What are Team USA athletes — Olympians, Paralympians and hopefuls — up to when they're not competing? They're training. They're practicing. They're traveling to competitions and meets and games and tournaments. They're relaxing. They're getting engaged and married and having children. They're taking hard-earned vacations. Or retiring. Or coping with the raw emotions that come from losing and winning. And they're sharing. Through the reach of social media, we're able to follow along on their often extraordinary journeys. We'll catch you up each week on what's "Red, White & Trending."
Flying High Again
With all respect to the holiday season, this is a most wonderful time of the year. As we creep closer to a month inside of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, Team USA’s elite athletes are qualifying for the Games at a more rapid rate. Congratulations are in order across so many sports, as every athlete's story takes on that much more significance with South Korea on his or her horizon.
For ski jumper Sarah Hendrickson, that meant qualifying to the sounds of cowbells and cheering from the mountainside during last weekend’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Hendrickson had always shown great promise, but her continued success had been beset by knee injuries before and after the 2014 Sochi Games. So, there’s this, one of the best feelings in the world ...
Very proud of this little one. Looks like bib 7’s are where it’s at :) @schendrickson You deserve it Chick. pic.twitter.com/f0RpCfMCbx
— Jessica Jerome (@jessicajerome) December 31, 2017
I’m an ugly crier 😂😂😂 Worth it @abbyringquist love you 📷: @benpieper pic.twitter.com/R3Waos5FZJ
— Sarah Hendrickson (@schendrickson) January 1, 2018
There will, however, be very little rest for Hendrickson.
My next trip is 11 weeks long.... Japan, Europe, Korea, Europe —> USA 🤓😎 #goodbooktime
— Sarah Hendrickson (@schendrickson) January 3, 2018
Hockey Teams, Too
To kick off the new year and on the occasion of the NHL’s always-popular Winter Classic, USA Hockey announced the names for all three of the teams that will represent the United States in PyeongChang — men, women and Paralympic. But perhaps the most compelling of all the videos shot this past week for athletes headed to the Games came out of Milwaukee. That’s where the Milwaukee Admirals shot a clip of 30-year-old Bobby Butler, who played 130 games in the NHL, telling his dad he would be going to the Olympic Games. What goes into the video is at once 32 seconds and yet a lifetime, and it’s priceless. So far, the video has earned the Admirals more than 800,000 views, and it has been picked up by countless media outlets. No doubt that when play begins, the hug heard ‘round Team USA will be seen again.
TFW you tell your dad that you’ve made the US Olympic Team 🙌🏻#TeamUSA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ASoOYYXS4Z
— Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) January 1, 2018
Team USA’s women will also be represented, once again, by a set of twins, and their heartfelt appreciation for each other can always be felt through their social posts.
And if you don’t yet follow Paralympic standout Josh Pauls on Twitter, now is a good time to start …
It's always an honor to put on that USA sweater and so glad to be heading to #PyeongChang2018 to defend our Paralympic title. There's going to be some great hockey at the world's 2nd largest sporting event so don't miss out! https://t.co/w9tuMFZjnP
— Josh Pauls (@spudsusa27) January 2, 2018
The Downside Of Olympic Dreams
For every wonderful story about qualifying, there are dozens more about Olympic hopefuls who, occasionally because of injury, won’t realize the dreams that have fueled them for so many days and weeks and years leading into the Games. Such is the case this year with Olympic alpine skier Travis Ganong, who was injured this past week during competition. His words tell the hard tale …
Look Out, 2018
New Year’s Eve is a time not only of reflection, but also for looking at the next year like it’s another 365 days of conquering everything from competition and training to injury and setbacks. As the calendar pages turned, Team USA timelines shouted out messages of optimism.
Diving into this new year 100% in rain, shine, sleet, snow or whatever else 2018 throws my way!
— Chris Mazdzer (@mazdzer) January 2, 2018
PC: @tmorris91#cantstopwontstop #2018 #polarplunge #pyeongchang2018 #believe #achieve #inspire #classroomchampions #explorermoments #lakeplacid #ongoenergy … https://t.co/OxErQPKnvh pic.twitter.com/GxoxOUAeer
Storming into 2018 with the boys like... 💪🏻🇺🇸#TeamUSA #RoadToPyeongChang pic.twitter.com/zBX5h48Dvc
— Steven Langton (@StevenLangton) January 2, 2018
Ending 2017 ranked as #1 decathlete in the USA and top 10 in the open 110 hurdles..
— Devon Williams (@1dmillions) December 30, 2017
2018 I’m pressing the gas.
Staring down 2018 like, "I'm ready for you" pic.twitter.com/WthPAWaz5J
— Georganne Moline (@Georganne400h) December 31, 2017
Man...2017 was one of the most difficult years of my life. But guess what... giving up has never been my forte. I’m comin’ for you 2018. Buckle up.
— Sydney Leroux Dwyer (@sydneyleroux) December 31, 2017
📍🇷🇺. Getting 2018 started with another city event in Moscow! pic.twitter.com/obvFh8KYzH
— Mac Bohonnon (@MacBohonnon) January 2, 2018
How we started 2018 !! #bucketlist pic.twitter.com/6oeKmXl65f
— Brittney Reese, OLY (@DaLJBeast) January 1, 2018
I brought in 2018 watching @Tee_Grizzley perform
— Ashley Spencer, ᴏʟʏ (@theTrackQueen) January 1, 2018
Never been so ready for track season in my life
So thankful for all the amazing people and experiences that 2017 has brought!❤️ Looking forward to 2018 with a whole new perspective on life✨
— Kyla Ross (@kyla_ross96) January 1, 2018
Parade, Root
Some New Year’s Days also came with a signifiant honor: roses. Lots and lots of roses. Congratulations to two-time Olympic bobsled medalist Elana Meyers Taylor.
Zoom With A View
We checked in with two-time Olympic luger Chris Mazdzer earlier in this edition for his polar plunge at Southern Germany’s Berchtesgaden National Park, and, not too far away, here’s his icy Koenigssee, Germany,f office …
First training of the new year ☑️ Just a little view down the icy road to #pyeongchang2018 🤘🏼#konigssee #luge #worldcup #icyroadtopyeongchang #teamusa #teamusana #lakeplacidevents #usaluge #ongoenergyspray https://t.co/1MDxVnzC3p pic.twitter.com/h93cqP5r83
— Chris Mazdzer (@mazdzer) January 3, 2018
Serena’s Top 10
Among Team USA’s most fun stories this year was Olympic champion Serena Williams winning a Grand Slam title while pregnant with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian (who, in addition to the Grand Slam also has 194,000 Instagram followers). Serena, with her own 7.2 million followers on Instagram, picked up nearly 500,000 likes with her so-sweet 10-video tribute to Alexis.
Car. Tunes.
While the U.S. Figure Skating Championships are well underway, some of this country’s very best skaters teamed up for a little fun on their Road to PyeongChang with this carpool karaoke rendition of "Let It Go" from the Frozen soundtrack, and it’s well worth the full 3:48 run time.
It's time to see what #TeamUSA can do, to test the limits and break through. ❄️ Senior competition starts TONIGHT at #USChamps18.
— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 3, 2018
More: https://t.co/PUk9PCA47I pic.twitter.com/baKuSgQCV0
Feats Of Strength
We’d caution against trying this at home if we thought there were any threat of someone believing they could, as Team USA gymnast Steven Legendre does, complete a set of handstand push-ups … with pauses at the bottom, middle and top of the push-up. Crazy strength.
Wedding Bells
Congratulations are in order for the first couple of BMX racing, Australian Olympic silver medalist Sam Willoughby and Team USA’s Alise Post, who won her own silver medal at the Rio Games. Because Willoughby sustained significant spinal damage in a training injury in September 2016, some of this seemed impossible not all that long ago …
That was awesome. Thanks @alisepost11 & @SW91 🖤 pic.twitter.com/U6ABk0uKSu
— Corinne Walder (@CorinneWalder) January 1, 2018
Cheryl, Cheryl …
When opposing fans thought they might get under his skin, 1996 Olympian Reggie Miller would hear chants of Cheryl! Cheryl!, in reference to his big sister and one of the most accomplished players in history, Cheryl Miller. Now 54, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist and Basketball Hall of Famer gets more than a little love from her younger brother and Pacers legend.
Gripping Cold
If you’re in the United States, there’s about a 90 percent chance you’re unseasonably — or even historically — cold right now. A few of our favorite posts/rants about the deep freeze popping up in social timelines this past week …
At first I thought it said 30... but THAT, folks, is a 3. A THREE. pic.twitter.com/YsD6yRMnlE
— Sandi Morris (@sandicheekspv) January 1, 2018
If you're curious 😅🌬❄️ pic.twitter.com/Phirg1HbMK
— Raychel Germaine (@RaychelUSA95) January 3, 2018
39 degrees in FL! I actually put the heat on to take the chill out of my place and got back under the covers! Swim day??????????
— Diane Berberian (@DianeBerberian) January 2, 2018
Today I avoided the treadmill & braved the single digit Chicago temps for my run. I lived. I even got hot. And I even felt a little badass as my eyelashes froze. So take that, you cold Chicago temps, you got nothing on me. Boom. #trimom #momstrong🏃🏽♀️💪🏼❄️ pic.twitter.com/9S7SV0lioW
— Melissa Stockwell (@MStockwell01) January 4, 2018
OK, not everyone was in the deep freeze, and they didn’t mind sharing their weather thoughts, either …
Successfully escaped the blizzard & traded a snow day for a lovely hike in Malibu today ✌🏼 pic.twitter.com/TGxldNqbCw
— Nastia Liukin (@NastiaLiukin) January 5, 2018
Not Your Average Trip
And if you’re looking for some decent weather, look no farther than three-time Olympic swimming medalist Conor Dwyer, who is soaking in some seriously picturesque swims …