US Junior National Development team

Muskegon Junior Team

Currently in Italy with the Jr National team USA LugeÂ

Jake’s story of his first visit to the MWSC can all be “blamed” on Wayne Baird. Wayne is the Youth Program Director. Wayne and Vanessa, Jakes mom were walking out of work one day, and Wayne was like a little kid going home to open presents, because it was the first say of the season for youth luge that night. He told Vanessa all about it on the way out to their cars. Vanessa literally had not heard of the luge even though they live just down the street. Vanessa knew it sounded like something Jake would truly love to do, so they went over and signed up with the club that night. Jake fell in love with the sliding immediately; by the second run he came to his mom and said “I think I was born to do this, Mom!” When Wayne decided to take the Club to Lake Placid the next year, Jake started talking about how cool it would be to sort of follow in Mark Grimmette’s footsteps. Vanessa told him it was a “nice dream” to dream of being in the Olympics, but Jake said it’s “more than a dream Mom, I really want to do this!” His first run at Muskegon Winter Sports Complex was in 2004. He was named to USLA Development Team in 2005, and to this day, he still feels like he “was born to do this!”

There has been an incredible amount of support from the Luge Club Family, which Jake has taken to heart. He really wants to make everyone from the Muskegon Winter Sports Club proud of him. He is so ecstatic to be racing in the Jr World Cup this year.Â

From Vanessa:

The thing I really like about it is that it’s a sport where everyone involved gets excited for whoever is on the sled…you can just feel the fun even if your just watching the slider…it’s like whoa (as you watch them whiz by), then, Way Cool (whether they crash, or come flying to a stop after a perfect run)!!!