ERIN PAC AND ELANA MEYERS-WOMEN'S USA BOBSLED!

L-R: Elana Meyers with Erin Pac
(Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Booker & USBSF)

There certainly is something to be said for consistency, and in this blog series we have been focused on a very exciting drama that has been unfolding with the approaching Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. Our USA Women's Bobsled Team has succeeded in qualifying three sleds! This is an unprecedented achievement that history books will record. At a time when world events often seem to interrupt any semblance of Joy or Hope, our American Olympic Bobsled athletes on both the Men's and Women's Teams have astounded us with their discipline, dedication and relentless focus to become the best in the world. In effect, they serve as an inspiration to each of us to actualize our own dreams. If ever there was meaning to the term "living in the moment", these final days of training leading up to the Olympic Games must be very exciting for our Team USA Bobsled. They have traveled the globe and navigated race tracks bearing tremendous difficulty and danger with skill and confidence. In recent posts, we have taken a look at the Men's team led by driver Steven Holcomb. On the Women's Team, we have featured the USA number 3 bobsled driver Bree Schaaf and brakewoman Emily Azevedo. I felt it only appropriate to create a seamless thread in presenting today USA number 2 bobsled driver Erin Pac (Farmington, Connecticut) and brakewoman Elana Meyers (Douglasville, Georgia).

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ERIN PAC

Beginning in the summer of 2002, Pac's track coach at Springfield College, Jim Pennington, encouraged her to try out for the USA Woman's Bobsled Team. After traveling with her parents to Northeastern University in Boston, she was tested in the 30 and 60 meter sprints, shot toss, vertical jump, and 5 hops for distance. Her test results led to an invitation to Lake Placid, New York to push a bobsled on wheels and from that point forward she was selected to compete on the national team. After earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies with a concentration in Rehabilitation Counseling from Springfield College, Pac began traveling the world as a brakewoman pushing for drivers Jill Bakken, Shauna Rohbock, and Sara Sprung. By 2005, Erin Pac was recognized along with the U.S. Women's Bobsled Team as the United States Olympic Committee "Team of the Month." At the conclusion of the 2005-2006 season, Pac traveled to Igls, Austria to attend bobsled driving school and made her driving debut one year later during the 2006-2007 season. Pac finished 8th at the World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. During the 2008-2009 season, she finished with a world ranking of 7th and 2nd in the USA. At the inaugural World Cup race in Whistler, Canada Erin Pac earned the Bronze medal placing 6th at the 2009 World Cup Championships in Lake Placid. She will piloting the USA 2 bobsled in the Olympics.

FAST FACTS ABOUT ERIN:

• 6th overall in 2009-2010 World Cup-BRONZE in Park City (Nov., 2009), 7th in Lake Placid (Nov., 2009), 5th in Cesana (Dec., 2009), BRONZE in Winterberg (Dec., 2009), 6th in Altenberg (Dec., 2009), 5th in Konigssee (Jan., 2010), 13th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2010, 4th in Igls (Jan., 2010)
  

• 9th overall in 2008-2009 World Cup-4th in Winterberg (Nov., 2008), 10th in Altenberg (Dec., 2008), 4th in Igls (Dec., 2008), 6th in Konigssee (Jan., 2009), 9th in St. Moritz WC #1 (Jan, 2009), 4th in St. Moritz #2 (Jan., 2009), BRONZE in Whistler (Feb., 2009)
  

• 7th overall in 2008-2009 America's Cup-SILVER in Park City #1 (Oct., 2008), SILVER in Park City #2 (Oct. 2008)
  

• 2008 Driver-Push Champion-11th overall in 2007-08 World Cup as driver-8th in Calgary (Nov., 2007), 5th in Park City (Dec., 2007), 6th in Lake Placid (Dec., 2007), 14th in Cesana (Jan., 2008), 9th in St. Mortiz (Jan., 2008), 17th in Konigssee (Feb., 2008), 7th in Winterberg (Feb., 2008)-7th at World Championships in Altenberg, Germany (Feb., 2008)
  

• 22nd overall as a driver in 2006-2007 World Cup as driver -10th at Igls -8th at World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland (Feb., 2007)

• 2nd overall 2006-07 America's Cup as driver-GOLD and SILVER in Calgary (Nov, 2006), SILVER in Lake Placid (Dec., 2006), BRONZE and SILVER in Park City (Dec., 2006)
  

• 2004-2005 World Cup as brakewoman for Shauna Rohbock and Jill Bakken-BRONZE and start record in Altenberg (Dec., 2004), 7th in Cortina (Dec., 2004), 8th in Cesana Pariol (Jan., 2005), 18th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2005)
  

• 2003-2004 World Cup as brakewoman for Shauna Rohbock and Sara Sprung-11th in Calgary (Nov., 2003), 9th in Lake Placid (Dec., 2003), 7th in Sigulda (Feb., 2004)
  

• 2002-2003 World Cup as brakewoman for Shauna Rohbock-7th in Park City (Nov., 2002), 7th in Lake Placid (Dec., 2002), 13th in Igls (Jan., 2003).
  

“Anything worth having is worth working hard for.”
--Erin Pac

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ELANA MEYERS

Elana Meyers' rise in the sport of bobsled has been meteoric. In 2007, she earned a place on the national team in her rookie season. In 2008, she won her first World Cup medal (Bronze) with driver Shauna Rohbock. She followed this performance with a Gold medal at the inaugural World Cup in Whistler, Canada. At the 2009 World Championships, Meyer pushed with driver Shauna Rohbock to win the Silver medal at the World Cup Championships. A 2006 graduate of George Washington University in Washington D.C., Meyers earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. Her participation in softball at George Washington began in 2002 as a freshman and first recruit. She went on to play shortstop, pitcher and third baseman positions for the Colonials softball team. Meyers was later named to the ECAC Division I Softball All-Star Team in July, 2007 for leading the Colonials to their first ever Atlantic 10 Tournament appearance with a game-winning grand slam in her final home game! It's also worth noting that Meyers was the first and only player in George Washington Softball history to record 200 base hits. In addition to bobsled, Meyers also plays for the Mid-Michigan Ice, a professional softball team based in Midland, Michigan. Her involvement in Softball began in 2002, when Meyers was a freshman and the very first recruit. Meyers is pursuing a Masters degree in Sports Management at George Washington University.

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FAST FACTS ABOUT ELANA

• 2009-2010 World Cup as push athlete for Shauna Rohbock & Erin Pac-5th in Lake Placid (Nov., 2009), 5th in Cesana (Dec., 2009), BRONZE in Winterberg (Dec., 2009), 6th in Altenberg (Dec., 2009), 13th in St. Moritz (Jan., 2010), 4th in Igls (Jan., 2010)

• 2009 U.S. National Bobsled Push Champion-SILVER at 2009 World Championship in Lake Placid (Feb., 2009)

• 2008-2009 World Cup-BRONZE in Altenberg (Dec., 2008), 4th in Igls (Dec., 2008), 6th in St. Moritz #1 (Jan., 2009), 4th in St. Moritz #2 (Jan., 2009), GOLD at Whistler (Feb., 2009)

• 2007-2008 World Cup as push athlete for Erin Pac-5th in Park City (Dec., 2007), 14th in Cesana (Jan., 2008), 17th in Konigssee (Feb., 2008), 7th in Winterberg (Feb., 2008)-7th at World Championship in Altenberg, Germany (Feb., 2008).
  

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"I am extremely excited and know that God has choreographed this entire season and am excited for what else He has in store for me. I am extremely proud to be representing my country on the World's biggest stage, and cannot wait to race for the USA on February 23-24, 2010".
--Elana Meyers