Potential Energy

There's something in the air this time of year, in this year- an Olympic year.  We get back on the ice on October 1 here in Lake Placid, but even now there's a certain electricity in the air and its mesmerizing.  It's hard to describe what it feels like, but the source is not to hard to determine- it's potential energy.

What do I mean when I say potential energy you ask?  Well all summer each and every athlete has spent so much time, poured in so much sweat, blood, and tears, into the effort of making the Olympic team or winning an Olympic medal.  It's this time- right before we hit the ice- that all athletes believe that anything is possible and history tells them that anything can happen.  There is the potential for dreams to come true, for records to be broken, and medals to be won, and at this time everyone believes that they individually have the potential to make their dream a reality.

That's the thing about an Olympic year and the Olympics.  Everyone believes they have the potential to reach their goals, regardless of how far fetched they may seem.  The athlete who's won Olympic gold dreams of repeating, the athlete who's never won a race dreams of Olympic victory, and the athlete who's never made a national team dreams of walking into opening ceremonies.  Despite what has happened before, it is this year that matters and potentially anything can happen.

Sure, most of the time the top ranked competitors continue to be top ranked and a lot of time those who are supposed to win the medals do indeed win, but there's always upsets that prove that anything can happen.  For all athletes competing for a spot on the Olympic team, it's that potential that keeps us going, it's the potential that makes us believe we have a fighting chance, regardless of how high the odds may be stacked against us.

Even companies and the media hedge their bets on this potential.  Companies sponsor athletes with the hope of seeing Olympic medals around their necks and media outlets rush to compile stories about America's champions.  The companies and media don't see the past, they see the potential in athletes and tag along for the journey.  Regardless of where athletes have ranked previously, companies and the media believe that anything can happen, and further spread the potential energy.

Right before we hit the ice, the results from the past have been erased.  Each athlete is eager to see what the future holds and what rewards result from all their hard work.  No one is dwelling on what happened last year or the past 3 seasons, each is looking forward and focusing on February 2014.  Before we hit the ice and reality starts to set for some that dreams will not be accomplished- as teams will be named and athletes will be cut- the potential that anything can happen creates an energy in the air that is hard to describe, but it feels like hope and promise.  Soon the potential energy will disappear and the fight for the few Olympic spots will turn the energy madly competitive, where one must be defeated in order for another to accomplish their dreams.  For now though, the energy is positive and intoxicating, as everyone believes they are the next gold medalist.  The truth of the matter is, some will win gold medals and others will fail to make the team, but right now we all live in a world where anything can happen.   The potential for dreams to be made is here, making this the most wonderful time of the year- the calm before the storm.

Holcy

The past two days I've been asked specifically about Steve Holcomb, which has led me to write this blog.  For those of you who don't know, Steve Holcomb is a two-time Olympic bobsledder who won gold in the 4man in the Vancouver Olympics.  He has won a slew of medals in World Cup competition and in World Championships, including a double gold in the 2012 World Championships in 2man and 4man.  He'll be going for his third Olympics this winter in Sochi and looking to defend his title.

Not only do I admire all his accomplishments, but Holcomb has done quite a bit for the team that he may not even realize.  He's not the out spoken type, Holcy (his nickname) usually is content just sticking to himself and a few others, going through his days and workouts with a silent (or sometimes soft spoken) intensity.  He's not a big time celebrity in the sports world, but those who know bobsled know Holcy.  And this is one of the many things I admire about him.   Even though he's one of the most accomplished athletes in the sport, you'd never know it.  He's not a braggart or one to dwell in past accomplishments, he trains every day with the same intensity as if he's never won a gold medal or multiple world championships- and that's something I admire.  He doesn't wear his accomplishments on his sleeve, but is confident in his abilities and his confidence radiates from him anytime he's at a bobsled track- being around him and seeing what he's able to do in a sled makes you think that maybe you could control your sled like that one day and it gives you something to aspire to.

But few people know what's been happening behind the scenes the past few years. Due to the retirement of some athletes and the unfortunate injuries of others, this past season our World Cup team consisted of 5 out of 6 pilots with 4 or less years of driving experience (this past season was my 3rd season of driving).  Holcomb was the only driver this past season with significant driving experience, let alone an Olympic gold medal as a pilot.  With drivers with hardly any experience, coaches have to spend quite a bit of time teaching them the lines to just get down the track, which is vastly different than the coaching needed for more experienced drivers.  The increased amount of attention the new drivers need definitely puts a strain on the coaching staff, which for more experienced drivers, has to be difficult.  It'd be easy as a veteran driver to get frustrated with this situation, but Holcomb handled it like a champ.  He never said anything when I needed to take Brian Shimer (typically his coach) with me for a track walk when I couldn't figure out a curve.  As a matter of fact, on several occasions, he explained lines to me and helped me understand a curve in an entire new way.

Not only has Holcomb been great at the track, he's given me countless advice on sleds, runners, brakeman, and most importantly- how to handle an Olympic year especially dealing with expectations and pressure.  I greatly admire Holcomb and what he's done for the sport of bobsled, but more importantly how he's helped me grow as a driver.  He didn't have to help me, he didn't have to say a word.  The men's and women's teams- although we travel together- often operate in very separate ways.  However, he's helped me since day 1 and that's something I greatly appreciate.  If I'm blessed enough to win a gold medal in Sochi, he'll definitely be one of the people who helped me get there.

Steve Holcomb, 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist, USA Bobsled Pilot