Frequently Asked Questions
What is Maya's official status?
Maya is a 2019-20 USA Luge Junior National Team member based in Lake Placid, New York. She has been on the team since the 2015-16 season.
What is Maya's training schedule?
For the 2019-20 season, Maya will train in Lake Placid, New York; Sigulda, Latvia; Igls, Austria; Königssee, Altenberg, & Oberhof, Germany; and St. Moritz, Switzerland. In the past she has also trained in Park City, Utah; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. During the season, she trains for up to sixteen weeks at camps ranging from one to five weeks in length. This season, she is scheduled for ~100 days of "on ice" training. When away from training, she will continue her conditioning locally and participate in cross-training activities.
Where will Maya train?
She started training on the combined luge/bobsled/skeleton track at the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York where she took up to 200 runs in each of first two years on the team. After moving up to the Junior C Team, she started training at the North American tracks in New York, Utah, Alberta, and British Columbia. Coinciding with her promotion to the Junior National Team, she will be training extensively on tracks in Europe while competing on the Youth A Junior World Cup Circuit. When she's in Lake Placid, New York, athletes will also use the lodging/dining/gym facilities at the Olympic Training Center and gym facilities at the Herb Brooks Arena (known as the site of Miracle on Ice in the 1980 Olympics) in Lake Placid, New York.
How did Maya get started?
Luge started as an interesting and fun Sunday afternoon activity in the summer of 2014 at a USA Luge slider search held in Westmont, Illinois. Approximately 800 kids participated in searches on wheeled sleds in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC. About ten percent of the kids who participated in slider searches were then invited to screening camps at luge facilities in the United States. Maya attended the screening camp in January 2015 at the public track at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex in Muskegon, Michigan.
When did Maya get named to the Junior National Team?
She was named to the USA Luge Junior National Team on May 1, 2019. USA Luge press release (May 1, 2019).
When did Maya get named to the National Junior C Team?
She was renamed to the USA Luge National C Team on May 1, 2018. USA Luge press release (May 14, 2018). She was originally named to the USA Luge National Junior C Team on May 1, 2017. USA Luge press release (May 2, 2017).
When did Maya get named to the National Junior D Team?
She was renamed to the USA Luge National Junior D Team on April 28, 2016 as a part of a 32-person team. USA Luge press release (April 28, 2016). She was originally named to the USA Luge National Junior D Team on May 1, 2015. Forty-five new and returning members were named to the National Junior D Teams in Lake Placid, New York and Park City, Utah. USA Luge press release (May 1, 2015).
How many Junior National Team members are there?
In 2019-20, there are 14 boys and girls on the USA Luge Junior National Team.
How many National Junior C Team members are there?
In 2018-19 when Maya was on the C Team, there were 16 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior C Team. In 2017-18, there were 20 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior C Team. Maya is one of seven girls.
How many National Junior D Team members are there?
In 2016-17 when Maya was on the D Team, there are 32 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior D Team. Maya was one of seven girls on the 17-member team based in Lake Placid. There were 45 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior D Team in 2015-16. Maya was one of 11 girls on the 23-member team based in Lake Placid, New York for the 2015-16 season.
How can you help Maya?
Maya and her family appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and support for this amazing opportunity. We will post ways to support her in the future.
How are luge athletes funded?
As a USA Luge Junior National Team member, her travel, lodging, racing fees, and equipment are covered by the United States Luge Association and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Maya is responsible for USA Luge program fees. When she was a development team athlete, neither the United States Luge Association nor the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee provided direct financial support for athletes, so all athletes at the entry levels are self-funded.
What are the expenses for luge athletes?
Coaching, food & lodging, equipment (helmet, spiked gloves, booties, speed suit, and team jacket), transportation, tutoring, and race entry fees are expenses for luge athletes. As a Junior National team member, all but the USA Luge program fees are covered by the United States Luge Association and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Does Maya compete in singles or doubles luge?
Maya trained and competed in singles for her first two seasons. In the 2017-18 season, women's doubles was added as an official discipline at some races. This discipline will debut in the 2020 Youth Olympics in Switzerland. Starting in 2018-19, she and her partner have been focusing mainly on doubles training.
Will Maya need a sled?
Her coach does not currently recommend purchasing a sled. USA Luge will provide sleds for the Junior C Team members to use.
Will Maya miss school?
Yes, the season coincides with the school year. The teachers and administration at her school are very supportive of this opportunity and will work with her in advance to ensure she has materials for studying. During training camps, study hall time is built into the schedule each day for athletes. For younger level teams, a tutor is coordinated by USA Luge and paid by families to help athletes and coordinate with teachers.
Will Maya go to the Olympics?
The Junior National and junior development teams are the training ground for future Olympic athletes. Going to the Olympics would be a dream come true for Maya, but it takes many years of training and dedication required to compete in the Olympics or the World Cup. Based on Maya's age, the earliest possibility would be the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, China.
Where can you go luge in the United States?
There are only four tracks in the United States. The two used for international competitions are located in Lake Placid, New York and Park City, Utah. There is a shorter track in Muskegon, Michigan and a natural luge track in Marquette, Michigan.
Maya is a 2019-20 USA Luge Junior National Team member based in Lake Placid, New York. She has been on the team since the 2015-16 season.
What is Maya's training schedule?
For the 2019-20 season, Maya will train in Lake Placid, New York; Sigulda, Latvia; Igls, Austria; Königssee, Altenberg, & Oberhof, Germany; and St. Moritz, Switzerland. In the past she has also trained in Park City, Utah; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. During the season, she trains for up to sixteen weeks at camps ranging from one to five weeks in length. This season, she is scheduled for ~100 days of "on ice" training. When away from training, she will continue her conditioning locally and participate in cross-training activities.
Where will Maya train?
She started training on the combined luge/bobsled/skeleton track at the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York where she took up to 200 runs in each of first two years on the team. After moving up to the Junior C Team, she started training at the North American tracks in New York, Utah, Alberta, and British Columbia. Coinciding with her promotion to the Junior National Team, she will be training extensively on tracks in Europe while competing on the Youth A Junior World Cup Circuit. When she's in Lake Placid, New York, athletes will also use the lodging/dining/gym facilities at the Olympic Training Center and gym facilities at the Herb Brooks Arena (known as the site of Miracle on Ice in the 1980 Olympics) in Lake Placid, New York.
How did Maya get started?
Luge started as an interesting and fun Sunday afternoon activity in the summer of 2014 at a USA Luge slider search held in Westmont, Illinois. Approximately 800 kids participated in searches on wheeled sleds in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC. About ten percent of the kids who participated in slider searches were then invited to screening camps at luge facilities in the United States. Maya attended the screening camp in January 2015 at the public track at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex in Muskegon, Michigan.
When did Maya get named to the Junior National Team?
She was named to the USA Luge Junior National Team on May 1, 2019. USA Luge press release (May 1, 2019).
When did Maya get named to the National Junior C Team?
She was renamed to the USA Luge National C Team on May 1, 2018. USA Luge press release (May 14, 2018). She was originally named to the USA Luge National Junior C Team on May 1, 2017. USA Luge press release (May 2, 2017).
When did Maya get named to the National Junior D Team?
She was renamed to the USA Luge National Junior D Team on April 28, 2016 as a part of a 32-person team. USA Luge press release (April 28, 2016). She was originally named to the USA Luge National Junior D Team on May 1, 2015. Forty-five new and returning members were named to the National Junior D Teams in Lake Placid, New York and Park City, Utah. USA Luge press release (May 1, 2015).
How many Junior National Team members are there?
In 2019-20, there are 14 boys and girls on the USA Luge Junior National Team.
How many National Junior C Team members are there?
In 2018-19 when Maya was on the C Team, there were 16 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior C Team. In 2017-18, there were 20 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior C Team. Maya is one of seven girls.
How many National Junior D Team members are there?
In 2016-17 when Maya was on the D Team, there are 32 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior D Team. Maya was one of seven girls on the 17-member team based in Lake Placid. There were 45 boys and girls on the USA Luge National Junior D Team in 2015-16. Maya was one of 11 girls on the 23-member team based in Lake Placid, New York for the 2015-16 season.
How can you help Maya?
Maya and her family appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and support for this amazing opportunity. We will post ways to support her in the future.
How are luge athletes funded?
As a USA Luge Junior National Team member, her travel, lodging, racing fees, and equipment are covered by the United States Luge Association and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Maya is responsible for USA Luge program fees. When she was a development team athlete, neither the United States Luge Association nor the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee provided direct financial support for athletes, so all athletes at the entry levels are self-funded.
What are the expenses for luge athletes?
Coaching, food & lodging, equipment (helmet, spiked gloves, booties, speed suit, and team jacket), transportation, tutoring, and race entry fees are expenses for luge athletes. As a Junior National team member, all but the USA Luge program fees are covered by the United States Luge Association and United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Does Maya compete in singles or doubles luge?
Maya trained and competed in singles for her first two seasons. In the 2017-18 season, women's doubles was added as an official discipline at some races. This discipline will debut in the 2020 Youth Olympics in Switzerland. Starting in 2018-19, she and her partner have been focusing mainly on doubles training.
Will Maya need a sled?
Her coach does not currently recommend purchasing a sled. USA Luge will provide sleds for the Junior C Team members to use.
Will Maya miss school?
Yes, the season coincides with the school year. The teachers and administration at her school are very supportive of this opportunity and will work with her in advance to ensure she has materials for studying. During training camps, study hall time is built into the schedule each day for athletes. For younger level teams, a tutor is coordinated by USA Luge and paid by families to help athletes and coordinate with teachers.
Will Maya go to the Olympics?
The Junior National and junior development teams are the training ground for future Olympic athletes. Going to the Olympics would be a dream come true for Maya, but it takes many years of training and dedication required to compete in the Olympics or the World Cup. Based on Maya's age, the earliest possibility would be the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, China.
Where can you go luge in the United States?
There are only four tracks in the United States. The two used for international competitions are located in Lake Placid, New York and Park City, Utah. There is a shorter track in Muskegon, Michigan and a natural luge track in Marquette, Michigan.