A Houston teenager is gaining national attention after being selected for elite training opportunities in both bobsleigh and skeleton鈥攋ust months after first being scouted through the RBC Training Ground talent identification program.
鈥淚 just thought I was too young and that all these people were way older than me,鈥� said 17-year-old Adam Franz, who recently returned from camps in Calgary, where only a small number of athletes were invited to compete for national team development spots. 鈥淪ome of the people I was there with already had Olympic backgrounds. I met two-time Olympic world champion Kelsey Mitchell while putting on my spikes. It just blew my mind.鈥�
Adam鈥檚 performance at his initial testing in Calgary earned him rare invitations to two Olympic sport call-backs. He was one of only 50 athletes鈥攐ut of 2,500 tested across the country鈥攊nvited to a bobsleigh development camp. He was also one of just 24 selected for skeleton, a fast-paced, high-adrenaline sliding sport that sees athletes race headfirst down an ice track.
He attended both camps in July at the Ice House, Canada鈥檚 only indoor push track.
Having trained for years in track and field, Franz was encouraged by his strength and conditioning coach, Jamie McCartney, a four-time Olympian, to test his abilities through RBC Training Ground鈥攁 program that connects high-potential athletes with Olympic sport opportunities. During testing in Calgary over spring break, Franz鈥檚 strong results in sprinting, jumping and strength metrics caught the attention of both Bobsleigh Canada and Skeleton Canada.
He now finds himself among the youngest athletes at the high-performance training camps鈥攕omething he views as an advantage.
鈥淚f I can get a few years of piloting experience under my belt, I could potentially have a huge impact when I鈥檓 at the proper age to compete on a world level,鈥� he said.
His next steps include competing in the Canadian National Push Championships and attending additional strength-based testing in October.
At the upcoming push championships, Franz will take on a new challenge: pushing a full-frame bobsleigh for the first time. In previous camps, he trained with a stripped-down version of the sled鈥攋ust the main frame without the armoured casing used in competition. The event will mark his first opportunity to push a complete sled over 60 metres, a key performance test of speed and power.
He was told that, depending on his continued progress, he may have a chance to compete internationally as early as next year鈥攁n exciting possibility that also comes with a clear understanding of the risks involved.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a high-risk sport,鈥� Franz said of sliding at speeds close to 150 kilometres an hour. 鈥淏ut I love it. It鈥檚 very high adrenaline, and speed, strength and power are my strong suits.鈥�
For his mother, Donna Franz, watching her son commit to such high-stakes sports comes with a blend of pride and pragmatism.
鈥淚 think the environment he is in鈥攊f there鈥檚 risk, there鈥檚 ways to mitigate those risks,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always been focused and in control, whether it鈥檚 on his mountain bike or at a training camp.鈥�
While Adam continues to progress in both bobsleigh and skeleton, a long-term decision about which sport to pursue remains ahead.
鈥淗e has the potential to do one sport for a while and then transfer over to the other later,鈥� said Donna.
Franz is expected to spend about eight weeks in Whistler this winter to gain on-ice experience as part of his continued development.
With equipment costs and travel adding up, the family is also looking at sponsorship opportunities to support his journey.
鈥淭he more experience I get, the better I鈥檒l become,鈥� Franz said. 鈥淭hese next few months are going to be really important.鈥�
