Youth have a chance to be “discovered” on Locust Road

USA Luge will be in Burlington for the USA Luge Slider Search on Saturday, October 12-13. The Free event will provide young athletes, boys and girls ages 9 to 13, with the thrill of luge on wheeled sleds.

The Slider Search Free clinics will take place on Saturday, October 12 from 9 – 12 PM and 2 – 5 PM. Sunday’s clinic is slated for 1 – 5 PM. All will be located on Locust Road, between Shelburne Road (Rt. 7) and Charlotte Street.

Participants must pre-register for one of the free clinics online at www.usaluge.org.

The program allows local youth to be exposed to the sport, as well as be given the opportunity to impress coaches who are looking for up and coming talent. The Slider Search is the first step in a process that takes young athletes to Junior Development, Junior National and National Teams. This sequence puts them in the pipeline to compete in World Cups, World Championships and the Winter Olympic Games.

Luge team hopefuls will train under the guidance of USA Luge National team athletes and coaches. The training camp intent is to help promote the Slider Search and the sport of luge. The USA Luge team will teach the camp’s attendees the basics of riding a luge sled, including position, steering and stopping.

"The Slider Search is a key program for our organization," said Fred Zimny, recruitment manager for USA Luge and U.S. Olympic Committee Coach of the Year in 2000. "We look forward to giving enthusiastic youngsters the chance to have fun, experience the sport and perhaps qualify for our Junior Development Team."

The young athletes will also get to make several runs down a paved street on wheeled sleds. Those who show the most promise at the clinics will be invited to train in Lake Placid, N.Y. and will be considered for selection to the U.S. Junior Development Luge Team.
USA Luge uses the Slider Search, now in its 28th season, as its primary means of athlete recruitment. U.S. Luge athletes have captured over 590 international medals since 1994. Included in that total are silver and bronze medals during the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games, one Youth Olympic Games gold medal, 25 World Cup victories, four overall World Cup doubles crowns, 18 Junior World Championship titles and 12 Senior World Championship medals.