USA Bobsled & Skeleton, America's governing body for sliding sports announced on April 6th that they will be partnering with GMTM for all future athlete identification.
Following the launch of their USA Bobsled & Skeleton Virtual Combine on GMTM.com in the fall of 2020, the organization and its coaches found nine athletes to invite to their development programs. All nine of those athletes submitted film to GMTM with no prior bobsled experience and were discovered by national coaches in the interactive online combine.
“GMTM.com provides an opportunity for athletes to try out for USA Bobsled from the convenience of a local football field, running track, or even their backyard," said USABS CEO Aron McGuire. He continued by saying, "We have already seen the success of the digital combine with several GMTM-based athletes who are now representing the United States in international competition.”
USA Bobsled's partnership with GMTM will involve more Virtual Events and Evaluations on the site, allowing athletes from every corner and climate to be discovered by their coaches. By creating a profile and uploading training videos, an athlete from any sport - with NO experience on a sled or ice - can show some of the intangibles that bobsled coaches seek in an athlete.
And while the pandemic has changed athletic opportunities for coaches and athletes, USA Bobsled is confident that virtual training and tryouts available through GMTM will help their sport find an influx of new elite athletes.
One such example of the type of athlete USABS is looking for is Charlie Volker, a former Princeton running back who found the Virtual Combine while training for NFL minicamp. Charlie submitted a few videos to GMTM showcasing his explosive speed as a track athlete and his downhill running as a football player.
In four short months during the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlie participated in the Virtual Combine from his home, was contacted by USABS coaches who saw his submissions, and was invited to train with the team at their facility in Lake Placid. Earlier this year, Charlie was selected to join the National Team and is on a fast-track to race in the Winter Olympics.
And the whole process was made possible by remote tryouts and talent identification on GMTM's platform.
“The world of sport and how organizations engage with athletes is changing,” said Connor Dietz, a co-founder at GMTM. “Our partnership with USABS was founded on innovation and pushing the boundaries to find future medalists from day one."
With more and more accessibility for athletes and a wider pool of athletes being exposed to the sport of bobsled, it will be exciting to see more athletes transitioning to the sport and starting their journey.
Athletes and parents, claim your profile today to see all of USA Bobsled's opportunities on GMTM.
