Rookie of the Year and Colorado Springs

The USBSF (United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation) recently held their Annual team camp in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center.  There, we partake in several team building events, as well as do our workouts and have our annual board meeting.  For me, it was also my first official meetings as a member of the Board of Directors, a position I am honored to hold.  Overall it gives us a chance to get together, both bobsled and skeleton, and celebrate the past and look forward to the future.  

This year it was great seeing everyone and although the schedule was packed, I did enjoy it.  I also had the great opportunity to attend the USOC Coach of the Year awards dinner, where Brian Shimer was named the USOC Coach of the Year and Grant Schaffner, received an award as well because of his technological advances in the sport of skeleton.  It was an honor to be able to see these two well deserving individuals be recognized by the USOC.  

One other thing that occurs during this week is the Annual Gala, where several awards are given.  This year, Shauna Rohbock, one of the greatest bobsled pilots in the history of the sport, received the Women's bobsled athlete of the year as well as the Athlete's Choice award.  Additionally, Shauna teamed with Valerie Fleming to receive the Team of the Year award.  These two deserve these awards as they have greatly changed the sport of women's bobsled and are two of the greatest athletes in winter sports history.

Several other athletes received awards:  Steve Langton was named Male Bobsled Athlete of the Year and received the Athlete's Choice Award, Annie O'Shea was named Female Skeleton Athlete of the Year, and Kyle Tress received Skeleton Athlete's Choice Award.  Congrats to all the award winners!

As for me, this year I was awarded with the Rookie of the Year award!  I am truly honored to receive this award.  I honestly could not have done it first and foremost without all the brakeman who slid with me- the ones who raced- Jamie Greubel, Emily Azevedo, Megan Hill, Katelyn Kelly, JennaBree Brown,  Kristi Koplin, Katie Stoever, and Hilary Werth- as well as all the countless others who were in the sled with me to help me get the trips I needed this season.  I am truly grateful for everything you all have done for me- and I can't thank you enough.  You each have contributed greatly to any success I had this season, and to that I am eternally grateful to each of you.  Thanks guys!  I am also appreciative of the coaching staff I had this season- Mike Kohn, Brian Shimer, Janis Kippurs, Janis Skrastins, and Dave Owens- very thankful for everything- even if I didn't agree all the time.  I am also thankful to all my teammates- and especially the ones who helped coach me- including Shauna and Val- I am blessed to have great teammates- both male and female- and I couldn't have gotten through the season without any of you.  Finally, I want to thank one person who has made a world of difference in my life.  My roommate and competitor, Jazmine Fenlator.  We have been through so much together in just a few years- but she has become a great friend.  She was integral to any success I had this season.  I couldn't ask for a better teammate and friend.  She literally kept me sane most of the year, and I know in the future we will both accomplish great things.

I say all these things like I'm retiring or something!  I'm extremely grateful for everything everyone has done for me and how they have all helped me!  But you're only as good as you're last time on the ice- and I got beat by the Russians in the last race- so we've got some work to do!

Back to the grind!