How She Got There: Megan Hill, U.S. Bobsled Athlete

Name:  Megan Hill
Age: 24
Job Title:  US Bobsled Athlete
College/Major: Auburn University, Health Promotion – Bachelor & Master’s
Website: www.Megbobsled.com
Twitter Handle: @MegBsmilen
 
Her Campus: What does your current role as an athlete entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?
Megan Hill: I compete for the USA in international bobsled competitions.  A typical day of training would be: wake up and eat breakfast, go to the garage to work on my sled and prepare it for practice, go to the bobsled track and train for two hours, go back to the garage and work on the sled some more, eat lunch, sprinting and weightlifting, recovery and ice, eat dinner, watch video, and then do it all over again the next day. If it is not a training day it is either competition day or a traveling day. 
 
HC: How did you get involved with the US bobsled team?
MH: I went to a recruiting combine event for the US bobsled team the summer after I completed my collegiate athletic eligibility.  At the combine they tested my speed and strength by doing sprinting and weightlifting events.  From there I was invited to a rookie camp and that is how it all started.
 
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about bobsledding when you first started out that you know now?
MH: The only thing I wish I would have known before I got into this sport was how to dress appropriately for the cold weather. I’m from Georgia, so doing a winter sport was a little bit of a culture shock, but I figured it out quickly.
 
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional/athletic life for the better?
MH: One of my gymnastics coaches I had growing up, Jackie Courtwright, made the biggest impact on my athletic life.  She taught me how to have a positive attitude and it has carried over into everything I have ever done and will continue to do so.

HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
MH: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  -Aristotle

HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
MH: A mistake I have made in my athletic career was putting too much pressure on myself. When that happened I wasn’t able to perform at my best.  I learned that I would perform so much better when I am relaxed and when I let myself have fun.
 
HC: What is the best part of your career?
MH: The thing I like most about my career is that it is always challenging.  You can never get too comfortable because there is always a way to get faster, stronger, and better.  You have to constantly be learning and pushing yourself. Having Proactiv as my sponsor has helped me push myself to the next level and I love it.

HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
MH: The best advice I could give to someone with similar aspirations is to believe in yourself. When you truly believe and know you can achieve your goal, you will automatically be determined, work hard, be persistent, stay positive, and not let obstacles get in your way.