UNION COUNTY — Sophia Bruce is not any stranger to athletics, however even she couldn’t have foreseen what sport 2026 would deliver into her life.

Bruce, a seasoned scholar athlete, grew up in Monument and graduated from Cove Excessive Faculty in 2019. She performed volleyball, basketball and ran monitor as a teen and landed a full-ride scholarship to attend Weber State College.

Now, she has a shot of incomes a spot on the Olympics — simply not for the game you may assume.

You gained’t discover Bruce spiking balls over the online, taking pictures baskets or operating across the monitor. However you may see her racing headfirst down an icy slope within the close to future.

Her new sport of selection? Skeleton.

“You realize as slightly child whenever you’re going sledding down a hill? Think about that sort of sled, you’re pushing it by your self and also you’re flying down a monitor at 80 miles an hour together with your head this near the bottom,” Bruce stated. “Assume excessive sledding, however you’re additionally driving the sled.”

Skeleton is a high-speed winter sport the place athletes race down an ice monitor headfirst on a specifically designed sled. Rivals should launch themselves onto the sled with a push earlier than maneuvering down the monitor.

“They usually recruit former collegiate athletes simply because not very many individuals develop up doing bobsled and skeleton,” Bruce stated. “So what they do is that they search for athletes that had been in monitor or have the power to run quick and be highly effective.”

There may be overlap within the want for pace and energy, Bruce stated, however the largest adjustment is getting used to being bent over at a 90-degree angle to push to sled.

Bruce in June took half within the USA Bobsled/Skeleton Digital Mix, heard again the next month and in August attended the USA Bobsled/Skeleton Rookie Camp on the Olympic facility in Park Metropolis, Utah. She wasn’t meant to be a bobsled athlete given her small dimension, Bruce stated, however coaches advised her she was a skeleton athlete.

“I had the chance to check out,” she stated. “I used to be the highest lady when it comes to pace and energy they usually determined to maneuver ahead with me and place me tentatively on the staff.”

Bruce will head again to Park Metropolis for 2 weeks in December to attend sliding college. Rookie camp confirmed she has the athletic potential to push the sled, sliding college will reveal if she will drive it down the course.

Bruce must present she will hit a push normal earlier than competing. That is how briskly you may get from Level A to Level B within the 50-meter begin space.

“You need to have a great push,” Bruce stated. “The quicker you push off, the quicker you’re going to get going.”

From now till December, Bruce’s largest aim is maintaining her power and pace. She plans to return to Utah to get extra reps on the dry push monitor, which is offered 12 months spherical. She gained’t be capable of get on the ice monitor till winter.

Her subsequent aim? Compete with Group USA within the 2026-27 North American Circuit. After that, Bruce has her eyes set on the Olympics.

“I’m nonetheless blown away that I’ve this chance,” Bruce stated.

Household assist issues

Bruce moved to Cove together with her household from Monument for her junior 12 months of highschool. She fondly remembers heading to the Cove Drive-In together with her finest good friend after apply for milkshakes. Her favourite taste was marshmallow.

Now, Bruce lives in Texas together with her husband, James, however she nonetheless comes again to Jap Oregon to go to her household. Her dad and mom, Earl and Nittaya Pettit, and two siblings all stay in Cove.

This complete expertise wouldn’t have been attainable with out the assist of her household, she stated, together with her husband and oldsters extremely supportive, pushing her and believing in her.

“My dad was most likely the primary one to inform me: ‘Go all in on this. You are able to do this. I do know you may,’” Bruce stated.

His first query when she made the staff? How will we get a shirt? How will we assist this? How will we present this off?

Go all in

Bruce has two messages for future athletes.

The primary is a mantra she herself obtained from one among her highschool coaches in Monument. All in.

“No matter you’re doing, be all in,” she stated. “I nonetheless use that motto at present.”

The second message: Don’t let your demographic space restrict you. When you really need one thing, she stated, you need to work for it, consider in it and take the danger.

“You might have all of the alternatives on this planet even in the event you’re from Jap Oregon,” Bruce stated. “I attest to that. I’m Group USA being from Cove.”