By CRAIG FREILICH

A U.S. Olympic speed skater credits the music of a Potsdam native with inspiring her to go for the gold after a serious injury nearly put her out of contention.

Kelly Gunther, who is in Sochi to skate in the 1,000 meter event, “crushed her ankle” in a skating accident in 2010, said Joel Kelley, a Potsdam native, former member of Hightower, and now guitarist for alternative rock group Edisun, a nationally known hit making band.

Gunther had a compound fracture of her ankle. “My ankle was literally hanging off my leg,” after the accident, she said.

She had qualified for the 2010 Olympics, but was bumped when another skater got a “reskate” and bested Gunther’s time. Then came her crash on the ice.

Apparently Gunther had doubts about the future of her career on skates, but Kelley says Gunther was “Ready to Believe” when she heard Edisun’s song by that name, and adopted it for her YouTube fundraising video, which you can see at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrXy0sVYGtw (Warning – there is a graphic image in the video.).

Edisun was in the news after Gunther cited their song “Ready to Believe” as being an important inspiration for her comeback since that accident on the ice four years ago.

Gunther said the song reminded her “never to give up on my dream, always to believe in myself.”

And Now she is in Sochi, ready to compete for gold in the 1,000 meter race on Feb. 13

This is a tremendous source of pride and achievement for guitarist Joel Kelley, who was raised in a musical family. His father, Jack Kelley, leads popular local band Jack Kelley’s Little Big Band.

Joel Kelley co-wrote the song Gunther has used to drive herself back to competition, along with singer Ethan Isaac, with whom he has toured 26 countries performing with Edisun. Joel has expressed how honored he feels that "an athlete would find inspiration in a song … written about overcoming obstacles."

Joel Kelley said he thanks his family and his community for the support and the encouragement to follow his passion. He also cites his parents as well as former bosses Alex Vangellow and Wally Siebel and crew of Northern Music as very influential.

Edisun are just about to release their second record on SRG/Spotify with the lead off single “Kill Me With A Kiss,” co-written by Isaac and Kelley. The new album is being recorded and mixed at the band’s studio in Norwalk, Conn.

Edisun’s debut record on EMI/ Echo the World broke the Billboard Top 50 in 2011. In March, they will begin a national tour to support their new record.