A Day at the White House
April 07, 2006 | Men's Track & Field
It's not every day that you get to visit the White House and meet the president but that's exactly what the University of Wisconsin men's cross country team did on Thursday. The Badgers were in Washington, D.C., for the White House NCAA Champions Day, which honors collegiate teams that have won national titles this season.
The nine student-athletes, coaches and support staff took off from the Madison airport at p.m. Wednesday and arrived in D.C., at 4 p.m. The group successfully negotiated the Metro system and made it to the hotel around 4:45 p.m. While the athletes went off for a run around the mall area, the coaches and staff walked around the Capitol and down the Mall to the Washington Monument.
The group all gathered back at the hotel at 7 p.m. and headed to Union Station for dinner. Following dinner, the team and coaches took a cab to the Lincoln Memorial and enjoyed a night-time stroll of the west end of the Mall. The Badgers viewed the F.D.R. Memorial, George Mason Memorial and ended up at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial before returning to the hotel.
Thursday began bright and early for the Badgers as many of the athletes headed out for a morning run before breakfast. The group left the hotel at 10 a.m. for a short walk to the Hart Senate Office building and the offices of Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl. The Badgers spent some time looking at the photos in the senator's office before heading to the Capitol for a tour with two members of the senator's staff. As guests of the senator, the group was able to take the underground train system normally reserved for government staff.
At the Capitol, the Badgers got to see the Rotunda, Brumidi Corridors, National Statuary Hall and the location in the Capitol considered the geographic center of Washington, D.C.
Following its tour, the team returned to the Hart Senate Office building where it met Senator Kohl. The Badgers shook hands and introduced themselves to the senator before enjoying a short discussion on current issues including the war in Iraq, immigration and the deficit. The group posed for a photo with the senator and also presented him with a Wisconsin Cross Country T-shirt and autographed cheesehead.
The team returned to Union Station for a quick bite to eat before hopping on the Metro to the White House. A short while later, the group was at the South East gate and the visitors' entrance of the White House. The Badgers, who waited in line with the 12 other NCAA Division I teams being honored, had to show photo identification and pass through security before proceeding into the White House. The team was greeted by a White House social aide and military social aide. The Badgers were able to tour some private rooms of the White House as well as enjoy some refreshments on the south lawn before proceeding upstairs for their team photo.
Wisconsin was led to the East Room of the White House, where four other NCAA championship teams were also aligned. The team was lined up on risers with space left on the floor for the president. The group had some time to relax and listen to some White House history from the military aide before the president arrived at 2:45 p.m. Mr. Bush shook everyone's hand and also made a comment about wearing a 'Badger red tie' since his blue one had gravy on it! The president also congratulated the team on a great season and said they were 'all champions. '
After the photo with the president , the group was led through the Green Room and into the Blue Room where they were introduced to the assembled crowd. A military band played 'On, Wisconsin' as the team headed out the South Portico and down the stairs to the South Lawn.
The Badger group was one of the first teams introduced so they were near the front of the crowd for the president's remarks. The remaining teams were announced as their fight songs were played and seated on the lawn before the team representatives came out and stood on a raised platform with their presidential gifts. The president followed shortly and addressed the gathering from a podium. (A complete transcript and video of the president's remarks can be found at www.whitehouse.gov )
After a short speech highlighting each team, the president accepted each team's gift and posed for photos with each presenter. The president left and many teams, including the Badgers posed for photos in front of the White House and on the South Lawn with the Washington Monument in the background.
Several members of the group visited some of the Smithsonian museums while others enjoyed a leisurely walk back to the hotel following the ceremony. At 6 p.m., the team hopped on the Metro and headed to the airport for the return to Madison. All in all, a very memorable experience for the national champion Badgers!
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