HOUSTON, B.C. – A young Houston athlete is gaining national attention, pushing his way toward the Olympic stage in not one, but two high-speed sliding sports. Adam Franz, 17, has earned rare elite training invitations in both bobsleigh and skeleton just months after being discovered through a national talent search.
Franz, who has a background in track and field, was encouraged by his coach Jamie McCartney, a four-time Olympian, to participate in the RBC Training Ground program. His strong performance in sprinting, jumping, and strength metrics at a testing event in Calgary caught the attention of both Bobsleigh Canada and Skeleton Canada.
The invitations were a significant achievement. Franz was one of only 50 athletes selected for a bobsleigh development camp out of 2,500 participants nationwide. He also made the cut for skeleton, a fast-paced sport that sees athletes slide headfirst down an ice track, with only 24 athletes invited.
“I just thought I was too young and that all these people were way older than me,” Franz said, recalling his experience at the national camps in Calgary. “I met two-time Olympic world champion Kelsey Mitchell while putting on my spikes. It just blew my mind.”
Now among the youngest athletes at these high-performance camps, Franz sees his age as a strategic advantage. “If I can get a few years of piloting experience under my belt, I could potentially have a huge impact when I’m at the proper age to compete on a world level,” he explained.
His journey continues with a new set of challenges this fall. In October, he will compete in the Canadian National Push Championships, where he will push a full-frame bobsleigh for the first time. The event is a critical test of speed and power. Franz is also scheduled to spend about eight weeks in Whistler this winter to gain valuable on-ice experience.
For his mother, Donna Franz, her son’s pursuit of such high-stakes sports comes with a mix of pride and a realistic perspective. “He’s always been focused and in control,” she said, trusting his abilities and the safety measures in place.
With the costs of equipment, travel, and training mounting, the family is actively looking for sponsorship opportunities to support his continued development. As Franz himself puts it, “The more experience I get, the better I’ll become. These next few months are going to be really important.”
