SAN ANTONIO – Growing up in San Antonio, you hear of snow, ice, and sub-freezing temperatures, which might not appeal to the everyday human. Enter Boone Niederhofer.
The San Antonio native and former Texas A&M University football player is officially an Olympian, earning his place on Team USA’s Four-Man Bobsled.
While his life over the next few weeks involves snowy days and temperatures in the 20s, Niederhofer’s path to the ice began in the scorching Texas heat.
Growing up, his connection to bobsledding was limited to every four years, with the Olympic broadcasts and his favorite movie.
Training for a winter sport
Bobsled athletes depend on power, speed and technique. All aspects that Niederhofer had to figure out how to train for without snow, ice or even cold air.
“They say winter athletes are built in the summer,” he said.
For Niederhofer, that means keeping it as simple as can be. A middle school track down the street, his garage gym and a whole lot of Texas heat helped him prepare.
“In the off-season, I do a lot of strength training, weight training and sprint training,” he said. “Most of that takes place at the middle school track or in my garage.”
The weather always matters
“If it’s really humid, the ice can get pretty frosty,” Niederhofer said, explaining that conditions impact everything from equipment choices to race strategy.
“If it’s going to be a warm day, we might need to pick a fatter runner,” he said. “If it’s going to be negative temperatures and the ice is extremely hard, maybe we need to pick someone a little thinner.”
A “runner” is the metal blades that the sled sits on when it slides down the track. On a warm day with soft ice, a blade with a wider, fatter radius is faster compared to a cold day with harder ice. A blade with a smaller, skinnier radius is faster.
Always remembering his roots
Despite training, living, and competing far from home, Niederhofer still remembers his roots and proudly carries his hometown with him.
“I went to Churchill High School, really proud to be a Churchill Charger,” he said. “ I went to Jackson Middle School, go Jackson Jags, and Oak Meadow Elementary. I couldn’t be more thankful for the people who surrounded me and gave me a great childhood.”
Niederhofer hopes his story proves that athletes don’t need a winter climate in order to chase their winter dreams.
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