Nikia #TeamUSA Olympic Hopeful
As most of you know, in June 2016 I tried out for the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Team. After finishing the combine, I was the top woman's athlete scoring a total of 570. If you scored over 500 you were automatically invited to the Rookie Training Camp in Lake Placid, August 2016. However, we had to pay our own way to get there ($400 plane tickets). Going into the training camp, I was the top ranked female athlete. The last things we would be scored on was squats and power cleans. During the week long camp, we also learned how to push a boblsed. After finishing the combine I tied my score at 746 with Briauna Jones. As far as the push competition, I came second with 9.81 and Briauna came in first with 9.80.
Being the top two athletes of the rookie camp, we were invited to the USA National Push Championships in Calgary, Canada in September 2016, that would be with four rookies (top two men, top two women) and all of the vets from previous years. In between that time, I started to understand the sport a little more. It was basically self-funded. Most athletes have to pay for travel, housing, food and all of that. The USA Bobsled Team doesn't have the money to fund all of its athletes. Many of the vets advised us to create a GoFundMe because it's hard being a bobsled athlete when there isn't really much financial support involed. At this moment I saw conflict. I set my goal for $20k but one of the vets told me to set it for $30-50K... then broke down and told me everything that we have to cover ESPECIALLY in the off season.
Going into the Calgary camp I was clueless on what to aim for, I didn't know what numbers I was capable of... I mean, I was basically 100% blind to what was going to come. But, after the first individual push competition, I came in 3rd place out of 11 female brakeman. This includes all of the 2014 Winter Olympians, the entire national athletes on the team last year, including Lolo Jones. I was shocked at what I just did. With that being said, I also wanted to see where I stood with the current vets in the sport of bobsled.
I enjoyed my experience thus far with the sport of Bobsled. But after the Calgary competition, I have decided not to compete with the USA bobsled team for the 2016-2017 season.... for plenty of reasons. The next step would be Team Trials in October , which we have to fund ourselves to go BACK to Lake Placid from Oct. 12th - 25th. Based on your numbers there, you're either not good enough or good and go directly to Park City, Utah from Oct. 26 - Nov. 6th. As you see, that's nearly a month being away from work (back home in Charlotte) that's self-funded... and I can't keep asking my dad, especially not to pay my rent and my travel costs. After Nov. 6th the athletes will know whether not they've made the World Cup team or the American Cup team (which is self-funded). So, chances are we're paying for everything. And I can't afford that right now, which is why I'm reaching out to you all to make this dream possible.
If you're the top 3rd athlete, why wouldn't you compete this season? Well, my reason to not go into the 2016-2017 season is plenty of reasons. I've already seen where I stand with the vets, which made me realize what I actually wanted to focus on this year. I have two more Indoor Track seasons elibility left (bobsled and indoor are the same season), I have a job, I have my masters program, and a lot of other reasons: defending my NCAA Division II National Title in the 60m dash and trying to win the Long Jump title, competing at the USATF Indoor National Championship again (injured the first time) and USATF Outdoor National Championship for the first time, to be exact, are at the top of the list for me.
Most people may say that that means nothing compared to being an Olympian. Well, finishing 3rd against the current athletes in the NATIONAL, after my first time touching ice and little experience has shown me that I can get college closure, become a stronger track athlete (that will make me a stronger bobsled brakeman/pusher) and come back for the 2017-2018 season and still have a pretty good chance at making the 2018 Olympics. I mean, Lolo did it. This way I can raise the money I need so I'm not broke, my dad isn't going broke and I can still be successful and 100% focused on that Olympic Medal. It is possible, and I believe this is the best choice for me. Since I graduated high school I've made all the right decisions to be where I am and if you're reading this, most of you can attest to that. So just trust me when I say, I WILL MAKE THE 2018 OLYMPICS IF YOU ALL BELIEVE IN ME JUST A LITTLE MORE. This is the best choice for me... and will all work out in the end.
Everything counts!
Thank you.
