The 2012-13 season has wrapped up for USA Luge. It has been challenging and rewarding for me in many ways. It has also opened some potential doors for me to continue my or further my career in several directions. I can say that I’m glad I took the huge RISK and left a well paying job to get more experience, meet new people, and learn new things.
The 2012-13 season was pretty successful as far as I’m concerned. I felt like I contributed to the success of the team. By providing them good consistent care I imagine that they felt less stress if they became injured or were in need of treatment. Knowing that you can go to someone and 9 times out of ten they can make you feel better is less mentally taxing. It seems that the athletes were very happy overall with my performance, some of them even asking for help with certain areas of strength and fitness after the season.
I figure I can briefly, as not to bore everyone, get on with my thankfuls and hopefuls.
I am thankful for the opportunity I received. It was a great learning experience about travel, sports medicine in Europe, Olympic athletes, different cultures, and team work.
I am thankful to have met some many generous and friendly people, first and foremost the athletes and coaches of USA Luge. I also have developed what I hope will be life long friendships with Kurt Brugger (1994 Doubles Gold Medalist and super climber) and his family (Gabi, Max, and Romy), Lorenz Clara (super sportsman), and Emanuel Ciullo (super climber) all from Italia; Martin Birner (former professional snowboarder) and Phillip Trattner (strength coach) from Austria; the Sics brothers from Latvia; all of the physiotherapists and so many more.
I am thankful for all of my friends in Lake Placid who offered me places to stay, let me drive their vehicles, eat their food, snowboard and ice climb with them. I don’t know what I would do without good friends like that.
I am more than thankful for my family who always supports me in whatever decisions I make. I know it’s been hard for them because I have been away for so long.
I am thankful that the former students I had have been successful and that maybe I had a hand in helping them get there.
I am hopeful that the future decisions I make with my career will be successful, although I am not afraid of failure because it just helps us learn and become better. Soon I’ll have to make a choice between a special program with the military and the olympic teams, going back to the education sector, working whatever I can get, or just plain joining the military.
I know everyone is probably saying the military??? Thats not for you. Well, unfortunately in the USA we have a very difficult educational system that has a structure is not very favorable. So when student loan debt has the potential to run my life for the next 30 years I have to take a stand and the military can help quite significantly. I honestly have nothing against the armed forces and serving my country, so having them pay my debt in exchange for my service is okay by me. However I would not mind the safety of the luge track compared to the thought of having bullets fly past me.
Thats all for now. I’ll try to post about my two week trip through Europe very soon. Cheers from Holland.
lpclimbing 