RO alum Mike Godbout donates Team USA jersey

Mike Godbout, a 1987 graduate of Red Oak High School, and a Red Oak High School Hall of Famer, presented his 2009 Team USA jersey from the World Masters Championship to the high school during halftime of the Red Oak football game on Friday, Sept. 6.
Mike, the son of Ron and Mary Ellen Godbout and brother of Jeff Godbout, grew up in Red Oak playing hoops at the “cage” and running in the alleyway behind his house over make-shift hurdles that his father set up by the middle school. He went from the alleys of Red Oak on to a state championship in the 110 high hurdles in 1987.
After graduating from high school, Mike attended Simpson College, where he was a six-time D-III All-American in track and was inducted into the Simpson College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Mike continued with his track pursuits after Simpson, earning qualification in the 110 highs for the 1996 Olympic Time Trials but would not participate due to a broken elbow.
At the age of 42, after 12 years of no hurdling and when most are easing into late life, Mike decided to pursue hurdling again, and qualified to compete on the 2009 Team USA at the World Masters Championship in Latvia, Finland. He ran the 110 high hurdles in 14.32 and won the gold medal. This time also matched his personal best from back in college.
In 2011, Mike was again at the World Masters Championship and won the 110 high hurdles gold medal, while also winning a silver medal in the 400m relay.
The Red Oak High School proudly accepted the jersey and plans to have it hanging prominently in the new school.
“Red Oak community obviously means a lot to me, because I would not be where I am today without the background and support from the teachers and coaches,” Godbout said. “It was all about fundamentals and work ethic and those are the things that carried me all throughout my career and are still with me today. I still have all of the support from this community. Giving this uniform to the school, I don’t want it to be about me and my accomplishments. I want this uniform to be something that kids can walk by and say, ‘I want one of these.’” Kids can walk by that and realize I am not any different than anybody else. I was fortunate and I want my uniform to move down the row. I want the younger kids to add their uniform, and mine be moved down the row.”
Mike is the father of Brenden and Casey and attended the game with special friend Lanesa Statzer. Mike lives in Glenwood and is a Council Bluffs firefighter.