Lea Ann Parsley
Encyclopedia
Lea Ann Parsley is a retired American
skeleton racer
from Granville, Ohio
. She was the first female skeleton athlete to win a world cup medal for the United States and earned a silver medal in the women's skeleton event, a first in Olympic history, during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. She was also one of eight athletes chosen to carry the World Trade Center flag into the Opening Ceremony
of the 2002 Winter Olympics
.
and is a direct descendant of the McCoy family of the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud
. She grew up in Granville, Ohio
where she served as a volunteer firefighter for 20 years and was inducted into the Granville High School
Athletic Hall of Fame.
competing in basketball and track and field. As a basketball player she was named second team All-Southern Conference, led the nation in free throw percentage her senior yearand is one of only 14 female players in school history to score over 1,000 points. In addition she was All-Southern Conference in high jump and javelin and held the school record in the javelin. For her efforts on and off the field, she was twice named the Marshall University Female Athlete of the Year and was inducted into the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
, was the 2004 US National Champion and the silver medalist at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
Her career ended as she attempted to qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
. She and several other teammates were struck by a runaway bobsled during a training session in Calgary
Canada on October 19, 2005. The bobsled, which failed to brake after crossing the finish line, ejected out the end of the track
and struck Parsley and teammate Noelle Pikus-Pace
. Pikus-Pace, who was the reigning overall world cup leader at the time, suffered a compound fracture of her right leg that took her out of the running for a 2006 Olympic bid as well. Parsley suffered soft-tissue injuries to her right leg that severely hampered her ability to compete in the US team trials less than 72 hours after the accident. She stayed with the team however as an assistant coach and was part of the 2006 US Olympic Skeleton Team coaching staff.
Parsley earned a bachelor of science degree in adult health education (1990) and later earned a second bachelors degree from the University of Virginia
(1992) in nursing. In 1994 she received a master’s degree in nursing from The Ohio State University
and went on to complete her doctoral degree in community nursing in 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
skeleton racer
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
from Granville, Ohio
Granville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,167 people, 1,309 households, and 888 families residing in the village. The population density was 790.4 people per square mile . There were 1,384 housing units at an average density of 345.4 per square mile...
. She was the first female skeleton athlete to win a world cup medal for the United States and earned a silver medal in the women's skeleton event, a first in Olympic history, during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. She was also one of eight athletes chosen to carry the World Trade Center flag into the Opening Ceremony
Opening ceremony
An opening ceremony is the official opening of a building or event. The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are huge events involving thousands of participants and watched by a massive worldwide audience. On a much smaller scale, some ceremonies mark the opening of a...
of the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
.
Personal life
Parsley was born in Logan, West VirginiaLogan, West Virginia
Logan is a city in Logan County, West Virginia, United States, along the Guyandotte River. The population was 1,779 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Logan County.-History:...
and is a direct descendant of the McCoy family of the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud
Hatfield-McCoy feud
The Hatfield–McCoy feud involved two families of the West Virginia–Kentucky back country along the Tug Fork, off the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield while the McCoys of Kentucky under the leadership of Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy....
. She grew up in Granville, Ohio
Granville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,167 people, 1,309 households, and 888 families residing in the village. The population density was 790.4 people per square mile . There were 1,384 housing units at an average density of 345.4 per square mile...
where she served as a volunteer firefighter for 20 years and was inducted into the Granville High School
Granville High School
Granville High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Granville, Ohio. It is accredited by the State of Ohio Department of Education...
Athletic Hall of Fame.
Collegiate
Parsley was a two sport scholarship athlete at Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
competing in basketball and track and field. As a basketball player she was named second team All-Southern Conference, led the nation in free throw percentage her senior yearand is one of only 14 female players in school history to score over 1,000 points. In addition she was All-Southern Conference in high jump and javelin and held the school record in the javelin. For her efforts on and off the field, she was twice named the Marshall University Female Athlete of the Year and was inducted into the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
Olympic
In 1998 she earned a position on the U.S. National Skeleton Team and competed for six years on the international world cup circuit. Her 1999 second place finish in Norway was the first-ever women’s world cup medal for the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation and she went on to earn a total of seven world cup medals along with numerous top 6 finishes. She placed fourth at the 2000 Goodwill GamesGoodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, was the 2004 US National Champion and the silver medalist at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games.
Her career ended as she attempted to qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. She and several other teammates were struck by a runaway bobsled during a training session in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
Canada on October 19, 2005. The bobsled, which failed to brake after crossing the finish line, ejected out the end of the track
Canada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
The Canada Olympic Park bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Calgary, Canada. Part of Canada Olympic Park, it hosted the bobsleigh and luge competitions at the 1988 Winter Olympics...
and struck Parsley and teammate Noelle Pikus-Pace
Noelle Pikus-Pace
Noelle Pikus-Pace is an American skeleton racer who competed from 2000 to 2010. She won three medals at the FIBT World Championships with a gold and two silvers .After winning the silver medal in the women's skeleton event at the 2005 FIBT World...
. Pikus-Pace, who was the reigning overall world cup leader at the time, suffered a compound fracture of her right leg that took her out of the running for a 2006 Olympic bid as well. Parsley suffered soft-tissue injuries to her right leg that severely hampered her ability to compete in the US team trials less than 72 hours after the accident. She stayed with the team however as an assistant coach and was part of the 2006 US Olympic Skeleton Team coaching staff.
Firefighting career
Parsley began working as a volunteer firefighter in 1985 and earned top graduate honors from the Ohio Fire Academy as a professional firefighter cadet in 1995. She was named the State of Ohio Firefighter of the Year in 1999 for her part in the rescue of a mother and daughter during a residential house fire. During her career as a structural firefighter, she served the Licking County Ohio area as a member of the Specialized Rescue Team, Hazardous Materials Response Team and the Licking County Honor Guard. She is currently a member of the Ohio Interagency Wild Fire Crew.Academic career
While attending Marshall UniversityMarshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
Parsley earned a bachelor of science degree in adult health education (1990) and later earned a second bachelors degree from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
(1992) in nursing. In 1994 she received a master’s degree in nursing from The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
and went on to complete her doctoral degree in community nursing in 2003.