USA Olympic squad is unveiled in Park City

PARK CITY — Sliding his arms into the red, white and blue jacket that will identify him as a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team, Nate Roberts couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.

"It's been a crazy emotional rollercoaster the past week now," said the Park City native who was one of the athletes named to the 2010 U.S. Freestyle Team Tuesday in a ceremony at Deer Valley. Roberts was second in the U.S. rankings and fourth in the World Cup standings four years ago and missed out on making the 2006 team when a teammate finished higher in a single race.

This year he's been plagued with nagging aches and pains and has spent a lot of time in physical therapy.

Then in the last qualifying race at Lake Placid he qualified in third place. In finals, however, he broke a pole on top of the jump and failed to make the podium. But he earned his spot with a podium earlier in the season.

"Everything happens for a reason," he said with a smile. "After the heartbreak I had four years ago, I'm just so thankful I have a chance to go and represent."

Roberts posed for pictures with his teammates, signed autographs and fielded questions about just how good it feels to finally realize a life-long dream.

"I get goose bumps right now talking about it," he said. "It's going to be an amazing experience. Even after our event — we compete the second day — I'm going to go and experience and cheer on the other U.S. athletes — even the ones I don't know. ... I'm going to give it my all, take it all in and enjoy it."

The 2010 U.S. Olympic Freestyle team is: Patrick Deneen, moguls, Cle Elum, Wash; Michael Morse, moguls, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Jeret "Speedy" Peterson, aerials, Boise, Id; Daron Rahlves, ski cross, Sugar Bowl, Calif; Casey Puckett, ski cross, Aspen, Colo.; Nate Roberts, moguls, Park City, Utah; Ryan St. Onge, aerials, Winter Park, Colo.; Bryon Wilson, moguls, Butte, Mont./Park City, Utah; Matt DePeters, aerials, Hamburg, NY; Shannon Bahrke, moguls, Tahoe City, Calif; Emily Cook, aerials, Belmont, Mass.; Hannah Kearney, moguls, Norwich, Vermont; Michelle Roark, moguls, Denver, Colo.; Heather McPhie, Park City, Utah; Lacy Schnoor, aerials, Draper, Utah; Jana Lindsey, aerials, Black Hawk, South Dakota; Ashley Caldwell, aerials.

The U.S. Olympic Alpine Team was also named Tuesday led by double world champion Lindsey Vonn. She joins defending Olympic gold medalists Ted Ligety, Park City, and Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, Calif.

Vonn has won every World Cup downhill this season and currently leads the overall, downhill, super G and super combined points standings.