Winter Olympics: Scotty Lago pride sweeps Seabrook

SEABROOK — If pride were gold, Olympics halfpipe snowboarder Scotty Lago would already have a medal the size of Texas to hang around his neck, if his hometown of Seabrook had anything to say about it.

"Oh, my God, how proud are we? Very," said Shelly Carter, owner of the Common Isle Cafe that will host a party today in honor of Lago's efforts in the halfpipe snowboard competitions. "There are Scotty Lago signs everywhere. You know how we are in Seabrook. We support our people."

All the way down Route 1 along the New Hampshire seacoast, but especially in Seabrook, signs are sprouting up, more every moment, it seems, as townsfolk rejoice in having their 22-year-old native son in the world's eye at the Olympics. Many have never met the snowboarding marvel, but they do know the Lago family.

"His grandfather was Mike Lago, and he was the town milkman," said Kelly O'Connor, executive secretary to Town Manager Barry Brenner. "Later, he went on to develop the Lago Ice Cream stands, like the one in Rye. Scotty's dad is also named Mike."

But personal knowledge of the Lagos or Scotty himself isn't necessary to be a member of Scotty's "posse."

"We're pretty tickled about his attitude; we're all rooting for him," said Seabrook fire Chief Jeff Brown. "He's still a hometown kid, and he's put so much effort into this, it's really wonderful. This has given townspeople something to rally round. Everybody's talking about him. They're not talking about traffic; they're not talking about politics or taxes or crime. They're talking about the Olympics, and that's great."

For Seabrook residents not to be talking about politics during election season is an anomaly, but for sure, Scotty-mania is taking precedence. Candidates who will be at Candidates' Night live broadcast tonight at 7 might find a pretty small viewing audience since it could conflict with Olympics coverage during the halfpipe snowboard finals.

"Scotty's so popular we were asked to postpone Candidates' Night," O'Connor said. "We asked that it be postponed, but it didn't fly (with the event's organizers)."

Selectman Bob Moore is hoping to catch the halfpipe competition tonight when his official duties are completed.

"I'm optimistic," Moore said. "I'm hoping Candidates' Night will be over in time for me to catch the finals. It will be something to have a local boy get that far."

Selectman Aboul Khan put up a Lago sign at his Richdale Store, a result of loyal Lago fans pooling their money to have the sign made.

"We're very, very proud," Khan said. "We are praying and hoping he will win the gold. Or silver or bronze. If he doesn't, that's OK, too. He's participating, and that's a very big deal for the town of Seabrook."

Khan's sign is professionally made, but Seabrook Middle School art teacher Andrea Souther got her students involved, said Suzanne Griggs, Seabrook's assistant finance manager and the wife of Derek Griggs, a longtime ski racer who owns Recycle Sports on Route 1 where a Lago sign is proudly displayed. Griggs is putting students' signs up all over town; so far no one has turned her down.

"I went into the vacuum cleaner store to ask the owner if we could put a sign up for Scotty," Griggs said. "He said, 'Absolutely.' He was behind Scotty all the way."

Griggs is taking pictures of every sign she finds and posting it on Scotty's Facebook pages. And today, many Town Hall staff will be wearing Scotty Lago T-shirts, just in case anyone is wondering where they stand.

Seabrook state Rep. Al Weare said if Seabrook's hometown Olympian does well, he'd like to get a proclamation from the House of Representative and maybe see if he can bring Scotty to Concord to meet the state's leaders. After all, it isn't every day someone from town gets to represent the nation in the consummate worldwide competition, Weare said.

There's even talk in town about a Scotty Lago parade when the local Olympian gets back to town.

"I think the women at Town Hall are talking about a parade," Moore said. "There should be something to show our appreciation for his efforts."

Bells, whistles, sirens and more could meet Lago at the town line, as Seabrook shows its gratitude and love for a young man who's worked hard to chase his dream in the world of sports.

"And if he wants a ride on the fire truck, he's got one any time," Brown said. "As a matter of fact, his little posters are in the windows of the fire truck as we speak, and they're plastered all over the front of my house, thanks to my stepson."