My journey as a skeleton athlete...

Everyone asks me how I got involved with skeleton and why would I ever want to do it.

I saw skeleton, like many Americans, for the first time at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I was actually at the Games as a massage therapist.  I saw a request for massage therapist in a professional periodical in November of 2001.  This was a tremendous moment of fate because I rarely ever looked at the newsletters, magazines, and mailings of my professional organizations.  I just happened to glance at this newsletter "Massage Today" as I was sorting through the mail and saw in bold letters, "Massage Therapists Needed."  I sent in the requisite letters and documents, submitted myself to a FBI background check, attained a passport, and volunteered three weeks of my time.  I was able to afford this commitment by donations received from friends and clients, otherwise that commitment would never have occurred.

In December, as I began preparing for the Olympic Games.  I had watched every Olympics since I was five years old.  I decided since I was there, volunteering, I wanted to see an event.  It just so happens that one of the few tickets left unsold by that time was for this new event, skeleton.  Also, it was relatively close to Salt Lake, in Park City, and it was not too expensive (only $25 for both men's and women's event).  I bought one ticket.  The ticket that changed my life!

From the first time I saw a skeleton slide down the track I was hooked.  I was hooked for several reasons.  

First, Jim Shea, Jr., the 2002 Olympic gold medalist was 33 when he won.  At the time, I was 26.  I'll be 30 at the next games, therefore, I won't be too old.  I had given up on my dream for the summer Olympics when I was 21 because I thought I would be too old.

Second, the start begins with a sprint.  Sprinting has always been my strength.  In high school, I was a track and field hurdler, football player, designated runner and base stealer for the high school baseball team, and cheerleader.  At the University of Florida, I was the cycling team's best sprinter.  So far, this sport was a perfect fit.

Third, driving the sled required stillness and calm.  My yoga and pilates training would come in handy here, I thought.  After trying skeleton, I learned this was deceiving.  There are hundreds of steers and corrections one makes going down the track every run that people can not see.

Fourth, I love speed.  Skeleton athletes slide at 60-85 mph with their faces only millimeters above the ice.  I've since found out that touching the ice with the face and helmet occurs much more often than one likes.

Last, it had been my dream to be an Olympian since I was a child.  Other goals have come and gone: a Rhode Scholarship, while other goals had been placed on hold, medical school and a Ph.D. in nutrition.  This was my ticket and the time was right. Now or never!  I was going to achieve and realize this dream by this sport.  Nothing would stop me!

After that viewing that event, being there for the two gold medals and seeing US Olympic glory, my continence changed.  You could see and feel it in me, everyone in the Olympic village kept asking me, "What's your sport?"  My reply, "um... I'm not an athlete, but thanks for the compliment." "I'm a volunteer.  I'm a massage therapist."  In my mind, my response, "I'm a skeleton athlete.  See you in 2006!"

Can you believe the next athlete that I massaged the next day was Michael Voudouris of Greece and a skeleton athlete.  He gave me some great advice, contact information, and much encouragement.  From there almost all the athletes I met were sliders: bobsledders, lugers, or skeleton.  

When I got back to Orlando, I began to lift weights and run at the Winter Park High School track and stadium.  I added twenty pounds of muscle and became the fastest sprinter I had ever been.  I developed my leg strength to squat 450 pounds, single leg step up with 275 pounds one my shoulders, and leg press over 1500 pounds.

I tested in Tampa with the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.  I was third fastest, behind a professional football player and two collegiate track athletes.  Not bad, I thought, for someone without any formal collegiate or professional training.  It was enough to qualify for the next level in testing, but I got a tip from Garrett Hines (silver medal bobsledder and brakeman) get a sprint coach.

My first coach/training partner was local Jamaican long jumper, James Beckford, "JC."  I learned much from him and increased my strength and speed at the same time.

Then in October, I suffered my first set back.  I sprained my back squatting because I was not focused.  It set me out for over a week in severe pain.

My next coach I acquired as a result of JC leaving for Germany.  This sprint expert and local entrepeneur was Mark Everett.  Mark was an Olympic track and field athlete himself in the 800m.  He helped me even more to increase my endurance and speed.  Then I suffered my second set back in November, I injured my back again, this time leg pressing.  It wasn't so bad after a day, so I went to the track and ran some, but it only made things worse.  I was down again for another week.  On the road to recovery, the following Saturday, I sat down too abruptly and my back just shattered.  I was on my knees or back for the next two weeks.  I could only crawl to the car.  I saw my chiropractor 3 times a day for a week and was given Rx anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants.  This was 10 days before I was to leave for my first skeleton camp in Lake Placid, New York.  I had originally enrolled in Camp #2 from Dec 17 - Dec 22, but since I was injured I rescheduled that ticket for Feb 25 - Mar 3, another date the coach had mentioned would only be for selected athletes/sliders (I had no doubts I would make it at least that far).  I had no choice since but to move my Dec 17 ticket to the Feb 25 date or loose all the money I spent on the airfare.  I then went to the second camp I scheduled Dec 26 - Dec 30 loaded with heavy duty, prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications for my back and hoped for the best.  To ensure the plane ride wouldn't kill me, I took my lumbar support that I keep while driving in my car.  I left Orlando barely able to jump up or jog... This was a huge gamble.

I flew up on Dec 25 to Burlington since the Albany and Lake Placid airports were closed on Christmas day.  I arrived into Burlington at 11pm and took a 2 1/2 hour ($175) taxi ride to Lake Placid. 

When I arrived at camp, the program director was very skeptical of my abilities.  He knew I was injured so during one of the qualifying tests, I stood back and waited my turn.  I watched as several guys and girls run the 30 meter test.  There were some really fast times and I could tell Don was pleased.  Then, a fellow pulled up hurt.  I, being an athletic trainer, ran over and made an assessment and gave the guy some treatment.  Don was pleased to have me there, so I took the opportunity to say, "Not only could i compete, i could treat [other athletes]!"  "We'll see!..." was his response.  It soon came my turn to run.  My back pain disappeared to the butterflies in my stomach.  I ran the second fastest time of the camp!  I'm just naturally fast as a runner, lucky for me!  As it turns out, I can run very quickly, but I'm not the fastest sprinter on the team.  However, in skeleton, one runs bent over with hand(s) on the sled.  In this position, not every athlete can convert their upright running into a fast bent-over running.  I was and have been the second or third fastest at the skeleton start in the entire country just popping into the sport.

The next day was the big day, our first trip down the track!  we were fitted for school sleds.  the runners were set to zero degrees of bend.  the weight of the sled was set to very light.  We took our "rides" to the half way point of the track.  it was very, very cold.  This was our first taste of skeleton... standing in 15 degrees of snow, next to a mile of frozen ice in a full body spandex suit with track shoes on!  I was indeed very foolish but Very Excited.  Coach said we would hit about 40 mph.  Athletes would take their sled to the start, lay face down with legs sticking up and back so Don could give them a push.  the next thing you see is Don trying to "bank" the slider off a wall or two to help them "feel" the track.  the next thing you hear is a fading scream as people slide down the track on their faces, no steering.  At this point, you discover that you will either love skeleton or hate it.  Those that hated it left immediately!  Those that like it, loved it!  Those that hit walls, not so thrilled.  As for me, to make a long story shorter, after the first trip down the chute, I was hooked!

As it turned out, i have a natural affinity for skeleton.  Thus far, barring many exciting tales of danger, injury, and craziness, I am doing very well as a skeleton athlete.  I have placed first, first, and second (first overall) in the three seeding races for Skeleton National Championships on Feb 25, 2003.  I am also on the Elite National Development Team, one category away from international competition and my Olympic dream.  

Remember that ticket that i changed to Feb 25?  Well, as it turned out.  That week was for National Championships.  I had to qualify to race that week.  After all my tribulations, I qualified as the first seeded athlete from the Lake Placid Club.  At Nationals, I placed 10th... after only three weeks!  I had defeated athletes who had been in this sport for years!  I made the Development Team which qualified me to compete for a spot on the US National Skeleton Team.  The races would take place in October 2003.

July 28, 2004

It has been a year and a half since I wrote the above.  I have since traveled, with the assistance of friends and sponsors, to Norway, Canada, and all over the US.  I have nearly quit the sport twice.  I was battered and bruised, beaten and defeated, betrayed and ridiculed... but i persisted.  My wife and a few friends encouraged me and i continued to train... I trained.  I trained.  I studied and learned.  I asked anyone and everyone how to do this sport.  I crawled my way up and taught myself how to slide. 

I remember distinctly the first time i was able to put a steer in my sled and cause it to go anywhere.  It was amazing! I was so happy at that moment.  I could feel the sled flex under my body.  I suddenly realized that i had steered "UP!" in a curve!  That that upsteer was going to put me into the ceiling and/or bash me down into the wall at the exit.  It did!  Bruised but undaunted because i was now able to steer i went back to the start.  In Norway, I did more runs in 8 days than any other athlete did in 15... I took 36 runs... I popped out of the start groove 8 times, but by the time i had finished, i knew HOW to start without popping a shallow start groove and drive my sled.  I went from the worst slider in Norway to near best.  I couldn't hold my head up anymore (because my neck was wasted) but i had learned how to "feel" a track and steer.  I was now properly armed for Team Trials in three weeks.

Through skeleton, I have met new friends, real friends that have encouraged me, and not belittled my ambition.  I found myself through skeleton.  "Friends" (even those on the team) have let me down and left me alone, but i have survived and become stronger. I have since had nearly three hundred runs down four tracks.  I have repeated placed in the top three of many races.  I have climbed from 18th in the country to 8th!  Only three athletes will get the opportunity to compete in 2006.  I hope to be one of them!