Jeffrey's Olympic Luge Journey
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Jeffrey Sichler and I am on the United States Junior National Team for Luge. I travel to Lake Placid and Park City to train and race. Team USA is very demanding and I am giving it my best so I can be an Olympian one day. Training to be the best takes support. It takes a community to support a Team USA athlete and I am asking for your help. It will cost my family approximately $7,500-$10,000 per season to get me the proper training, lodging at the Olympic Training Center (OTC), tutoring for the school that I will miss when I am training as well as equipment and other miscellaneous fees.
I started my journey towards being an Olympian in the winter of 2012/2013. In the Spring of 2015 I was selected for the Junior National Team in Lake Placid, NY. Please help support my dream!
I get asked all the time “How did you get started?” Well, here is my journey: I was originally a ski racer. One day, USA Luge came to my ski mountain and did a “Slider Challenge.” A slider challenge is where any participant at any age gets to use a plastic luge sled and slide down a make shift luge run on the bunny hill. It was a fun filled day and USA Luge uses the challenge to generate interest and excitement around the sport of luge. From there, I joined the Adirondack Luge Club in Lake Placid where I was taught how to slide down the Olympic track at the Olympic Sports Complex. I traveled to Lake Placid a few times in the winter of 2013 to slide recreationally. In the spring of 2014, I participated in the USA Luge Slider Search. Here, coaches screen potential athletes for selection to a slider camp. At the slider search, a luge sled is set up with wheels, and athletes navigate a course set up with cones. Athletes are also tested in general fitness and athletic ability. USA Luge screened over 1200 athletes at slider searches across the country that year. In the fall of 2014, I was notified that I was selected for a selection and training camp. Out of 1200 athletes screened at the search, I was 1 of 120 that made it to the selection camp. Prior to my selection camp in March 2015, I traveled to Lake Placid several times per month from November 2014-March 2015 to slide with my luge club for training. I also raced in the Empire State Games in February, 2015. When my selection camp came in March, I was well prepared. At the selection camp, I stayed at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Lake Placid for about a week. There, I slid daily at the Olympic Sports Complex, did general fitness assessments and specialized start practice sessions. I lived the life of an Olympian! In May of 2015, I got the best news! I was selected as 1 of 12 athletes (out of the original 1200 screened athletes) to the United States Junior National Luge Team.
So what does that mean? First and foremost, I am now part of TEAM USA! It also means even more dedication than I have already shown. In the past, I have missed school to attend the selection camp and the Empire State Games. I also travelled up to Lake Placid on many weekends for additional practice. Now that I have made the team, there are 6-8 weeks of mandatory training each season. Most often between December and March. That means, missing even more school and staying at the OTC for a few weeks at a time a couple of times per year. It is also advisable that to reach the pinnacle of my sport that I should try to continue to get more track and ice time, so once again my mom and dad will continue to drive me to Lake Placid on weekends throughout the winter.
So, how can you help? You can help by donating to my athlete training fund. Training and racing is expensive. Currently, all athletes (with the exception of the Olympians) pay all of their own expenses. The lodging all by itself at the OTC is $100 per night. This season, I am required to stay at the OTC for those 6-8 weeks of mandatory training camps. I will miss school that whole time. Don’t worry- I get very good grades and promised my mom and dad that I will continue to do so. That’s my job. I will probably require a local tutor to keep me on track with school work and grades. During our training camps, we get mandatory study hall where I will get all of my school work done. There is also the expense of the equipment, and the additional weekend trips for additional sliding sessions. I want to be the best. But it is going to require a lot of time and money to help me achieve that. Please help me become an Olympian.
Also, check out my website: JeffSlidesFast.com for more photos and more updates. But most of all THANK YOU.
I started my journey towards being an Olympian in the winter of 2012/2013. In the Spring of 2015 I was selected for the Junior National Team in Lake Placid, NY. Please help support my dream!
I get asked all the time “How did you get started?” Well, here is my journey: I was originally a ski racer. One day, USA Luge came to my ski mountain and did a “Slider Challenge.” A slider challenge is where any participant at any age gets to use a plastic luge sled and slide down a make shift luge run on the bunny hill. It was a fun filled day and USA Luge uses the challenge to generate interest and excitement around the sport of luge. From there, I joined the Adirondack Luge Club in Lake Placid where I was taught how to slide down the Olympic track at the Olympic Sports Complex. I traveled to Lake Placid a few times in the winter of 2013 to slide recreationally. In the spring of 2014, I participated in the USA Luge Slider Search. Here, coaches screen potential athletes for selection to a slider camp. At the slider search, a luge sled is set up with wheels, and athletes navigate a course set up with cones. Athletes are also tested in general fitness and athletic ability. USA Luge screened over 1200 athletes at slider searches across the country that year. In the fall of 2014, I was notified that I was selected for a selection and training camp. Out of 1200 athletes screened at the search, I was 1 of 120 that made it to the selection camp. Prior to my selection camp in March 2015, I traveled to Lake Placid several times per month from November 2014-March 2015 to slide with my luge club for training. I also raced in the Empire State Games in February, 2015. When my selection camp came in March, I was well prepared. At the selection camp, I stayed at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Lake Placid for about a week. There, I slid daily at the Olympic Sports Complex, did general fitness assessments and specialized start practice sessions. I lived the life of an Olympian! In May of 2015, I got the best news! I was selected as 1 of 12 athletes (out of the original 1200 screened athletes) to the United States Junior National Luge Team.
So what does that mean? First and foremost, I am now part of TEAM USA! It also means even more dedication than I have already shown. In the past, I have missed school to attend the selection camp and the Empire State Games. I also travelled up to Lake Placid on many weekends for additional practice. Now that I have made the team, there are 6-8 weeks of mandatory training each season. Most often between December and March. That means, missing even more school and staying at the OTC for a few weeks at a time a couple of times per year. It is also advisable that to reach the pinnacle of my sport that I should try to continue to get more track and ice time, so once again my mom and dad will continue to drive me to Lake Placid on weekends throughout the winter.
So, how can you help? You can help by donating to my athlete training fund. Training and racing is expensive. Currently, all athletes (with the exception of the Olympians) pay all of their own expenses. The lodging all by itself at the OTC is $100 per night. This season, I am required to stay at the OTC for those 6-8 weeks of mandatory training camps. I will miss school that whole time. Don’t worry- I get very good grades and promised my mom and dad that I will continue to do so. That’s my job. I will probably require a local tutor to keep me on track with school work and grades. During our training camps, we get mandatory study hall where I will get all of my school work done. There is also the expense of the equipment, and the additional weekend trips for additional sliding sessions. I want to be the best. But it is going to require a lot of time and money to help me achieve that. Please help me become an Olympian.
Also, check out my website: JeffSlidesFast.com for more photos and more updates. But most of all THANK YOU.
Organiser
George Steve Rogers
Organiser
Carmel, NY
