Support an Olympic Dream
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Who Am I?
I'm a 25 year old from Massachusetts. I grew up playing sports. I went to Central Catholic High School where I played football, captained the wrestling team, and pole vaulted during outdoor track. I went onto play four years of football at Endicott College.
I currently work as a Personal Trainer at Drive Custom Fit as well as coach football and track at my alma mater, Central Catholic. I run a Strength and Conditioning Camp during the Summer for highschool and college athletes. I'm also a waiter and I bartend on the weekends. As you can see I'm very busy and will explain later on why.
How did I get into Skeleton?
I discovered skeleton from knowing an athlete, Kyle Brown, while doing an internship at Mike Boyle's Strength and Conditioning in Woburn, MA during the summer of 2012. I watched the Sochi Winter Olympics and saw it on TV and thought it might be something I could be good at. I ended up sending in my athlete resume and within a week I was invited to a week long sliding school in March of 2014 where I thoroughly enjoyed going 75 mph head first down an ice track.
I left the school with a new drive to score well on the athlete combine a few months later in August. I came back in August and did well enough that the developmental coach, Don Hass, invited me back to train at the Olympic Training Center for my rookie season.
Experiences
In 2015 from January to March I lived and breathed the life of a skeleton athlete. I worked out everyday, did sprints, and slid down a mile long track at 75 mph. Being new to the sport I was just trying to learn as much as I can and soak in the experience. During our first compeition at the Empire State Games I came in 8th. I wasn't happy with it but I learned from that experience. With more trips down the ice I was going faster and faster. At Eastern Regionals I was able to get onto the podium with a 3rd place finish which also qualified me for Nationals! I went into Nationals with an open mind and ended up coming in 15th. For a first year slider I was very happy with how I did but I'm even hungrier to go faster.
Summer of 2015; I was on a whole new lifting and sprinting program which would get me ready for the Skeleton combine which were a series of sprints, throws and sprints to measure speed and explosiveness. I was able to score well and beat my score I set in the summer of 2014. I competed at National Push Championships in Lake Placid and came in 10th. Following push champs I was invited to 2015 National Team Trials in Lake Placid and Park City.
Going to Team Trials in the Fall of 2015 was an unreal experience. It taught me how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable especially in learning a brand new track. I was content with how I did but I was anxious to learn more. My second year was a little bit of a whirlwind especially with learning a new sled and adjusting to the full length of the season. I once again competed in Eastern Regionals coming in 4th and then at Nationals.
Costs
Skeleton isn't a goverment funded sport and only the top sliders in the country are financially aided leaving the other athletes to work jobs during the offseason and train. Along with equipment comes traveling, housing, and food expenses. Below is a list of expenses a skeleton athlete will endure during their first few years in the sport.
This past summer I've worked 5 different jobs to offset some of these costs but that still isnt enough. I rely on your help to help me get the training I need to compete at a high level.
Sled $4,000-$10,000
Speed Suit $200-$1,500
New Runners (min of 2 sets needed) $800 each
Helmet $550
Brush Spikes (2 pair needed) $450 each
Lodging $3,000
Travel $3,000
Food $2,000
Training Cost $2,000
The list is an estimated guess at what everything will cost and you see that it totals up to more than what I'm asking. With your help I will be able to compete and train to the best of my abilitiy.
Why?
I've always been fascinated in representing the country in anything. Wearing the red, white, and blue has always been a dream of mine. Just having a practice suit with the letters "USA" on the back makes me proud. I feel as iI have an obligation to do well because not only am I representing the nation, but because I'm representing millions of people out there who beleive in this country. Help me accomplish my dream of representing you and this country one day at the Winter Olympic Games.
Support
Please share this link on Facebook and by Email with friends, co-workers, and family to help spread my story.
If you would rather donate via Check you can email me as well!
Follow my facebook page "Jimmy Nguyen USA" for the latest details on my training.
If you know anyone interested in Sponsorship I'd love to talk about that as well!
Email me at [email redacted].
Who Am I?
I'm a 25 year old from Massachusetts. I grew up playing sports. I went to Central Catholic High School where I played football, captained the wrestling team, and pole vaulted during outdoor track. I went onto play four years of football at Endicott College.
I currently work as a Personal Trainer at Drive Custom Fit as well as coach football and track at my alma mater, Central Catholic. I run a Strength and Conditioning Camp during the Summer for highschool and college athletes. I'm also a waiter and I bartend on the weekends. As you can see I'm very busy and will explain later on why.
How did I get into Skeleton?
I discovered skeleton from knowing an athlete, Kyle Brown, while doing an internship at Mike Boyle's Strength and Conditioning in Woburn, MA during the summer of 2012. I watched the Sochi Winter Olympics and saw it on TV and thought it might be something I could be good at. I ended up sending in my athlete resume and within a week I was invited to a week long sliding school in March of 2014 where I thoroughly enjoyed going 75 mph head first down an ice track.
I left the school with a new drive to score well on the athlete combine a few months later in August. I came back in August and did well enough that the developmental coach, Don Hass, invited me back to train at the Olympic Training Center for my rookie season.
Experiences
In 2015 from January to March I lived and breathed the life of a skeleton athlete. I worked out everyday, did sprints, and slid down a mile long track at 75 mph. Being new to the sport I was just trying to learn as much as I can and soak in the experience. During our first compeition at the Empire State Games I came in 8th. I wasn't happy with it but I learned from that experience. With more trips down the ice I was going faster and faster. At Eastern Regionals I was able to get onto the podium with a 3rd place finish which also qualified me for Nationals! I went into Nationals with an open mind and ended up coming in 15th. For a first year slider I was very happy with how I did but I'm even hungrier to go faster.
Summer of 2015; I was on a whole new lifting and sprinting program which would get me ready for the Skeleton combine which were a series of sprints, throws and sprints to measure speed and explosiveness. I was able to score well and beat my score I set in the summer of 2014. I competed at National Push Championships in Lake Placid and came in 10th. Following push champs I was invited to 2015 National Team Trials in Lake Placid and Park City.
Going to Team Trials in the Fall of 2015 was an unreal experience. It taught me how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable especially in learning a brand new track. I was content with how I did but I was anxious to learn more. My second year was a little bit of a whirlwind especially with learning a new sled and adjusting to the full length of the season. I once again competed in Eastern Regionals coming in 4th and then at Nationals.
Costs
Skeleton isn't a goverment funded sport and only the top sliders in the country are financially aided leaving the other athletes to work jobs during the offseason and train. Along with equipment comes traveling, housing, and food expenses. Below is a list of expenses a skeleton athlete will endure during their first few years in the sport.
This past summer I've worked 5 different jobs to offset some of these costs but that still isnt enough. I rely on your help to help me get the training I need to compete at a high level.
Sled $4,000-$10,000
Speed Suit $200-$1,500
New Runners (min of 2 sets needed) $800 each
Helmet $550
Brush Spikes (2 pair needed) $450 each
Lodging $3,000
Travel $3,000
Food $2,000
Training Cost $2,000
The list is an estimated guess at what everything will cost and you see that it totals up to more than what I'm asking. With your help I will be able to compete and train to the best of my abilitiy.
Why?
I've always been fascinated in representing the country in anything. Wearing the red, white, and blue has always been a dream of mine. Just having a practice suit with the letters "USA" on the back makes me proud. I feel as iI have an obligation to do well because not only am I representing the nation, but because I'm representing millions of people out there who beleive in this country. Help me accomplish my dream of representing you and this country one day at the Winter Olympic Games.
Support
Please share this link on Facebook and by Email with friends, co-workers, and family to help spread my story.
If you would rather donate via Check you can email me as well!
Follow my facebook page "Jimmy Nguyen USA" for the latest details on my training.
If you know anyone interested in Sponsorship I'd love to talk about that as well!
Email me at [email redacted].
Organizer
Jimmy Nguyen
Organizer
Methuen, MA
