Winter Olympics: Fair Haven’s Charlie Volker departs Beijing with ‘mixed emotions’ – Asbury Park Press

There is a reason why Charlie Volker became the NSJIAA 100-meter dash champion at Rumson-Fair Haven High School, an All-Ivy League running back at Princeton University and a member of the USA Bobsled team for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

He holds himself to sky-high standards.

So Volker departed Beijing Sunday with decidedly mixed feelings after his four-man bobsled team finished 10th and his two-man team placed 27th.

A very cool experience, he wrote via text as he prepared to board a plane home. To compete against the best in the world, share meals, and live amongst them is something like I have never experienced before. As for our results, I have mixed emotions.

BACKSTORY: How Charlie Volker made the USA Bobsled team

Neither of the two U.S. pilots, Hunter Church and Frank Del Duca, was able to attend a crucial test event on Beijings bobsled track last fall. Del Duca wasnt ranked high enough at the time yes, there is a worldwide ranking for bobsled pilots.Church, who was Volkers pilot in both events, broke his toe over the summer after dropping a weight on his foot.

We were fighting an uphill battle, Volker said. Despite this, we had some fun learning the track. When it finally came time for the races, for the most part I dont think we performed as expected. The 2-man was awful, and I was disturbed with how slow we pushed compared to in season. Then the first day of 4-man racing we were the last sled up to the start, and thus started off the competition on the wrong foot. After the first day, we sat in 13th in what was supposed to be our medal contention event.

Volkers four-man bobsled team earned a bronze medal at Januarys Bobsleigh World Cup, which is viewed as a reliable precursor to the Olympics. In Beijing they wound up finishing 2.76 seconds behind the gold medalists from Germany. Each bobsled team makes four runs, and the first one left Volkers quartet playing catch-up.

That was frustrating, but we came back swinging today (Sunday) with some better start times and down times, he said. So in a way we ended the season on a better note. Theres definitely still frustration, because we were shooting to medal, but a top 10 finish is decent, and will only fuel my fire.

The 24-year-old, who hails from Fair Haven, was a newcomer to bobsledding in 2020 after NFL scouts recommended it to him. He earned a spot as thebrakeman the fourth and final push-man on the USA's top sled.

This sport has taught me a lot about the importance of leadership, and these games have taught me the importance of having a support system, Volker said. I had family and friends watching from New Jerseyto Okinawa, and that was incredible to feel so supported.I am very blessed to have them all in my life rooting me on.

Although he spent most of his time in Beijing focused on his events, Volker wound up sitting next to American snowboarding legend Shaun White during the opening ceremony (hes a cool dude) and took a gondola ride atop a local mountain on an off day (the views up there were incredible).

With this experience under his belt, will he continue to pursue bobsledding with an eye toward the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games in Italy?

Thats a question Ive been asked a whole lot recently, he said. I need to go home and spend some time with my family and friends before I make my game plan.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him atjcarino@gannettnj.com.

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Winter Olympics: Fair Haven's Charlie Volker departs Beijing with 'mixed emotions' - Asbury Park Press