Friday, April 18, 2008

Pass the Popcorn

So, for the past few days I've been thinking about posting some video onto our website so that visitors can actually watch us participating in the sport we love so much. As I have been working toward restructuring the site (we'll announce it when we're ready to unveil the new "look") I thought it might be kind of fun to post the same videos on the blog for you to enjoy! And there won't even be any late fees.

These videos were taken during our photo shoot with Getty Images on Easter Sunday, 2008 and came to us courtesy of Amy Uratsu who we worked closely with at Getty when they asked us to participate in the event.

I hope you enjoy the videos, don't forget the popcorn, and please ignore the loud "Get in" shouts during the push video. You can blame it on another athlete's head injury! Just kidding, Joe!













Thursday, April 10, 2008

Team Holm Joins Team Darfur

Team Darfur

I know it has been a few days since I've posted on here, but this is an entry that I am humbled to share with you.

Last week I was approached by the Olympic gold-medallist Joey Cheek to join "Team Darfur." Team Darfur is an international coalition of elite athletes who have joined together to raise awareness about the tragedies that are occurring every single day in Darfur, Sudan and to help bring an end to the crisis.

As the team's website states:

A campaign leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Team Darfur aims to educate the global public through the unique voice of elite athletes. Team Darfur brings together the world's Olympic and professional athletes to put international pressure not only on Sudan, but also on those countries that support the policy of inaction in the face of this dire humanitarian crisis.


I think it is so easy at times to forget that while sure, we face growing gas prices and a sometimes shaky economy that we really do have it pretty good. We get so busy with the day to day aspects of our lives that we unintentionally become somewhat oblivious to the terrible circumstances found throughout the world.

The story of Darfur is a heart-breaking one. While it would take, perhaps, a full history class to explain the crisis in the Sudan, here is a brief synopsis of the situation taken from the Team Darfur website:

The current crisis in Darfur, a region of Western Sudan the size of Texas or France, began in 2003. After decades of neglect, drought, oppression and small-scale conflicts in Darfur, two rebel groups mounted a challenge to Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir. These groups represent agrarian farmers who are mostly non-Arab black African Muslims from a number of different tribes. President al-Bashir's response was brutal. In seeking to defeat the rebel movements, the Government of Sudan increased arms and support to local tribal and other militias, which have come to be known as the Janjaweed. Their members are composed mostly of Arab black African Muslims who herd cattle, camels, and other livestock. They have wiped out entire villages, destroyed food and water supplies, and systematically murdered, tortured, and raped hundreds of thousands of Darfurians. These attacks occur with the direct support of the Government of Sudan's armed forces.


As we sit comfortably in our offices or homes or view this blog from our cellphones, let me share some brief facts about Darfur:

- 400,000: the estimated number of people who have been killed to date because of the fighting.
- 2.5 Million: the number of people who have been forced out of their homes and into unsafe camps and make-shift temporary communities within Sudan.
- 200,000: the number of refugees who have fled to neighboring Chad to escape the violence.
- 1 Million: the number of people who are currently living in their homes, at risk of attacks from the Janjaweed and the army.

These facts are hard to ignore. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine what a life such as this would be like. But the truth is that millions of human beings in the Sudan suffer from fear, hunger, and thirst and pass each day in deplorable living situations.

I am not sharing this information to put a "damper on your day." No, I am only sharing facts. As a member of Team Darfur I am honored to join with the best athletes in the world in doing our part to end the suffering in the Sudan. It is not a political movement, it is a rescue effort.

If you would like to know more about what you can do to help the relief effort, I invite you to visit the Team Darfur website. There you will find photos, videos, and stories about those who struggle just to make it through the day in the Sudan.

I also invite you to sign the "Fan Pledge" in support of your country's athletes who have joined Team Darfur.

If you would like to donate to the cause, Team Darfur has several options to do so. Team Darfur is a 501c3 non-profit organization under the federal tax code. All donations to Team Darfur go to support the work of Team Darfur. Donations to Team Darfur will also soon provide on the ground relief in Darfur, Sudan. The relief programs Team Darfur will fundraise for are focused on youth sports and education. So you can donate directly to the team or you can purchase the special Team Darfur sweatbands and headbands to help raise funds for the effort. These bands can be purchased individually or in bulk and you can wear yours with pride as a supporter of both your Olympic athletes as well as a symbol of your personal efforts to make a difference in the lives of the people of the Sudan.

As a team, we are athletes are united in our efforts to make a difference in Darfur. We ask you to join us in this movement as we strive to bring about an end to the crisis and provide relief to those in need.

Thank you your time.

-Jeremy Holm
Team Captain
Team Holm Racing
teamholmracing(a)hotmail.com

Friday, April 4, 2008

We Make This Look Good

Hey everyone,

After the response to looking at these images on Getty Images' blog, posted by Art Director Stephen Schauer, we decided to post them on here. The first one is definitely my personal favorite, and I can't wait to see the final products!

Enjoy!




Thursday, April 3, 2008

From the Artist's Perspective

Dear All,

As you know Team Holm Bobsled had the incredible opportunity to participate in a photo shoot on Easter Sunday 2008 with Getty Images at the bobsled track in Park City, Utah. While we have posted several entries about our experience with the marvelously talented Getty crew, we'd like to invite you to read about the big day from THEIR perspective.

The art director for the shoot, Stephen Schauer, posted an informative and entertaining entry on Getty's blog that describes how they chose the sports, the athletes, the angles, the turns to shoot on, etc. In addition, you can be amongst the first people to see some of the shots taken by photographer Ryan McVay and his crew! Stephen and his crew truly made us feel welcome as a part of their team that day and it was an honor to work with them.

Please read his blog posting, "Operation Snowflake" by clicking here.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The Shoes in the Closet

The end of the season always brings a mixture of bitter-sweet memories and relief.

As I was getting ready for work this morning I glanced down at my bobspikes (bobsled shoes) just sitting at the bottom of the closet and I had to pause. I guess you could say it was one of those "Do I really do that?" moments. You know, when you stop and think about the crazy sport that we're involved in, sometimes it just seems so surreal. I mean, who in their right mind goes out and plays in sub-zero temperatures wearing nothing but spandex, then runs full speed ON ICE and then loads into a metal and fiberglass rocket just to hurl themselves down an ice covered track at 80 MPH? Who does that???

One can only laugh at the way we try to put our bobsled gear away at the end of the season. Of course each athlete is different, but I think it is rather similar all around. The gear bag that you just drop on the floor at the end of the day because you know you'll need it tomorrow has to actually be put away. The toolbox that you leave in your car all winter has to be stowed in the garage somewhere. The training gear needs to be washed and hung up or folded away. I've got three helmets on the top shelf in my closet, two speedsuits that sit in a dresser drawer, a box full of medals, two pairs of bobspikes in two closets, and a two-man bobsled sitting under a cover in my garage. Call me crazy, but I'm betting that isn't normal!

But it IS worth it. This last season was, if anything, a blast. We worked hard out there on the ice, don't get me wrong. There were plenty of nights where we froze our butts off for hours, then went home tired and bruised and sore. However, the great runs we had, the improvements we made, and the friendships we formed more than compensated up for the sacrifices we made.

I think that is the hardest part about the summer "off-season." You miss the sport of course, but you also miss the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the personal battles between fear and dreams, and of course, you miss the rush. It goes without saying that we have plans for summer training and so forth, but nothing beats unloading the sled at the start pad and saying "hello" to all the athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers. In a way, all US bobsled and skeleton athletes are part of a very small, yet very close family. Oh sure, some members of this family hate each other, but that doesn't change the fact that we are part of a group of athletes who do things everyday that 99.9% of the world's population will never get to experience. With that knowledge comes a certain responsibility to represent our sports with honor as we may be the ONLY bobsledder or skeleton athlete a person may ever meet.

I don't want this to sound like we belong to some exclusive club. That isn't what I mean at all. What I'm saying is that when you're out there at the starting line, looking down the track, waiting for the green light to go, you can't help but get a grin on your face as you think about what you're about to do and who is supporting you out there. We're a darn lucky group.

So while I am planning to do some school over the summer, take some vacations to Las Vegas, NV, St. George, UT, a cruise to the Caribbean, and a training trip to Calgary, Canada, there will be, of course, a part of me that will always be thinking about our sport. After all the bruises, cuts, broken equipment, lost races, blood, sweat, toil, and tears, one would think that as athletes we have gone through a type of war. And I guess you could say that. We're veterans of a different sort. But the good times, the races won, the lessons learned, the friendships formed, the sponsors gained, the cheering crowds, the perfect runs, the personal bests, etc. all add up to form a type of medal of 'honor' that we will wear with pride for the rest of our lives.

And that is definitely something to smile about.

Wow, all this about a pair of $400 bobsled shoes. And you ladies thought your Gucci's were inspiring!