FAQ
What is the Adirondack Luge Club, and what do we do?
The Adirondack Luge Club is a United States Luge Association-sanctioned Sport Club, charged with promoting the sport of luge in the eastern United States. Members of the Adirondack Luge Club participate in the sport of luge during the winter months, predominantly on the artificial track at the Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, NY. Members also serve as officials for National and International races. During the offseason months, the club promotes the sport to youth groups, schools, and communities in our region of the country. We support and participate in wheeled-sled training and recruiting sessions to hone our skills and introduce the sport to new athletes year-round.
What does it cost?
Luge is relatively affordable compared to many other winter sports, especially when considering the unique nature of the facilities and the expertise of the coaches we’re afforded access to.
Adult season - $300,
Adult day - $40.
Youth (18 and under) season - $100,
Youth (18 and under) day - $25.
When can I slide?
For our sliding schedule, click here.
What equipment do I need?
USA Luge and the Adirondack Luge Club will provide you all the sporting equipment you’ll need. Sleds, Helmets, and elbow pads are provided at no additional charge.
Dressing appropriately will increase your enjoyment of your sliding session. Warm clothing, particularly thermal underwear, will be important. However, large bulky coats or ski pants may prove awkward when sliding, as they will “puff up” full of wind making visibility more difficult. Warm and form-fitting is better.
Most importantly, good gloves are important to protect your hands in the event you brush a wall. Ski gloves are excellent as are any other glove with a smooth surface. Woolen gloves/mittens aren’t desirable, as they don’t provide as much protection.
What Should I expect during my first session?
Your first time on the ice will be an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life. There’s so much to tell you that we’ve put together some information that will help guide you know what to expect.
How will I learn to luge?
Fortunately, there’s not a lot you need to learn to start sliding, but it will take a lifetime to master the sport. You will learn to slide starting on your first night. Prior to the session, you’ll receive an introduction to the sled and what to expect from a club coach. You’ll slide from the lowest start on the track. You won’t need to do a lot from that start to be successful, but you will learn about proper body position and get a feel for how to drive the sled. After each run, you’ll consult with a USA Luge coach who observed your run and will provide you with additional instruction or corrective comments.
We’re very fortunate in the Adirondack Luge Club that our coaches are part of the same coaching staff that works with the U.S. National teams. What other sport do you get to learn from the same coaches that are teaching our Olympic athletes?
Who Can Learn?
Ideally, athletes should be 10 years of age or older to slide. If you’re in your early teens, you’re of an age where you have the chance to develop over time and possible make a national team. Because it takes 10-15 years of intense training to be competitive on the international stage, serious athletes should begin sliding in their early teen years.
However, many of club members started sliding later in life. While there’s no road to Olympic fame for older athletes, there are plenty of competitive opportunities for our club members. Members challenge themselves to improve, and enjoy friendly competition between each other. We also travel to other tracks, both in the U.S. and abroad, to experience sliding and competing in those locations.
The primary requirements to slide are a willingness and interest, combined with being in decent physical condition. Because sleds are fairly narrow, as are the tracks, adults who are larger than 225 lbs may find it more difficult.
Is it Safe?
Any sport that has speed as an element has certain inherent risks. However, safety is an imperative in all that we do in the Adirondack Luge Club. First and foremost, sliding with appropriate protective gear is a requirement. A helmet is always used. Pads and gloves are also important parts of the safety equation.
Athletes will not be placed into situations where the challenges facing them are greater than their skills and confidence are ready for. USA Luge coaches will not progress an athlete up the track to faster starts, or place them on faster sleds, unless they see evidence that the slider is ready for the next step.
Despite the speed, the most common injuries in luge – particularly at the club level – are bumps, bruises, and scrapes. A study of injury data by a medical doctor, who also slides luge, concluded that the risks in luge are similar to those skiing.
How do I find out more?
The best way is to join the Adirondack Luge Club. You can also interact with many of our members online in the ADK-Luge Yahoo! Chat group at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/adk-luge/.
To sign up, click here
