"Well, you haven't met me!"

In February of 2002, America was re-exposed to the little known sport of skeleton as it was brought back to the Olympic Games after a 52 year hiatus. Not only did it come back, but for the Americans, in came back in the form of two gold medals (Jim Shea and Tristan Gale) and one silver (Lea Ann Parsley).

Along with the rest of America, it was Jim Shea’s (pictured) gold medal run (http://www.nbcolympics.com/skeleton/index.html) that first exposed me to the sport. Being someone who drives a car around turns like I’m on skeleton sled anyway, I knew this sport was for me. However, with only 2 tracks in the U.S. (Lake Placid, NY and Park City, UT) and business school looming, I was left to only imagine what it would be like to pull 4 Gs down an icy track.

2002 came and went....so did 2003, 2004 and 2005. Now, in 2006 I was armed with a MBA and just happen to be working for the company that broadcasts the Olympics. Building up to February 2006 in Torino, I remembered that thrilling sport that I once thought would fun and I remembered that one of the tracks was in New York. And, I was now living in New York...something that never would have happened 4 years ago.

Next stop....the website of the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (http://www.usbsf.com/). After some searching, I find information for the 2006 Skeleton Fantasy Camp. I called and talked to Steve Peters, National Events Manager. I got the details and he told me something I will never forget (although, he probably did) “We’ve never had an athlete come out of a Fantasy Camp.” My answer “Well, you haven’t met me yet!”