By Rich Chrampanis
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the course of many people’s lives. Fair Haven native Charlie Volker, a 2019 Princeton University graduate, went from chasing an opportunity in the NFL to suddenly thinking about Beijing and the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Volker was one of 11 athletes selected for the Men’s National Bobsled Team for 2020-21. The running back has the perfect attributes for a bobsledder. A first team All-Ivy selection in both football and track, Volker possesses the combination of elite speed and strength that translates to pushing a sled that reaches speeds of up 80 miles per hour. It’s a remarkable story considering that Volker never rode a sled until his tryout in Lake Placid, New York in the fall. When the NFL canceled its minicamps for potential free agents, Volker turned his sights to bobsled. He discusses the shift and the excitement of learning his new sport in an interview with The Two River Times.
TRT: How did bobsled get on your radar during your football training?
Volker: I was training at Test Football up in North Jersey for pro day prep. One of the coaches there was a former bobsledder (Chris Enslen), and he told me that if football didn’t work out for any reason I had all the measurables fit to be a bobsledder. When minicamps were canceled this year I decided to give bobsled a go.
TRT: How did you get the opportunity to try out for the U.S. Bobsled Team?
Volker: I contacted their recruiting coach Mike Dionne and he told me they were doing a virtual combine this year for the first time. I wasted no time, went and ran my 40 and broad jumped at RBC’s field (RFH’s turf was getting redone) in the midst of a summer downpour and the coach liked that. I kept up calling him and texting a few times each week until I finally got a date, Oct. 9, to go to the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center. From there I got on a squad to compete in team trials where I stood out to the coaches and was fortunate to make the national team.
TRT: What was it like the first time you pushed off and went on a four-man bobsled run?
Volker: It was a slow start, but once I got in and got a few curves into the track, we were zooming. My body folded like a lawn chair and I had never felt that flexible. I felt like I was on some crazy roller coaster. When I got out I was a bit disoriented but we laughed about it and went down again and again.
TRT: What skills from football help you with bobsled?
Volker: The ability to work hard in the dark, for no other reason than to give you and your teammates the best chance to win. Being up in Lake Placid, especially with lockdowns, was like being off the grid for three months. I’m always someone who’s been hyper-focused to the task (and not much else) when it comes to football and track so that helped for sure.
TRT: What is your schedule with Team USA and what are your goals in your first taste of international competition?
Volker: I originally intended to go to Europe (was supposed to leave a couple days ago) but there was a change of plans at the last minute due to something beyond our control, and now I will be competing in the North American Cup. The same thing happened to a few others, and now us four will be competing together on a sled, and the combination looks promising. Although I’m bummed I won’t see Europe for now, I’m hopeful I’ll make it there next year when the time comes.
TRT: You had NFL dreams but now it’s an Olympic dream that could become reality. What does it feel like to shift gears like that?
Volker: I’m more fit for bobsled than I am for football when you look at the demands of each sport. Bobsled is very simple and I enjoy that a lot. The training is virtually the same. Lots of sled work, lifting and sprinting. I’ve always aspired to be the best at anything I involve myself in, so being able to compete on such a large scale is something I’m looking forward to.
The article originally appeared in the January 7 – 14, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
