Ooooooh they're really growin' now...

Training has basically become my full time job and I love it. I have 7 lifting sessions, 3 sprint sessions, and two recovery run/core sessions each week. I'm trying to get those muscles growing and this commercial has become a regular joke in the weight room when I get caught checking my muscles out.

I live in church...

Just being on the National Bobsled Team is not enough to be guaranteed housing at the Olympic Training Center, crazy I know. There is a long process that the USBSF and USOC go through to allocate housing. The date athletes were supposed to be notified about housing keeps getting pushed back time and time again, kinda makes athletes like me loose some faith and trust in our sports governing body. Meanwhile, summer training started back up on May 14th, and there was still no word on housing. But fear not, God had/has a plan!

A teammate and I are temporarily living out of the basement of Lake Placid Baptist Church! It has been awesome to say the least. One of the things I really wanted to do this summer was to get involved with a local body of believers and now it is impossible not to. We wake up every morning in kids sunday school room and are always meeting new people around the church. It has been such a blessing so far and added a much needed dynamic to my life in Lake Placid. However, we would really like to get into the training center so prayers are much appreciated.

P.S. We even wrote a song called "I live in church". Lower case "c"of course - because thankfully the Church is not confined to a building :) Stay tuned for the world premiere of our musical awesomeness!

April in Arkansas

It was so good to be in Arkansas for most of April and half of May. I basically just spent a whole lot of time getting some much needed rest and relaxation and hanging out with my family.

I also had a blast speaking at several schools and a Church group about my experiences in football and bobsledding! 

Then it was time to make the 23 hour road trip back to Lake Placid, NY for summer training. I think a combination of the time off and warm weather definitely gave me some re-newed focus and motivation.

Back 2 School...

I'm super honored that several schools have asked me to come speak about my experiences in football and bobsled. Here is my speaking schedule:

• April 17th: Grace Hill Elementary/ Rogers High FCA 
• April 24th: Judsonia Elementary School 
• April 24th: Trinity Baptist Church (tag team event with my sister!) 
• April 27th: Westside Elementary School
• May 1st: Rosebud Middle School 

California!

I left the frozen tundra of New York and headed straight for sunny Southern California! I cant think of a better way to cap off a bobsled season. I can always use a little SoCal in my life. Plus, I need to see my little sister as much as possible before she moves to a  far off top secret land to be a long-term missionary.


The Bower family was kind enough to let me stay at their house. They are one of the coolest families I have ever met and they do an awesome job of living out the Gospel. We went to visit Jeremy at the fire station!

I heart LA! So my sister and I went

 downtown to walk around Olvera Street, 

China Town, and my absolute

 favorite - Skid Row! 

It wouldn't be a good trip to Cali without some surfing!!!

I may or may not have had 6 In-N-Out burgers on my 6 day trip :)

One of the best parts of the trip was hanging out with the people of Cornerstone Community Church. I got to tarp surf with the high school group, bust out into worship songs in the middle of an EBC class, attend the Good Friday service, and hang out with one of the Simi Community groups. It was so spiritually refreshing to be back in that environment for a bit!

Thats a wrap...

Wow it's hard to believe that my rookie bobsled season is over! It's even crazier to think about the journey God has taken me on over the past year. My life is completely different now than it was just one year ago.

I spent the month of March getting in some extra training on the ice before next season. I spent about half of the month learning to drive. It was a blast and I definitely think there is going to be some driving in my future. But I feel like I really need to spend this off season working on my push and then seeing how far I can get as a brakeman next season. So I spent the second half of the month working some rookie kinks out of my push.

Pushing Megan Hill in the March America's Cup scrimmage. 

I'm a driver (kinda)...

Whoohoo! I can drive a bobsled. Well, I can drive a bobsled from the lower/begginer start anyways. This video is of my very first trip coming through the exit of curve 17 onto 18 (the hardest curve on the track). Its a blast. But moving up to a higher/more advanced start will bring more speed, more height, and more danger. So I'm in no hurry to move up, yet.

If you drive in driving school, that means that you also have to break for another new driver. Simply saying that these sleds are uncomfortable does not give the pain you experience justice. It is horrible riding in the back of these old begginer sleds. I hit my hip so hard that I couldnt even get out of the sled or walk for a little bit. Now my hip is swollen and it is the biggest of my many bruises. Sorry for showing so much leg...