So You Want to Bobsled?
It’s the rush of adrenaline that greets you as you stare down the icy labyrinth. It’s the sound of the sled’s hull cleaving through the air at 80 MPH. It’s the feeling of steel runners carving a path through perilous turns and over the finish line. It’s defying the forces of physics and racing against the clock. But those are just words. To truly understand Bobsledding, and appreciate what “sliders” are capable of, you have to experience it for yourself.
3 Steps to the Olympics: Daredevils Wanted
USA Bobsled & Skeleton athletes have won 32 medals at the Winter Olympic Games, and dozens more in World Cup and World Championship competitions. Those athletes were hand-picked from a variety of sports backgrounds because their skills, determination, and team-first attitudes could easily transition to the ice.
Step 1: The Combine
The USA Bobsled Combine is designed to test an athlete’s physical capabilities through Timed Sprints, Standing Broad Jump, and Shot Toss. Participants who perform at the highest level will receive invitations to the National Team Rookie Camp where they will take part in more thorough testing and training programs.
Step 2: Rookie Camp
The USA Bobsled Rookie Camp is where prospective athletes will undergo more rigorous testing and receive further training to develop the specialized skills required to earn a place on the USA Bobsled Development Team.
Step 3: Development Camp
Athletes who make it to the USA Bobsled Development Camp will be pushed to their mental and physical limits to see who has what it takes to call themselves an Olympic slider.
