport mostly depends on your mindset. If you tell yourself that you're going to do all of your tricks perfectly, your chances of winning are much better.

TFK:
Do you have any rituals that you do for good luck before you compete?

WHITE:
One year I bought an awesome T-shirt at an Ozzy Osborne concert. It was my favorite. I wore it under my jacket and started winning competition after competition. I had to have that shirt on for every competition that whole year, and it turned out to be the best season of my career. This year, I ate steak before each competition.

TFK:
What do you love best about your sport?

WHITE:
I think my favorite part is that I'm not told what to practice—it's all up to me. I'm really only as good as I want to be. I have the opportunity to be the best snowboarder in the world or just an alright one. I love that about the sport. You're able to dig deep and see what you can do.

(Read More)

A Chat with Rachael Flatt

Our kid reporter caught up with the champion figure skater at the Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada
By TFK Kid Reporter Brennan LaBrie
February 24, 2010

TFK:
What has been the most exciting moment for you so far?

FLATT:
I would have to say it was the opening ceremonies. Everyone was ecstatic and chanting "U.S.A.!" The sense of [friendship ] was incredible. I had a great time and I knew that everyone else was just as excited as I was.

TFK:
How do you deal with the stress of the Games?

FLATT:
I'm having a great time. I'm not worrying about all the stress and pressure or anything. I'm just trying to enjoy myself and skate a great performance.

TFK:
Do you have any rituals that you do before competing?

FLATT:
Not really. I don't really have any superstitions. Before a competition, I just try to prepare myself both physically and mentally.

(Read More)

HANNAH TETER: A Passion for Her Sport -- and Her World

This video is also available on the KING5 Olympic Zone

By Brennan LaBrie

After winning the silver medal on February 18, snowboarder Hannah Teter (23) was presented with a check from Samsung for $30,000 for her charity, Hannah's Gold, which is connected with the international organization World Vision.

I got the chance to meet her on a sunny day in Yaletown, Vancouver, BC, where she told me more about the difference she wanted to make.

"I'm working with World Vision to sponsor a town in Kenya. Seventy thousand people! We are working to equip the whole village with clean water. It's kind of a big mission, but it's fun to do," said Teter, who won Olympic gold in 2006.

An undertaking like this is not a new idea for Teter, who has been involved in charity work since she was a child.

"I sponsored a child in a third-world country when I was younger," she said. "They would write letters and send pictures to show the difference we were making in their lives. So I knew from a young age that the influence we can have on third-world countries is huge."

Why did she choose World Vision out of all the great charities available?
"I approached World Vision because they sponsor whole villages, and I wanted to do something big. At the time,they were one of the biggest organizations making huge differences. They've been really easy to work with and have been making changes quickly."

Teter is involved in other charities as well.

"I really like helping out in all the ways I can, getting the information out there for people who might not know about things like Save the Seals here in Canada. I don't think many people know about that," she says of the extremely cruel conditions for baby seals. "And I think I'm in a good position to set a bar for knowledge and try to get it out there."

Teter says she's excited about what's going on in her life right now. From starting out in sports by trying to keep up with four older brothers, to finding her passion on the slopes, to using her visibility to help good causes, she is glad for the chance to be a role model.

SNAPSHOTS: Moments from a Kid Reporter's Trip to the Winter Games

by Brennan LaBrie

Spending a week in Vancouver, B.C, is fun in itself, and even more so during the Olympics. And being there as a reporter is better yet!

As a spectator, I got to see so many wild and interesting things. The town was splashed with the Canadian colors red and white -- groups of guys even wore flags as capes. Sides of buildings were used as giant TV screens to show games and broadcasts. Cheers echoed through the streets when gold was won by a Canadian.

People wore wild hats and painted faces, and high-fived strangers. Streets were closed off and filled with art and performers. The sky train rolled past on tracks above us.

Jugglers and music -- and even fireworks --filled the center of town. Seaplanes landed on the water. People traded collector pins. Sausages roasted on roadside carts.

From a bridge that spanned a waterway I could see two giant ball-shaped buildings reflected in the water, and hundreds of small stone inukshuks lined the shore.

As a reporter, I got to see things in a very different way. I got to see inside massive media centers, go through security checks, walk straight into venues without waiting in line, ask questions of famous athletes at press conferences and spend time with them afterwards, and meet crews from the big news stations, which was just as fun.

My home base while there was the British Columbia Media Center in Robson Square. Rows of steps lead down to a public square where events and activities surrounded an ice rink where skating was free. Overhead were glass domes, roads and a zipline suspended four stories above the square. People waited in line 5 to 9 hours to shoot through the sky for a 12-second ride they will remember forever.

As part of the media, I got up close to the Olympic flame sculpture, Fire and Ice, which was kept at a distance from the public. My interviews lead to being interviewed myself, and I got to be on TV in places as far away as Russia, Australia and Mongolia. I got to see professional newsrooms and hold giant TV cameras. I worked alongside journalists from all over the world as we typed out our stories at night.

I enjoyed special moments that are like snapshots in my mind: meeting JR Celski (short-track speed-skater) in a coffee house on a rainy day, and talking with snowboarder Hannah Teter on a very sunny balcony and holding the silver medal she had just won. Dashing to a press conference with my credential tags flying. Boarding a luxury train at sunset after a great day in Whistler.

And some of the best moments were with my mom, Colleen, who made me laugh so much at the end of a long and busy day. That -- and of course watching her cling to the zipline harness in terror as she shot through the sky holding my video camera like I'd talked her into!

NBC TODAY Show: Pint-sized reporter covers Olympics

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the
economy

NBC TODAY Show: Kid Reporter Gets Snowboarding Scoop

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

A young reporter lands the interview of a lifetime with snowboard gold medalist Shaun White.

Singing Oh Canada On Rocky Mountaineer Train Ride

I sing Canada's national anthem, "Oh Canada" on the Rocky Mountaineer Train ride from Whistler to Vancouver, BC.

10 year old is youngest Olympic reporter

At 10 years old, Brennan LaBrie will be the youngest professional reporter at the Olympic Games next month in Vancouver. Wowzers! LaBrie, who runs his own weekly newspaper at home in Washington, will be covering all the events and games. He has already interviewed two US Olympic athletes, including speed skater Apolo Ohno. (Read More)

Vancouver meets 10-year-old reporter

By Kimiya Shokoohi

How do you picture a typical reporter? Middle-aged, a little weathered, potentially balding? How about a 10-year-old with a James Dean hairdo, a pocket full of calling cards, and who is dressed to kill, or at least, gets down to the story.

Time Magazine's kid reporter Brennan LaBrie is painting a new picture of the criteria many expect reporters to fit.

“I was into writing in first grade. Our teacher showed us that we could just make our own books,” LaBrie said about how it all began. “And one day on the swings I thought I could start my own newspaper.” (Read More)

Brennan, the boy journalist, has story of his own at Games

By SEBASTIAN FEST | DPA

VANCOUVER : Brennan LaBrie is no sportsman, but he holds one of the most curious records of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver: he is the most precocious journalist in Olympic history.

"Brennan, stop reading the papers!"

The boy, aged 10, attributes the sentence to his mother, overwhelmed by the mountains of newspapers her son reads.

"I was always curious. My mum says that one of the first things I ever learnt to say was, 'why?'" the young American tells the German Press Agency DPA.

Even as his friends were at school, Brennan spent a week-and-a-half covering the Winter Olympics. LaBrie is disconcerting, because he talks with the fluency, the speed and the vocabulary of an adult.

He was chosen for Time For Kids - the children's edition of Time magazine, which has 3.5 million subscribers - in September from among 12 candidates who had previously been shortlisted among 400 children.

LaBrie could hardly believe he was going to the Olympics.

"But they told me the prize was just to go there for one day. 'No way!' I told them. If I go to the Games it is to be with the sportspeople, to see them, to talk to them, not to visit." (Read More)

Article in Spanish
Un niño que pone la nota

Kid reporter makes his mark at Olympics

By Patrick J. Sullivan of the Leader

Brennan LaBrie is overflowing with the Olympic experience.
The Spruce Street Weekly publisher of Port Townsend, on assignment in Vancouver for Time for Kids, is back in Port Townsend from a six-day whirlwind in Canada.

"It's been an incredible week," LaBrie said Monday afternoon by telephone from Vancouver. "There is so much going on."

Look for LaBrie, 10, as the subject of a Kid Reporter feature on NBC's Today Show this week.

Like most folks, the Today Show film crew was intrigued by LaBrie and his intensity. "They were assigned to spend two hours with us, and it ended up to be about seven hours,” LaBrie noted. (Read More)

2010 Winter Olympic Photo Gallery

ХАМГИЙН ЗАЛУУ СЭТГҮҮЛЧ

ХАМГИЙН ЗАЛУУ СЭТГҮҮЛЧ


Үзэгч та хамгийн залуу сэтгүүлчийг харж байна. 10 настай Брэнан Лаври Америкийн Time for kids сэтгүүлд спортын сэтгүүлчээр ажилладаг. Энэ удаад тэрээр өөрийн биеэр олимп үзэж хүүхдүүдэд өвлийн спортын талаар нийтлэл бичихээр ирсэн байна. 10-хан настай гэхэд тун эвлэгхэн бас сэргэлэн жаал байсан шүү. Сэтгүүлчдин танхимд завгүйхэн ажиллах түүнийг бид энэ олимпийн хамгийн залуу сэтгүүлчээр нэрлэж байна. 
 
I think they are saying something nice!

CNET: Olympic notebook: Meet the Games' Youngest Reporter

by Ina Fried

VANCOUVER--Working in the unofficial press center at Robson Square, Brennan LaBrie stands out a bit.
It's not just that he's blogging, doing podcasts, and posting to Twitter. It's that he's 10 years old. LaBrie was one of a dozen winners of a Time magazine "kid reporter" contest.

But LaBrie was already an experienced reporter before landing the Time gig. He runs a handwritten neighborhood weekly that has roughly 250 subscribers paying 25 cents an issue. (Read More)

Meet Brennan LaBrie, Youngest Reporter Covering Olympic Games

FanHouse spoke to LaBrie, who is in BC covering the games for Time for Kids, about how he became a journalist at such a young age and his experience at the games thus far.

Ariel Helwani
Ariel Helwani is a Video Reporter and Writer for FanHouse
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Brennan LaBrie is a 10-year-old from Port Townsend, Wash. He's also the youngest accredited reporter covering the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

KING5: 10 year old selected as Olympic reporter

by Elizabeth Berman

Posted on February 16, 2010 at 9:32 AM

******

Port Townsend 10 year old Brennan LaBrie will be covering the Olympic games for Time for Kids, the youth version of Time Magazine.

KING 5 Evening Magazine: The Olympics' youngest reporter

by SAINT BRYAN / Evening Magazine

Posted on February 15, 2010 at 7:27 PM

******

Reporters and photographers are working around the clock to bring all the Olympics action to people worldwide! And while we don't know who the oldest journalist is, we do know the youngest - a 10-year-old kid reporter from Port Townsend.

Brennan will be covering the Olympics for 5 days beginning this Wednesday.

Let The Games Begin!

By Brennan LaBrie, Special to the Leader

(Brennan LaBrie, 10, of Port Townsend, is the youngest reporter among the estimated 10,000 reporters covering Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. This is his first report for the Leader.)

The excitement is mounting in Vancouver, B.C., as the 2010 Winter Games draw near. Last Thursday I took a pre-Olympics trip up to Vancouver to see the city for myself, just days before all the madness starts.

I found there was already a great bustle on the streets, and everywhere we looked were signs of national pride. The Olympic theme was splashed across everything from T-shirts to skyscrapers. Even advertisers benefited. Many billboards exhibited humor, such as one for an insurance company: “Speed skaters can’t help tailgating, but you can!” (Read More)

Olympics: 10-Year-Old Boy To Blog For News Tribune

Olympics: 10-year-old boy to blog for News Tribune

CRAIG HILL; Staff writer
Published: 02/12/1012:05 am

While stressed veteran journalists at the Winter Olympics look for bars to blow of steam during their down time, Brennan LaBrie will be looking for a swing set.

Brennan is a writer, an editor and a newspaper publisher.

He’ll cover the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., for his newspaper, Time for Kids and The News Tribune’s Olympics blog.

Not a bad start to a journalism career, especially considering Brennan is just a 10-year-old kid from Port Townsend.

“I work really hard,” Brennan said. “But sometimes I just want to go outside and play in the mud.”

(Read More)

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games