Katie Eberling started out as a small-town girl from Palos Hills, but soon enough, she would become a college volleyball powerhouse and Olympic bobsledding athlete. Eberling sat down with NBC to discuss her incredible journey.
On the beginning:
"I was just finishing my volleyball career and starting to do job interviews, kind of thinking about being an adult, and I got a Facebook message from Elana Myers. She was the 2010 Olympic bronze medalist in Vancouver, and she moved into the pilot and needed some brakemen...so she kind of researched some athletes that might be able to fit that profile needed to push a sled fast...It definitely took me by surprise and turned my world a little upside down, but a couple years later I'm here, so it's worked out."
On the transition:
"It was actually pretty smooth. Volleyball's a very explosive sport as well, and so with the exception of moving laterally and the duration of the time you're performing, a lot of the training is pretty similar."
On Olympic trials:
"We had our first step of the team trials, our combine and push championships, and I finished second in our push championship. It was good. It was a good first marker. It's a long road, but it's a good first step."
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On visiting home:
"My sister actually got married this summer, and so I was kind of in and out a lot for that. It was just a positive distraction for me, I guess, to spend some time with family and to kind of get back to my roots. It was very good for me this summer to help me stay grounded. There's no place like home."
For more on Eberling, you can watch the full interview.
