Latest / 307 Faithful / Faith on the World Stage: Sadie McMullen’s Journey to the Olympics

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Faith on the World Stage: Sadie McMullen’s Journey to the Olympics · 307 Faithful

• Devin Davis: All right, welcome to the 307 Faithful Podcast. And I'm Devin Davis. I'm an area representative for West Central Wyoming FCA, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And this podcast was designed to be able to connect people across the state of Wyoming and across the nation with athletes, from high school athletes to to college athletes. And and today we have an Olympic athlete and that That connection is is designed to encourage you and encourage others wherever you are in your faith. If you're not a believer or if you've been a believer for a while and maybe you're struggling or just wondering, you know, how how can I do life better as a as a follower of Christ? to take encouragement from some of these testimonies and some of these stories and just being able to connect people. everybody that we've had on, as you've probably known, has some connection to the state of Wyoming. And Maybe they're not from Wyoming, but they go to the University of Wyoming or coach at the University of Wyoming or another junior college in the state of Wyoming. So we're primarily focused on the 307. but any any story that you'd anybody would like to share with us, you're always welcome to reach out to me and and recommend different guests, or if you'd like to be a guest yourself. But having said that, as I as I mentioned, today. We have a special guest who is right now at the Olympic Training Center in New York. so all the way from New York through Laramie and Colorado. we'd like to welcome in Sadie McMullen. Sadie is attended the University of Wyoming, ran track there, is originally from Colorado. And now, as I said, and I'll let her kind of explain that is is on the Olympic. Team. in and you may have heard of that. She's in the sport of bobsled and is at the Olympic Training Center right now. So I'm gonna turn it over to you, Sadie, so that you can tell our listeners about yourself and just give us a story of of who you are and why you're where you are right now. So welcome to as a guest, Sadie. Sadie McMullen: Yeah, thank you so much for having me. yeah, I'm really excited for this. so yeah, I am originally from Colorado, born and raised, and then I ran track all through high school and I knew I wanted to try to run track in college. And so yeah, I graduated high school in 2020 during the COVID year. I lost my senior season, which was hard. and then it was it was kind of difficult coming into college during that cob COVID year. but the jumps coach for track and field at the University of Wyoming, Quincy Howe, recruited me in twenty nineteen. And yeah, when I did my official visit, I just fell in love with Laramie, I fell in love with the school, the people, and just the pace of Wyoming. and yeah, a big reason why I attended Wyoming as well is for for my coach Quincy Howe. he is just yeah. Yeah, the best coach I've worked with. And he just yeah, he he showed me too that like coming to Wyoming, I wasn't just gonna be a number. I'm a person and yeah, and he cares about his athletes on on a personal level as well. and yeah, I also met Joshua Little, who is our current strength and conditioning coach for track and field. and so yeah, I worked with them all through college, which was awesome. And I also got really involved with Fellowship of Crisp Christian Athletes with Stacey and Aaron and became an FCA leader, which was huge for my faith and huge for community as well. And then in so I I finished my undergrad in 2024 and I still had an indoor season because of COVID and all the all the redshirt stuff with that. And so I decided to take that indoor season and the kinesiology program that I got my undergrad in offered me a one year master's program in biomechanics. And so I decided to pursue that. And then in August of 2024, the director of performance for USA Bobsled reached out to Coach Howe and was looking to see if he had any athletes who wanted to attend bobsled combine in Salt Lake City that month. And so yeah, Coach Howe convinced me to do it. it was not on my radar whatsoever. one of my favorite movies growing up was Cool Running Some, but Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: never thought that I would be doing it. but yeah USA Bobsled recruits a lot of track and field athletes coming out of college. They look for very strong, very fast athletes. And so yeah, I I did that combine in August in Salt Lake City. And yeah, and then a week later, USA Bobsled invited me out to a rookie camp here in Lake Placid in October of that year. And I went in with the mindset of, you know, if something happens with Bobsled a year or two down the road, that would be awesome. but at that point I was set on finishing up my master's and competing in one more season of indoor track. but yeah, I so I trained that fall with Coach Howe and with Josh and Laramie just getting ready for the track season. And then I came out here to Lake Placid for that week for rookie camp, learned how to push the sled, absolutely loved it. I remember calling my my parents and just telling them that like I think I think I was meant to do this. and Halfway through that week, the director of performance called me again and he was like, Hey, based on how you're pushing the sled, we'd love for you to stick around here for another month and try to make the World Cup team. And that that was yeah, definitely an overwhelming decision. but all of my professors that I was working with were were super helpful and and super excited for the opportunity. So I got to stay here for a month. And Coach Howe and Josh were also thrilled and they were like, you just need to take this opportunity. and so yeah, ended up staying for a month and competed in my first race with Alana Myers Taylor, who's who's yeah, one of the best in the sport of all time. She's incredible. and yeah, ultimately made the decision to forego my last season of indoor track and join the World Cup team. So it was a month of Yeah, just a lot of questions and a lot of prayer and yeah, but ended up joining the World Cup team in twenty twenty four and then yeah, I came back last year, twenty twenty five, and made the World Cup team again and then was selected to the Olympic team as an alternate, which was yeah, just an incredible experience. So yeah. Devin Davis: Wow, man, that's that's what a what a story, what a journey. do you kind of sometimes just pinch yourself? Sadie McMullen: Yes. Yeah. It all happened very fast, but it was so cool to see God's hand and all of it, so Devin Davis: and so you mentioned during our our texting, or maybe s e maybe Stacy told me, did you just go to the to the w to the White House? Sadie McMullen: Yes. Yeah, we Devin Davis: As as an alternate on the bobsled the Olympic bobsled team, the whole Olympic team was winter Olympic team was invited there, right? What was that experience like, man? Sadie McMullen: Mm. Yeah, that was that was incredible. yeah, definitely just the opportunity and the honor of a lifetime to represent Team USA and yeah, just incredible. Lots of good networking connections and yeah, just just a really great time. So Devin Davis: That I I I just man, that that would had to be a cool experience. So I Sadie McMullen: For sure. Devin Davis: w we'll we'll get to your to your your faith and and testimony here, but I wanna I wanna know, I think probably because again, I'm curious and probably our listeners are, how is how was it learning going from track and field and you long jumper, sprinter, so You know, those those those movements probably f like obviously fit pretty well with Bobsled, like you said, but how is it going from track to learning a sport that you had really no knowledge of at all? I mean, what was that like? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. it was intense for sure. Yeah. Bobsled is a very niche sport. but I mean everything from the track translated really well to bobsled. And so there's two positions in bobsled. there's what's called a break woman, and then there's a pilot. And there's also two disciplines on the women's side. There is the two woman, so it's a pilot and a break woman, and then monobob, which is just the pilot. And so everyone who starts out with bobsled starts out as as a brakeman or a breakwoman. And so yeah, that's where the speed and power is is really important. And it's one of those rare sports where you can get into it and you can be really good in the span of a couple weeks or a couple months. and yeah, and then some athletes such as myself are transitioning into the pilot seat. So this will be my first season piloting and yeah, it's just kind of so I'm hoping to to go to the twenty thirty games and the twenty thirty four games. and just yeah, being a pilot is gonna be a better long term position. just because as a break woman, I I think it it it is or I guess the spots aren't quite as solidified. someone can come in and just yeah, take your spot. So yeah, being a being a pilot is Yeah, something I'm excited about. But it is it is very different from track and feel just in the sense that it's very it's a very hands-on sport. we we call ourselves F1 on ice, but we're the athletes and also kind of the maintenance crew. So we're in charge of all the sled transportation, a lot of the maintenance on the sled, prepping the sled, and so it's hours upon hours spent on our feet. Yeah, just taking care of all of the equipment. Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: but yeah, and it's it's super fun. It is a little scary. we we typically reach speeds around 80 miles per hour and we'll pull five to six G forces on the big cor corners, which is the equivalence of what fighter pilots pull. So it is it is different in that sense. Devin Davis: It man, they honestly, and you asked my wife, that is like one of my favorite sports to watch during the winter Olympics or are those sports. How did it feel? Like here you are going, all right, I'm on the bobsled team, I'm trying out for it. What was it like the first trip, the actual trip down the the course for you? What was that feeling like? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, so my first trip was here in Lake Placid, and Lake Placid is notoriously known for being kind of a rougher track. and my first trip was with Alana Myers Taylor, which was awesome. Devin Davis: What's it? Sadie McMullen: I was like, I'm in good hands. She's the best in the world. and she's also just been a great mentor as well. but yeah, the first time I was terrified and I wasn't totally sure what to expect. I don't like roller coasters, and thankfully it was nothing like a roller coaster, but I'm pretty convinced I passed out like halfway down the track. and then when I got to the bottom I was on a completely different planet. my head was spinning, I was just so disoriented. and i it was definitely like that for probably the first five runs that I ever took and then I kinda started to get get used to the feeling. But yeah, the the G forces kinda make you feel like the life is being sucked out of you. But yeah. Devin Davis: Ha ha ha. Sadie McMullen: Yeah, as a break woman I was just like, push hard, jump in, pray. Devin Davis: Ha ha ha Sadie McMullen: Pull the brakes at the end. Devin Davis: So from the from the top to the bottom, what's what's the a good time? what are you you you're trying to accomplish in that in that span? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. So it really depends on the track. So there's three tracks in North America and then I think there's 10 tracks? Well, I I think there's 13 tracks between Europe and Asia as well. And so each track is different. So different number of curves, different length, different I guess starts. So like some some start ramps are steeper than others, some are slower, some are faster. so it really all depends on what track you're on. But yeah, here in Lake Placid, the track is about a mile long. a good push time is in the low five seconds and then Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Sadie McMullen: a good downtime for a two woman sled would be in the high fifties, so like fifty six seconds. So you're traveling a mile in less than a minute. Yeah. Yeah. Devin Davis: Wow. Wow. That's incredible. So then you're talking about become becoming a pilot. have you I mean, are there thoughts at all about just being doing the single Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: single man sled or are you c you pretty much stuck or connected with the two man? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, so as a pilot I'll be doing both disciplines. I did a a month long driving school right after the Olympics here in Placid. and I I learned how to drive a monobob, which was awesome. crashed a couple times, but that's part of the learning curve. but yeah, pilots are responsible for pushing the sled at the beginning and then also steering it all the way down. So there's a lot more steering that goes on behind the scenes than than people realize. So Devin Davis: Yeah. That so this so then that when you yeah, that had to be z how do you learn? I mean, do you just do they just say, Hey, we're going, you know, you're you're pushing Sadie McMullen: sorry, I think you cut out a little bit. Devin Davis: the the sled and you're going down or do they have like a simulation? I mean, how do you get the confidence to be able to go down the the course for your very first time? So anyway, so I'll I'll pick up what I was just asking, you know, Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: the s so when you you were saying that you had the chance to to to be the pilot, did you I mean, how in the heck do you learn how to be a pilot? Do you have like a simulator or do they just put you in one and say, Go for it? that Sadie McMullen: Mm. Devin Davis: that's gotta be kind of an interesting procedure. Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so at this driving school, so there's there's different starting points on the track. So there's like lower starts. So on Lake Placid, there's 20 curves. And the first few runs that I took, I started at start four, which goes into curve number nine. So I was yeah, going down at a much slower pace. yeah, just able to kind of figure out how to steer. and then there's all these different Things that you have to learn as a pilot, such as like curve ther theory and how the pressures hold you on the wall, when to enter and exit curves. yeah, it's it's it's a pretty intense process, but we don't have a simulator. That would be great if we could get one. but it's a lot of just mental mental runs and watching POVs on YouTube. the International Bob Slave Federation posts videos of yeah, just POVs of going down tracks. So that's a that's a great way to learn too. Devin Davis: So then when you go outside and you get in your car, do you feel do you take your bobsled skills with you when you're driving home? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, I do. I was I was just joking around that that that pass Happy Jack going down into Laramie sometimes I'll kinda treat it like a bobsa track. But then I start actually picturing the bobsa track and I'm like, I need to stop, I'm gonna crash. Devin Davis: Un unfortunately the the the curves aren't banked, right? Or you could really, really get into that. So that's too good. man. Yeah. Sadie McMullen: Unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Devin Davis: And guys, kind of looking at your background and thinking about that, I saw that you went to Valor Christian in Colorado. And Valor Christian, I think if anybody knows high school athletics, is w really well known for A lot of high level athletes. I think the McCaffreys went there if if I'm not mistaken. So if you know football, Valor Christian is where they're Christian McCaffrey went. And so I I I just know that. But and it's a Christian school, but tell us about where your faith started and just how you got to the level of of saying, hey, I'm I I'd like to be a leader. here with the University of Wyoming and FCA. So what's the background on on your faith, Sadie? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. yeah. So I grew up in a Christian household. both of my parents loved the Lord. they came to Christ in high school. and I have an older brother too who who loves the Lord. And we lived in a small town called Buna Vista for a couple of years when I was little and my parents worked at a company called Noah's Ark Whitewater Rafting. And so yeah, that was kind of how I was introduced to the Christian community and just got a really good idea of what fellowship looked like. and then going into high school I started out at Chatfield Senior High School and then I was given the opportunity to transfer to Valor and I I got the chance to to run track. And I started actually at the the Valor Track Academy in eighth grade and that was how I met my coach Brian Kula. Who was awesome and and played played a pivotal role in my athletic and in my in my spiritual development as well. and yeah, so growing up, I I would say that my faith was kind of performative in a way. I I didn't understand the idea of or I guess just the level of grace that Jesus offers us. And yeah, I mean it's still something that I'll never be able to comprehend. But yeah, I would say I thought that I had to earn my salvation. I thought that I had to be a good person. I thought I had to do good works. and I also just remember being terrified of death. the idea of of dying would keep me awake at night. And so then in high school, I think it was my sophomore year English teacher. his name was Mr. Sherry, and he was a very, very wise man and he would go off on a lot of tangents, which I loved. but at one point he he told our class, he was like, Hey, you know, God forbid, if a school shooter were to walk into the classroom and try to hurt you guys, I would stand in the line of fire and take those bullets for you without thinking because I know exactly where I'm going when I die. And for me that was kind of my kick in the shin of like, wow, I really wanna reach that level of my faith where I am not afraid of death and I'm fully confident of where I'll go when I die. and so it was in high school that I really dove into the Bible for myself, really learned the gospel, like Genesis one, twenty th six through twenty-seven, which says that God created us and then how we've all fallen short and we've sinned against God. But yeah, that God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for us. And if we declare with our mouth and truly believe in our heart that Jesus is our is our Savior, died on the cross and and defeated death, then we are saved. and so that was when I really learned what the gospel was and also just yeah, kind of started to shift out of that mindset of having to save myself. learning Ephesians 2, 8 through 10, which says that it's by grace that I've been saved and grace alone. So that way I can't boast of my own good works. And so yeah, yeah, I'd say junior and senior year of high school is really when I started to dive into my faith and really start to comprehend it. and then coming into college during the COVID year, I didn't have a roommate and there was really nothing going on. and so it was kind of hard for me to plug in. but I I actually started watching videos by a an evangelist named Ray Comfort. he's got some really good stuff. And that year God just really put it on my heart to learn how to share the gospel. And he just put it on my heart that like this is what I'm here to do. I'm I'm here to make disciples. And so I told God I was like, Well, I don't know how you're gonna open those doors for conversation, for gospel conversation, but I trust you. and then that next year, once campus had kind of opened up more, I got the chance to plug in with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And yeah, so I started attending Fellowship of Christian Athletes that fall. And then later that fall of my sophomore year, Aaron and Stacy asked me to step in. for a leadership role. And I did not feel qualified, but definitely learned that God doesn't call the qualified, he he qualifies the call. So yeah, stepped into that leadership role. And it was in college and through FCA that I really just learned the importance of placing my full identity in Christ. there's definitely been moments and I I still continue to battle with the idea that my identity is not in my occupation. It's it's in Jesus. And so yeah, coming into Bobsled, a big kind of question that I had for myself was how can I keep this kingdom mindset? And how can I make disciples? How can I share the gospel? because at the end of the day God has shown me that sharing the gospel with teammates, with coaches, with I mean, even just strangers on the street in Europe, is so much more fulfilling than any athletic accolade I could ever receive. and yeah, also just yeah, coming to understand the the purpose for me being on the team is not necessarily just for athletics. Yeah, I mean God God calls me to yeah, have, you know, godly characteristics. He calls me to walk humbly, to forgive, to show grace, to show love to others. and so it's it's the question of not necessarily, like, am I gonna be a professional athlete? It's it's what kind of athlete am I gonna be? am I gonna be an athlete who shares the love of God and is just an encouragement to my teammates. or am I just gonna be an athlete? So yeah, that was Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: that was something that I I really worked through as well. Devin Davis: And I I you know, I talked a lot with the athletes that I have on here. I think the you know, obviously we're talking about FCA. You're an athlete. Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: your your faith really kind of came to life when you're in high school. how how have those two meshed together, right? Being an athlete and you you explained a little bit of that. But I I think that's a connection that that's hard to make. And I think a a lot of Christian athletes have a hard time connecting like your your performance in sports with your faith in Jesus Christ. and I and it that's not like all of a sudden your the light clicks on, right? You you wrestle with that, I think. and and and it sounds like you have, but how when did kind of that mesh of of faith and sports come together in in your mind. Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Yeah. yeah. I mean, I don't know if there was one specific moment where it all just meshed together. I mean, it's something that I've wrestled through over the years and it's something that I continue to wrestle wrestle through. but yeah, I think just understanding that in sports nothing is ever gonna be satisfying enough. you know. you make an Olympic team or you win a an Olympic medal, you're gonna want another one. It's just kind of a never ending pursuit of satisfaction that can't be reached. and I think just also understanding, you know, especially in the sport of Bobsled where injuries are common, that it can be taken away at any time. and if if my full identity is in my sport, then I'm left with nothing. But yeah, I think just yeah, also also keeping that kingdom mindset within sport and recognizing that you know, I can use this platform to just yeah, do athletics, Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: or or I can use this platform to make disciples and just share the gospel. Devin Davis: And so and and then yet right there is that performance side of of sports where hey hey if if Sadie McMullen's not you know making the times that we require to be an Olympic athlete, then we're moving on. And so you've got to obviously hold to that standard. so I think that's a hard thing for especially a lot of younger athletes to go, yeah, but I have to do this in order to be looked at as successful in sports. and and yet we're told that that success isn't really what defines us, as you as you said. So I think that's a that's a hard balance. So how do you push yourself as an athlete knowing though those two sides of the coin? Sadie McMullen: Hm, yeah. Yeah. It is definitely a balance, especially in a sport where numbers are everything. where the the margins f between making a team and not making a team are, you know, fractions of milliseconds. Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: but I think yeah, just competing and training with with joy and gratitude. is something that's that's really important. and knowing that I or I I guess learning that God gives us the ability to compete in ways that also honor Him. so we can go out there and we can be aggressive and I like to say we can dog out on a sled. but we can also react to victory and loss in ways that honor God and honor the people around us. And We we had a team Bible study last night where the pastor of our church out here talked about how the best way to share the gospel is is just to live out the gospel. and so yeah, just recognizing that yeah, God gives us the ability to compete and to do it well and to yeah, have all of the characteristics of a good competitor while still also being able to process through victory and loss in a way that honors Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: him. Devin Davis: Right? I mean be because there are there are a lot of things that are out of your control. and Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: I mean there's a lot of as you said, injuries, those type of things. you know, you you can't control those. and so you know, it it is interesting it is that like every good athlete, successful athlete that I talk to will always tell you that they enjoy the whole process of of being the best that they can in their sport. Like it it like just your workouts and your trainings and your your visualization and all of those. I mean that that whole process is where they find a lot of joy and where you can really glorify God through all of that because the outcome is oftentimes out of your hands. and so, you know, trusting in in And God and his sovereign grace over you as an athlete over your sport, I think is really where that's that becomes a big key in in athletics. so that and then it's do you feel find like that's a different level at all? I I mean competing as a as a college athlete is something that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to do, especially a division one athlete. Do you feel like that's that there's more pressure as an as an Olympic athlete? Pressure Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: in in in as like your your faith and and being kind of steadfast i in all of those things. Do you feel feel there's a difference at all? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, for sure. yeah, there was definitely an increase in in pressure coming up to the to the professional world. yeah, I mean, I l like you said, I love every aspect of training. it's it's important to me to also make sure that the things that I do, even like within training, they're very repetitive. but just making sure that I don't get lost in the mundane so like being intentional with with with everything within training. but yeah, and then I think yeah, a good example of of just the high pressures. this this past year at what we call the push championships, it was in September of last year. And that was basically the Olympic trials for us. and so that was the highest pressure competition I've ever been in. and so it it took a lot of preparation to get there. but yeah just recognizing that whatever what everyone else did, how r how everyone else performed was completed completely out of my control and I could only control what I could do. But yeah, and then in terms of the faith side, there definitely is I think an increase in pressure just with the the different team dynamics. in college I think it's it's a bit more united. but here a lot of a lot of us are just fighting for the same spots and so there can be more tension. but yeah, just learning how to navigate that and learning how to try to help others and try to share truth with them has been really important as well. And just yeah. Devin Davis: Yeah. And you mentioned it a little bit earlier in in that you know, big part of community at at UW was FCA, as far as a Christian athlete goes. now you're on to the Olympic level and and you mentioned it earlier, but how does that look, that community look as a follower of Christ at at this level? Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I'd say it's it's not crazy different. I mean there's there's a lot of different faith backgrounds with on within the team. And here in Lake Placid we we do a team Bible study, which is awesome. so usually we have, you know, probably six to eight people who attend. but yeah, just yeah, I think continuing to see the Bob Saud team as a mission field. and just trying to share the gospel with people. it's it's become, yeah, I I think just a continuation of of what it was like in college of of just trying to share truth with people and yeah, and yeah, super thankful for the Bible study that that we have here. And there's a church that a couple of us attend as well. it does get difficult when we're on the World Cup tour, just because there's really no off days in Bobsled and on Sundays we race. So yeah, it it it's it's been kind of a struggle, but also important to try to find time to have Sabbath. And yeah, something that's really helped me is just communicating with people at home, doing Bible studies with people at home. yeah, spending daily time in the Word and just trying to be filled so that way I can pour out as much as as I can into the team. Devin Davis: Yeah. And that's that's interesting. I was just thinking of an episode I did and you, you know, Alison Fertig and Sadie McMullen: Mm, yeah. Devin Davis: Alison playing professional basketball in Germany, shared a lot of the same things. Like it's it being in Europe and is a lot different than than the United States, as far as finding churches, solid churches, but then also a lot of competitions. are are on the weekends and so it's it's hard to find that routine to to do that but thankfully the world's a pretty small world nowadays with with the internet so there's always opportunities to to find that and do you feel like that you know i d I don't know how to voice what i'm saying do you feel like it's hard to to continue growing when you're I mean you're going to Bible studies, you're going to church. do you have like people around you who support you kind of through this time as you're competing that have the same kind of faith that can can lift you up or that you can lean on to to to help you keep on the right path? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, there's definitely yeah, definitely a couple of my teammates on tour are are solid believers and so that's really encouraging to be able to just connect with them and pour into them and be poured into as well. and then yeah, just yeah, trying to to share the gospel when when God opens those doors. whether that's relationally or just you know, a random conversation while doing something like sanding runners. the runners are the the blades of the bobsled and we spend hours upon hours sanding runners. So yeah, I got God definitely opens up the door. yes. Devin Davis: That's not one of the most glorious parts of being a bobsledder, probably, huh? Sadie McMullen: yes. So yeah, it's really cool to see just how God has yeah, been faithful and open up up doors for conversation. and then yeah, also just continuing to stay in contact with my community and Laramie. Stacey Frude and and Emily Cable are are my two mentors. They're really involved with FCA. but yeah, just getting to go back to Laramie after tour and yeah, be with community and be with my church there is is very recharging as well. So Devin Davis: So yeah, that's and that's a good kind of leads to something that I was thinking about is you're you're at at Lake Placid, off and on every month or two. what does life look like for you now when you go back to Laramie? What what do you spend your days doing back in Laramie? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. so a lot of my days spent training. yeah, I train five days a week, lift three well, trip so I train on the track five days a week, and then I lift three days a week as well. and then this year, so I I won't be on the World Cup tour as a developmental pilot. I'll be doing the North American Cup tour. so I'm also spending a lot of time trying to get sponsors to help me fund my season. so yeah, a lot of networking as well. But yeah, it's important to me to have a good rest training balance, to Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Sadie McMullen: just prevent injury, prevent burnout. and so yeah, yeah. I I'm also just very thankful for the community in Laramie and UW as well. So Devin Davis: Yeah. That that's gotta be kind of a a hard lifestyle though, a little bit. I mean, when you transition from being in one spot all the time, even though you're traveling for your your track meets and things like that, but you're still grounded in one spot and and now a lot of a lot of travel involved with that. So that has it been hard for you to keep up that that routine is with you know, spending time with God and prayer and things like that, have you struggled to find the the balance with all that? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, it's definitely it's definitely been a a change of pace in terms of life the past two years. I I I kind of joke around that I don't even really unpack my suitcase 'cause but yeah, it's it is it is difficult kind of having I like to say three home bases. So Placid is is kind of a home base and then my parents' house back in Colorado is a home base and then Laramie as well. So yeah, it's definitely it's definitely tiring the amount of travel that I do, but I'm also just very thankful for it and thankful for the opportunities. And it definitely can be hard to maintain a a routine. I yeah, I I always make it my goal to to spend time in the word every day. Sometimes it's in the morning, sometimes it's at night, depending on what I have going for that day. But Yeah, I definitely notice a difference if I don't get to spend time in the Word. and Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: yeah, just also learning to yeah, just spend time in prayer in very odd circum or yeah, circumstances I guess like prayers dur during warm up or yeah, prayers during sled work. So yeah, just just trying to prioritize time with God. Devin Davis: Yeah, I mean just that like I think you mentioned that earlier, like that intentionality, right? Is that I have to be very intentional. if I have a lifestyle now that may not be routine, Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: to to make time for for God in my day, however that may look. That that'd drive me crazy. Sadie, I'm like a routine guy. Ask my wife, man. I, you know, do the same ty thing pretty much every time of the day. And If I get out of r my routine, I'm grouchy. so I I don't think I would probably do your lifestyle very well. But I mean, I think that's a it's a good test really, really for you. You know, I think like God's looking at you going, man, she's faithful, right? she's faithful to me because no matter what's going on, she's finding time in in her daily schedule to spend time with me. And and that doesn't matter if it's the same time every day or where it's at or it it's just that you're you're committed to trying to be faithful to him in reading your word and in prayer. do you have you found any kind of resistance, I guess, now that you're competing at that stage in in in the Olympics, any opposition re you know, to your faith or anybody have any kind of Rejection at all because of what you believe? Sadie McMullen: Hm, good question. I mean there was definitely like a little bit in in terms of the Olympics, just you know, within interviews and stuff, they they asked that you kinda keep a neutral perspective on it. And yeah, I mean something that has been really cool though is just meeting with people of of other cultures and other faiths and yeah, just trying to share the gospel. yeah, I I wouldn't say there's a ton of rejection. I think definitely just living out living out my faith is is important and I think it is Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Sadie McMullen: maybe a bit different than a lot of people here, but yeah, it it is still really cool just to see how God has opened the doors for for conversation. And there was there was one night actually where I was at the Olympics and I felt like God was just kind of keeping me awake and I was like, Okay, what do you what do you want me to know and what do you want me to do? And he was like, I just I I want you to share the gospel. and there's there's this big p culture within the Olympics of pin trading. And so we we as Team USA received a bunch of Team USA pins and probably like over fifty. And we would keep them on our credentials and it it was just a great chance to meet other countries because other countries would want to come trade their their team pins with us. And so yeah, God just placed it on my heart to write little scripture notes and then trade those out with the pins. so just yeah. Yeah, really keeping that kingdom mindset has been important. So Devin Davis: Yeah. Creative ways of sharing the gospel, right? I mean, that's I Sadie McMullen: Yes. Devin Davis: I laughed one of the the funny I it just kind of popped into my head. So here in Wyoming and being involved with FCA, one of the big ministries for me is is going to the state wrestling tournament and doing prayer Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: at the state wrestling tournament. And I got back to my room one night and I took my shirt off and there was a clothespin on the sweatshirt that I was wearing and the clothespin had a verse written on it. And I did not even know that somebody had put that on me. Sadie McMullen: Mm. Devin Davis: and and I found out later who it was. And so they brought just a they wrote different scripture on the clothespin. And when somebody w would walk by, they would clip that onto their jacket or their sweatshirt or whatever it is. And I was like, how cool is that? You know, so that person is getting home at at nighttime and and Whatever it is, Proverbs three, verse five, they're looking that up to see what that means. and I'm like, that's that's kind of a cool way, like you were talking about with with your pins, is like whatever way we can get people to open up God's word is is pretty cool. So some kind of creative ways of doing that. I was like, Well, that's that's a cool idea. So Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Devin Davis: I I thought. That was pretty neat. And so I your story is awesome too. So I think do you feel like, you know, we all go through seasons where we feel like God's trying to teach us something or or speaking to us in a certain way. do you feel like at this stage in your life that that God is speaking to you or teaching you something specific at all at this point in time, Sadie? Sadie McMullen: Yeah, yeah, I mean I feel like this past year has just been kind of a transition year going into to piloting and kind of the unknown of what the next couple years are gonna look like, both, you know, in terms of training, in terms of my position within Bobsled and financially as well. Team USA athletes really are not paid much and so a lot of our season is self-funded. and so really just yeah, putting all of my trust in God and Devin Davis: Mm-hmm. Sadie McMullen: and his timing and yeah, just making sure to stay plugged into the word and and not follow this world and what this world says. And it's definitely easy to look at the next couple of years or even this upcoming season and just kinda start panicking because of all the logistics within it. but Yeah, just truly trusting that God is good and his plan is good. And yeah. Devin Davis: And and s you know, just thinking about what you kind of that next step into into piloting and what that entails, what do you think the hardest part of being a a a you know, even a pilot or just a a bobsledder in the Olympic, what what has been the hardest part of the sport for you? Sadie McMullen: Hmm. Good question. Think yeah, just the the unpredictability of the sport. there's so many things that can go wrong. and there's so many ways that you have to be adaptable. so and also just the learning curve of the sport. there's so much to learn in such a short amount of time. and so yeah, just yeah, I think Yeah, there was so much information just pushed on me in in such a short amount of time that I had to learn. and yeah, mistakes are also hard to make when we're working with Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: sleds that are two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a piece. and so yeah, just the the learning curve was quite difficult. But yeah. Devin Davis: Well that and that has to be really hard, especially considering that, you know, there are only two people who who make the the two man bobsled team for the Olympics, right? There's alternates, but there's only two people. And I I mean, so the competition for those spots is is probably crazy. I I can't Sadie McMullen: It is. Devin Davis: even imagine. Like you said, milliseconds probably separate separate out the com competition. It And so I'm that's that's probably a little bit hard. Like you said that really that's out of your control. So some of that is, hey, I just compete and and train the hardest I can and and then just trust God. So that's Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: that's that's a that's a hard I mean that's kind of a daily thing for for you, isn't it, Sadie? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely a daily thing and yeah, I mean just controlling what I can control and yeah, letting God just handle all of it and trusting him and his plan. So it's it's definitely intense and yeah, the the amount of spots that we have for any given team can be intimidating for sure. But Devin Davis: Yeah. Sadie McMullen: yeah. Devin Davis: And and think and think about it. I mean, think how hard it would be if you didn't have your faith, if you didn't couldn't turn to God. you know, you sometimes wonder how people who don't believe or deny God, I mean, how how do how do they get through things like like this? That's I I mean, I look I look at that all the time and like hard things in our lives are gonna happen. and I'm just grateful that I have a an awesome God that I can turn to. who is gonna be faithful to me at every single turn and and like going back to the Grace thing, we do not have to be perfect. because yeah I've I'm far from perfect over and over daily type of thing. So you know Sadie McMullen: Me too. Me too. Devin Davis: that's that's a big part of it. Well outside of sports what w what do you like to do? I mean you train train your butt off but w what are Things that you like to do out outside of training and and competing. Sadie McMullen: Yeah. I joke around with my friends that I definitely have a lot of side quests that I like to do. but yeah, I mean, yeah, I I love being with people. I love being with family and friends. and I love the outdoors. I grew up in the outdoors, so anything with backpacking, hiking, climbing fourteeners in Colorado. My family and I live on a small ranch and so I've grown up riding horses. so I love riding my horse and my best friend she grew up sailing and so probably five years ago her and I built a sailboat and then we were also given a sailboat from some family friends, so I love sailing too and yeah, anything on the water, paddleboarding, whitewater rafting. My dad's a whitewater rafting guide, so kind of all over the place. Devin Davis: So that's all you there's no no downtime for for Sadie, huh? Maybe Sadie McMullen: No. Devin Davis: a power nap here or there. That's about that's about it. Where do you go sailing at? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. just the lakes around Colorado. Yeah. The wind is not very consistent, but that that's all part of the adventure. Devin Davis: Yeah. Yeah. Not out to Lake Hattie or anything? Sadie McMullen: I I've been wanting to go out to Lake Hattie actually. Yeah, we're yeah, Delaney my friend Delaney and I have talked about trying to get the boat up there. 'cause there there would be some good wind. That's something you can count on. Devin Davis: I I'm telling you, there may be too much wind on on Lake Hattie if you're a sailboat sailboater, but you'd get from one side of the lake to the other side in in no time at all. Kind of like bobsledding, I guess, probably, huh? Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. The wind is one thing you can count on and learn me. Devin Davis: So when you go back to Laramie, do you stay connected i i w in your faith? are you a you know, active in any group there? Do you still attend FCA now that you're out of out of school? Sadie McMullen: yeah, so I actually just met with Stacy a couple of weeks ago. and I think I'm gonna try to attend different FCA events and just yeah, pour into into these younger athletes. and then I still attend Snowy Range E Free Church, which has been awesome. but yeah, just still staying plugged in with community, via my mentors and friends who went to college who are still in Laramie. So yeah. Devin Davis: Yeah. That's good. Well, I know you gotta get going. I'm gonna pray for you. I like to do that with my guests, so we'll go ahead and pray Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Devin Davis: here and then you can take off. so Father God, we just thank you for Sadie's life, how you've been working in it, in ways that she never ever imagined. Father that that You know, just one thing has led to another, has led to another. And Father, you have been faithful through it all. Thank you for the people that you've surrounded Sadie with, the the teammates, the the friends, Sadie McMullen: Yeah. Devin Davis: people who were able to disciple and lead her. Father, I just pray for her as she continues to pursue this endeavor, that your blessings would be upon her and In everything that she does. Thank you for her faithfulness to spread the gospel and to live out the gospel. And I just pray that that will produce much fruit, wherever that's at, here in the United States, on her team, even in other competitions in in Europe or Asia, Father. I just pray that she's a bright light that shines the love of Christ wherever she goes. Father, I just pray that you continue to guide and direct her by your spirit. Bless her in all that she does. Keep her safe. Keep her healthy. thank you for your son, Christ. it's you through your grace that we're saved, not by anything that we do. and she knows that full well, Father. So thanks for this episode. I just pray it's encouraging to anybody that listens, and and that it glorifies you. And your son's holy name we pray. Amen. Sadie McMullen: Amen. Thank you. And yeah. Devin Davis: This is this is yeah, this has just been super great. and I and I appreciate it because I know your s your schedule is busy. Is there any kind of closing thoughts that you'd like to share? I was peep put people on the spot, but anything that we didn't cover that you feel like you need to share with our listeners at all? Sadie McMullen: well I just wanna thank you for for having me. This has been awesome. yeah, sharing the gospel through sport is what it's all about. So yeah, I would just encourage listeners to keep a kingdom mindset and yeah, you can God well, yeah, God can truly use any place that you're at as a mission field to yeah, to bring people to Christ. So yeah. Devin Davis: Amen. Right. Amen to that. So awesome. I just before we turn this up, I just wanted to thank one of our sponsors from Lander, the Lander Breadboard. they contributed sandwiches for our wrestling camp in Lander several weeks ago. And I just want to always shout out to them. So if you're ever in Lander, Wyoming, the breadboard is the place to go. They have awesome sandwiches. So thanks to them. But it's been a great conversation today, Sadie. Thanks. And and I always hate to say is like I want to say best of luck. There is no such thing as luck. Best of skill, I guess, is one I heard somebody say one time. but I Sadie McMullen: Mm-hmm. Devin Davis: just pray that the Lord blesses you as you continue to to compete. And it was an honor to have you on here. And I pray that people are encouraged by your your boldness and your faith. So thank you very much for joining us today. Have a have a great day. Sadie McMullen: Thank you so much. It was an honor. Devin Davis: Yep. Thanks again.