Utica Hosts Team USA Luge Olympic Slider Search

If you’ve ever dreamed about the Olympics, here’s your chance to see how it all begins right in downtown Utica.

The White Castle USA Luge Slider Search is rolling into town on September 20th and 21st, and it is all about finding the next generation of stars for Team USA.

What Is the White Castle Luge Slider Search?

Now, when you think luge, you probably picture icy tracks, helmets, and lightning-fast sleds. This event looks a little different. Instead of ice, the athletes slide on sleds with wheels. Cornelia Street will become the course, and local kids will get the chance to learn the basics of steering, balance, and speed from the people who know the sport best.

The Slider Search is free and open to boys and girls ages 10 to 13. All you need to do is sign up for one of the clinics being offered at 9 in the morning, 11AM, or 2PM on either day. Every participant gets a White Castle USA Luge Slider Search T-shirt, and maybe more importantly, the kind of experience that just might lead them to the Olympics one day.

Olympic Stars Who Got Their Start Here

Don’t believe it could happen? Just ask Erin Hamlin. The Remsen native was spotted in a Slider Search back in 1999. She went on to become a four-time World Championship medalist and earned bronze in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Or take Brian Martin, who was discovered in 1987 and later picked up both bronze and silver Olympic medals. Many of the athletes who competed in 2010, 2014, 2018, and even the most recent 2022 Olympic Games started with this same program.

What Parents Need to Know Before Attending

Parents, if your child is interested, you’ll need to be there, too. Just bring long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and sneakers. There will also be a short physical testing portion where shorts and a T-shirt are fine. It might look like just another fun weekend activity, but you never know. The next Olympic medalist could get their start on a sunny street in Utica this September.