BUFFALO, N.Y. — Maureen Kielt may be getting ready to see her son Skip coach for Team USA Rowing in the Olympics, but she still remembers when he first found his love of the sport his freshman year at St. Joeseph's Collegiate Institute
"He came home and he said, I signed up for crew," she told 2 On Your Side. "At the time he was also playing hockey so we were a little concerned about how he was going to do both those sports, but he did it and he really found a love for being on the water."
It wasn't long before rowing became his passion and his priority.
"He's like, my heart's in the boat," Kielt said. "It was full sail ahead from that point."
Skip rowed in college at Rutgers, and soon after began his coaching career. He eventually helped establish the California Rowing Club, which is sending a large number of athletes to Paris.
"A third of our Olympians in the boats going to Paris came out of CRC. It's the largest club contribution to those boats, so I can't be any more proud of that," Kielt said.
Skip will be coaching the Men's Double Sculls team in Paris, while also finding time to support his wife, Meghan Musnicki of Canandiagua. The two-time Olympic medalist is in Paris, competing in her fourth Olympic games.
"She's so excited to have him there and he's so supportive and he's so proud of her," Kielt said. "The excitement is there and we're hoping, fingers crossed, we're hoping we're going to see some medals this year."