Olympian Phylicia George ’10 (CLAS)
Phylicia George ’10 (CLAS) and teammate Kaillie Humphries took bronze for Canada in the two-woman bobsled behind the U.S. (silver) and Germany (gold) at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
George, left, with bobsled teammate Humphries
Olympian Phylicia George ’10 (CLAS)
Phylicia George ’10 (CLAS) and teammate Kaillie Humphries took bronze for Canada in the two-woman bobsled behind the U.S. (silver) and Germany (gold) at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
George, left, with bobsled teammate Humphries
Believe it or not, George had never even been on a bobsled until about 18 months ago. But this is actually her third Olympics.
A premier sprint hurdler from Markham, Ontario, George was a finalist in the 100-meter hurdles in London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. She hopes to do it again at the 2020 Summer Games in Toyko.
This is perhaps not surprising to her UConn teammates, who remember her prowess as a track and field star. She excelled off the field at UConn as well, majoring in biology and minoring in physiology and neurobiology. We caught up with George recently in PyeongChang and talked to her about becoming a bobsledder and how UConn helped shape her drive and mental toughness.
You just started doing the bobsled, right? How did that happen?
Kaillie Humphries, my current race teammate, contacted me after the Rio Olympics in search of a new brakeman to race with for PyeongChang. She and her coach, Stu McMillian (and now my bobsled coach), saw a lot of potential in me and saw the benefit of having an experienced athlete team up with Kaillie.
The idea of potentially becoming a summer and winter Olympian sparked my interest. I relish any opportunity to compete for my country. I agreed to come out and try going down the bobsled track before I made a final decision. While it was a bit of a shock to my system, I enjoyed the thrill of it and the challenge of seeing myself get better at the sport. I took two weeks off after the 2017 London Track and Field World Championship, and then I began full-time bobsled training for the winter.
Are there any similarities between the two sports?
I’d say the main similarity is that running is involved and being fast is a huge advantage. But it’s very different in the way that you run and create force. I had to get used to not swinging my hands while running and learning how to use my hands to transfer the force I was creating with my feet into the sled.
In essence, I had to learn to push the sled and accelerate it instead of simply running behind it.
What’s your job on the bobsled?
I’m the push athlete; I sit behind the pilot. My job is to get the sled moving as fast as possible at the start. Bobsled is a sport that is won in hundredths of a second, so the start is essential to ensuring the run is fast. Then at the end of the track, I pull the brakes.
What is the scariest part?
You’re moving at speeds up to 99 mph and there are g-forces pressing down on your body. My first time in a bobsled was in Whistler, British Columbia, which is the fastest track with some of the highest g-forces of any bobsled track. I was sitting up way too high and, as a result, I felt those forces much more excessively. However, I had decided beforehand that I would take two runs that day.
Thankfully, I stuck with it, because my second run felt better. And every run I’ve done since has gotten better and better.
Have you always been a thrill seeker?
I wouldn’t say I’m a thrill seeker, but I believe in stepping outside of your comfort zone to constantly challenge yourself.
Have you had any crashes?
Only one. It was in Lake Placid, New York. It was near the end of the run; we had about two more turns to go and flipped onto our side. In a crash, you still travel down the track, so we basically were sliding through two turns with our helmets and shoulders on the ice. The main thing I remember is just how loud it was. Thankfully, I had no injuries.
What’s going through your mind when you’re hurtling down the track?
I’m mainly focused on the track and the turns that we are going through, making sure I feel the turns so I know where we are. Everything happens so quickly, so it’s hard to think about too much.
Did you have to build muscle weight to do the bobsled?
I had to start lifting much heavier than I do for track and field. I gained 12 pounds of lean muscle mass, added three inches to my bicep, one inch to my quad, and five inches to my hips and glutes. Strength plays a huge role in bobsled — the sled weighs 363 pounds!
How has UConn helped you on your journey?
UConn played a huge role in my development as an athlete and as a person. My coach, Clive Terrelonge, helped to lay the foundation and gave me some of the tools for my future success. He truly helped me to become a mentally strong athlete. He saw potential in me that I didn’t even know existed, and his belief helped me push my boundaries and to believe in myself and my abilities.
And I had the opportunity to train alongside some talented athletes I was fortunate enough to call teammates. We all pushed each other to become better athletes. While studying for my degree in biology, I gained many life skills and made some life-long friendships.
—grace merritt
George, above, running hurdles for UConn track and field
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