The next Winter Olympics aren’t for another three years. But USA Luge is out searching for the next generation of Olympians. It holds clinics on street sleds, instead of ice ones, to introduce kids that are 9 - 13 years old to luge.
Last weekend, the national search came to Massena, the hometown of Olympic slider, Jonny Gustafson, and he was there to help recruit.
Raiden Boyea, 10, heads down the starting ramp at the USA Luge Slider Search in Massena. Sept. 18, 2022 (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
About 10 kids and their parents are on a short residential street in Massena. It slopes toward the elementary school next door. For some of these kids being here has nothing to do with the Olympics.
"Anything fast is fun!" said Shawn Paul Hanson. He’s 12 years old and from Chazy.
Shawl Paul Hanson (right) with his mother. (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
Olympian Jonny Gustafson said going fast is a good enough reason to learn to luge.
"The speed is definitely what hooked me because you, I mean, you do go fast and you slowly work your way getting faster and faster," he said.
Each kid got a helmet and a small sled. The sleds have inline wheels instead of blades. Two rows of bright orange cones lined the street.
The goal is for the kids to their sleds between them as they roll down the hill.
Gustafson remembers the event like this in nearby Canton where he started his journey to the Olympics.
" I do remember most of the session though and I do remember I did hit a couple of cones," he said. Gustafson in competition and at the Slider Search over a decade ago in Canton.
Gustafson isn’t the only Olympian here. Aidan Kelly competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and was a U.S. national champion. He was at the Massena event to coach the kids and check out their potential. Some of what he's looking for isn't their sliding technique.
" Most importantly fun, interest. We want, we want the kids to have a good time and we want to find kids who really love the sport," he said.
Aiden Kelly, left, and Jonny Gustafson, right (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
Ten-year-old Raiden Boyea is having mixed feelings.
" A little bit scared. And a little bit excited," he said.
The kids each made a few runs from street level. Then they moved to start on a tall metal ramp to go faster.
Some kids here know who Gustafson is, that he competed in the Beijing Olympics, and grew up here in Massena. Vaishnavi Lingam is the only girl in this clinic. Her mom helps tuck her long braid into the back of her shirt before she starts sliding.
"I was happy to know that, like, we had an athlete from Massena being in the Olympics," she said.
Turns out Lignam’s family has a connection to Gustafson’s. They are neighbors. "It feels good to be in my hometown and seeing kids excited to try it and having fun while they're doing it," said Gustafson.
Gustafson coaches Vaishnavi Lingam, the only girl in the clinic. (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
After a couple of hours, the kids have gotten the hang of things. Tre’von Alexander who’s ten and also from Massena said he’d definitely do luge again if he got the chance. He said the reason was speed. Tre'von Alexander and his mom Allana Cruz. (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
Alanna Cruz is Tre’von’s mom. She said luge seems really good for him.
" He just seems to be really focused, which is very hard for him. So this is good," she said.
As things came to an end, Raiden Boyea (who was nervous at first) is feeling more confident.
When asked if he wanted to go to the Olympics, Boyea said yes and added that he wants to compete in luge.Vaishnavi's little sister tried out a sled, too. (Photo: Celia Clarke/NCPR)
His mom, Sarah Huto was impressed with the whole event.
" I think this is amazing. I think that they're giving more kids a chance to become part of something pretty amazing," she said.
USA Luge holds workshops like this across the country. Out of all the kids they’ll see 80 to 100 will be invited to Lake Placid to train like the Olympians. After that, some might be offered a spot on the development team, which could be the next step on their Olympic journey.