Seth Baylus - Team USA Bobsled

Hello Everyone, my name is Seth Baylus and I recently became the newest and youngest push athlete on the USA Bobsled team. I am currently pursuing a position on the USA Olympic Team for the 2026 Olympics in Cortina, Italy. I am currently the 5th fastest brakeman on the team, and next year the top 9-12 will become Winter Olympians.

Before I get into how this opportunity came about, I’d like to share a bit about myself and my journey.

MY STORY

I grew up in Loudon, New Hampshire where I attended and graduated from Merrimack Valley High School. I excelled at an early age in football and track, and due to the nature (or lack thereof) of sports training in New Hampshire, I had to make my own programming on the track and in the weight room in order to find success. My sophomore year I was named a first team all-state defensive end, but during my junior year of high school I broke the state record in the 100 meter dash, and from then on decided to commit fully to track. I went on to break my own record 3 more times, as well as the division 2 record in the 200 meter dash, and eventually committed to run track at the University of Nebraska.

At Nebraska, I felt in place and trained well, especially in the weight room where I was originally approached about trying out to bobsled. But I had a hard time staying healthy. Covid twice, heart complications and many acute injuries kept me from ever competing to my full potential. My freshman year at my opening meet, sudden medical complications ended my season before it could ever get started. This was heartbreaking, but I pushed through for a full year until my opening meet my sophomore year where I could get another chance. That’s when I tore my hip labrum. I could no longer even walk or lay in bed without severe pain. This ultimately led to my decision to medically retire from track and field.

After many tears, prayers, and conversations with myself, I gave up. I got a job at Walmart and was waking up at 3:30 in the morning to head to work every day. I knew I had a gift but I didn’t know how I could possibly use it at this point. But gradually over the months my hip pain began to subside, and I thought, “what if?”

I remembered a conversation I had almost a year ago in the Nebraska weight room with one of our sports scientists, telling me I would be a good fit for bobsledding and to reach out if I ever wanted to try. I sent some emails and found out how to try out online, got a shot in my hip to help ease the pain, and before I knew it I had an invite to Lake Placid, New York for a rookie camp in October 2024. At this camp we trained for a week, and at the end of it I was blessed to push the 5th fastest time of any USA brakeman this year. This earned me a spot on the team as a starting brakeman for one of the top sleds in the nation.

WHY FUNDING IS NEEDED

Olympic sport athletes are not paid like those in the NFL, MLB or NHL. There is not enough viewership of the sports to make profit, and team USA receives no government funding. This leaves it to the athletes in sports like Bobsled to fund their own season. A single bobsled can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we have to pay for our own travel, housing and transportation. I’ve already traveled to Whistler, Canada for a competition and the total cost for me was about $3000. Competing 4-5 times a year for a total of over $10,000 is just not financially possible without help, especially for a 20 year old like me who does not have an established career yet. Bobsled is a sport that relies heavily on physical maturity, the average brakeman is 27.

IN SUMMARY

If I continue in the direction I have been going, I will make a bid for the Olympic team in 2026. I will be the youngest USA Bobsled Olympian ever, 2 months younger than Justin Olsen when he won Gold in 2010. But it won’t be financially possible without the community behind me.

I am humbly asking for your support in this journey, nothing is too small and nothing goes unappreciated. My community has always showed up for me and I trust that I will have your support once again whether it be financially or in spirit!

God bless you and thank you in advance!

Seth Baylus

Team USA