Octagon Speakers

• Bob Bowman
• Michael Chang
• Natalie Coughlin
• Debbie Phelps
• Michael Phelps
• Paula Radcliffe
• David Robinson
• Cael Sanderson

Bob Bowman

Renowned Swimming Coach of Michael Phelps

Coaching the best American swimmer to Olympic greatness might not be easy, but it has been worth it.  Bob Bowman achieved great success at the international level as personal coach for the Olympic Legend Michael Phelps. Under the passionate coaching of Bowman, Phelps won an Olympic-record eight gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, bringing Phelps' total to 14 Olympic golds overall.  Bowman's contribution to the sport has been awarded with the USA Swimming Developmental Coach of the Year and the ASCA Coach of the Year Award.  Not one to rest on his laurels, Bowman has already turned his focus to the London Games in 2012 and will surely have Phelps poised to continue his great success.

Michael Chang

International Tennis Star

Coming from the juniors as a 15-year-old, Michael Chang charged onto the international tennis scene setting numerous "youngest player records" and shocked the world by upsetting Ivan Lendl and Stefan Egberg to become the youngest player in history to win a Grand Slam event.  Utilizing tremendous speed and strong determination, Chang was one of the best counter punchers of all time and remained in the Top 10 in the ATP world rankings for several years in the 1990s.  Chang retired from the professional tour in 2003 but continues to play at the senior level. 

Natalie Coughlin

Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist

One of the most well-rounded swimmers ever, Natalie Coughlin combines power, speed and beauty. One of the poster faces of the 2004 USA Olympic team, Coughlin bought pride to her nation with her performance.  Coughlin left the 2004 Olympic Games as the most decorated female athlete, having won a total of five medals.  At the 2007 World Championships, the biggest international swimming event leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Coughlin finished as the world’s most decorated female swimmer in World Championship history.  Coughlin’s success at the 2007 World Championships followed her to Beijing, where at the 2008 Olympics, she won an astounding 6 medals, a first for any woman athlete at the games.  Coughlin was also a recent contestant on the popular reality show Dancing with the Stars, which in its most recent season has been the 3rd highest ranked show on television. Coughlin wowed over 17 million viewers weekly on the Emmy award-winning show...

Debbie Phelps

Gold Medal Mom

Not your typical mother of three children, Debbie Phelps has juggled between raising her children, teaching, and social service work. She is recognized as an innovative, energetic, talented leader and master teacher with nearly three decades of education experience. She co-chairs and has participated in public service announcements for the “One Campaign” for the Harford County Boys and Girls Clubs of America. During her teaching career in both counties she held many responsibilities including, but not limited to, the following: department chair, team leader, acting content leader, and co-coordinator of a Summer Institute. Watching Debbie live through the excitement of Michael's eight gold medal races in the 2008 Beijing Olympics quickly became "must-see TV."  She exemplified what every American was feeling as Michael captured a piece of Olympic history.  JOHNSON'S ® Baby recognized Debbie's devotion to her children by naming her "Mom of the Olympic Game." Debbie has also...

Michael Phelps

Fourteen-Time Olympic Gold Medalist

Michael Phelps has been making waves in the world of sports since he was young. Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian. In the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he took home eight gold medals, setting a new record for the most gold medals won at a single Olympics. He tied the record for the most medals at a single Olympics in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games when he earned six gold medals and eight medals overall. Already a sports legend at the age of 23, he has been named World Swimmer of the Year for 3 out of the last 4 years (2003, 2004, and 2006). He holds several World Records in addition to his many other awards. Although he is young, Phelps has already had a lifetime of experiences—in the pool and out. He founded “Swim with the Stars”—the first ever Olympic Swimming Tour that travels the country to give kids the opportunity to learn from the best. He is also a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs. Phelps is youthful but intelligent,...

Paula Radcliffe

World Renowned Cross Country Runner

The world's fastest female marathoner, Paula Radcliffe is also one of Britain's most popular athletes. Radcliffe won the World Half-Marathon Championships in both 2000 and 2001, and the 2001 World Cross Country Championship long-course run. In 2002 she placed first in eight out of nine competitions, including the Flora London Marathon and the Chicago Marathon, at which she broke the women's world record. Radcliffe continued her success in 2003, when she defended her title at the London Marathon, shaving nearly two minutes off her previous world-record score.  Radcliffe claimed back-to-back New York City Marathon titles.  In 2008, she was also given the distinct honor of being inducted as a member of the "Most Excellent Order of the British Empire".

David Robinson

Hall Of Fame Center, MVP, Two-Time Champion

One of the top centers of his era, David “The Admiral” Robinson was a marvel of a basketball player and a respected figure off the court. A lean, muscular, 7-1 athlete, he was fast, strong and agile. In his first six NBA seasons he won Rookie of the Year, NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, in addition to a rebounding title, a scoring crown, six All-Star bids, three selections to the All-NBA First Team and three selections to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Robinson's lasting legacy was also defined by his status one of the pre-eminent philanthropists in all of professional sports. On March 23, 2003, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that future winners of the NBA Community Assist Award would receive the David Robinson Plaque, with the inscription, "Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece."

Cael Sanderson

Olympic Gold Medalist and Current Penn State Wrestling Coach

Cael Sanderson is one of the most decorated collegiate wrestlers of all-time. After a successful collegiate career, Sanderson has continued his dominance onto to world and Olympic circuits. During his time on the Iowa State wrestling team, Sanderson became only the second four-time NCAA Champion. Sports Illustrated named his undefeated career at Iowa State as the number two most outstanding achievement in the history of collegiate athletics. After his time at Iowa State, Sanderson went on to compete in his first Olympic Games in 2004, winning a gold medal. Sanderson later turned to coaching and led his alma mater to three consecutive Big 12 titles from 2007-2009. He is currently the Head Wrestling Coach at Penn State University. He led the Nittany Lions to their first ever Big Ten Championship in his second year as coach. In his five years as head coach, Sanderson has won tree total National Championship titles.