{"id":171300,"date":"2026-02-19T12:53:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/171300\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T12:53:12","slug":"corpus-christi-school-cheers-former-student-as-she-skates-for-olympic-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/171300\/","title":{"rendered":"Corpus Christi school cheers former student as she skates for Olympic gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 As the United States chases Olympic gold, one athlete with Corpus Christi roots has an entire school community cheering her on.<\/p>\n

United States women’s national ice hockey team forward Hannah Bilka <\/a>will take the ice in the women\u2019s gold medal game Thursday, but inside Corpus Christi, she is already a champion.<\/p>\n

\"Czhechia\"<\/p>\n

Matt Zambonin\/Matt Zambonin\/IIHF<\/p>\n

UTICA, NEW YORK – APRIL 2: USA\u2019s Hannah Bilka #23 – 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey Women\u2019s World Championship at Nexus 1 Arena on April 2, 2024 in Utica, New York, USA. (Photo by Matt Zambonin\/IIHF)<\/p>\n

Long before the Olympic spotlight, Bilka was a first grader walking the halls of St. Pius X Catholic School in 2007.<\/p>\n

Chris Bryan, now in her 39th year at the school, remembers teaching Bilka in music and working with her during Christmas programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t surprise me,\u201d Bryan said of Bilka\u2019s Olympic achievment. \u201cShe was a go-getter. You have to be a go-getter to push yourself to that level, and obviously she is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bryan said Bilka stood out even as a young student, not just for her athleticism, but for her character.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was very sweet, very helpful,\u201d Bryan said. \u201cSomeone you could call a friend and know your friend is going to be there. It doesn\u2019t surprise me that she\u2019s in a team sport. You have to work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Corpus Christi school cheers former student Hannah Bilka as she skates for Olympic gold<\/p>\n

Bilka, whose hometown is Coppell, spent part of her childhood in Corpus Christi. Teachers say the school focuses on developing the \u201cwhole child,\u201d academically, spiritually, artistically and physically, and they see Bilka as an example of that mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gives you such a sense of pride,\u201d Bryan said. \u201cTo see children when they\u2019re 5 or 6 years old and then see who they become, it\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

That pride is now spreading through the classrooms she once sat in.<\/p>\n

Fifth grader Benjamin Flores said knowing of an Olympian who was once a Blue Jay makes him believe his own dreams are possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt made me feel confidence so I can do something that I want to,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to be an Olympic runner, and I want to continue that journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Caroline Goss said Bilka\u2019s success is fueling her goal of becoming an Olympic figure skater.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s really inspiring,\u201d Goss said. \u201cWe\u2019re all cheering for you so you get the gold medal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another fifth grader, Adrian Colon, kept his message simple: \u201cI\u2019m super proud of you and I hope you win.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the puck drops in the women\u2019s hockey gold medal game at 12:10 p.m. Central time, students and teachers at St. Pius X say they will be watching, proud that a former Blue Jay is now representing her country on one of the world\u2019s biggest stages.<\/p>\n

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