2ndwind Academy Podcast
2ndwind Academy Podcast
102: Alex Klein - Navigating Athletic Pivots and Embracing the Olympic Dream
From the basketball court to the icy bobsled tracks, Alex's story isn't one you hear every day. Tune in as we traverse the thrilling and transformative journey with our guest, whose leap from dunking basketballs to steering sleds is a masterclass in grit and adaptability. The conversation delves into the depths of what it takes to rewire an athlete's body and mind from endurance to power, from hoop dreams to Olympic aspirations. We celebrate the spirit of perseverance and how Alex's narrative exemplifies the essence of health, emotional resilience, and gratitude—qualities that serve us all in sports and life alike.
Tune in to learn more about:
- Alex’s earliest sporting memories, what enjoyment she derived from it, and her experience playing professional basketball overseas
- Her struggles with Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis led to the close of her basketball career and created more obstacles along her athletic path
- How Alex did not let the diagnosis stop her from launching into an alternative sport and thriving in it as well
- The hardest bit of that transition phase between two sports
- What the transition from basketball to bobsleigh meant to her physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness
- This an amazing illustration of the physical space she is trying to fit into in bobsleigh
- How she has reinvented herself into an elite in her newfound sport
- In what way did the challenges she endured change how she looks at her life and future
- The importance of playful curiosity in an athlete's sports journey
… and so much more!
Are you looking for Career Clarity for your next step, for more information, or to book a consultancy, make sure you check out www.2ndwind.io
Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its.alexklein/
https://www.instagram.com/its.alexkleincoaching/
Website: https://www.coachalexklein.com/
To what extent do you think that belief I can do hard stuff, you can go through that, be it health, be it pushing yourself physically, emotionally how do you think that's changed the way you look at your life and where you might go?
Speaker 2:In every way. It's very much changed. Like I said, back to when I was basketballing in 2018, even it, gratitude and realizing the strength of what you're actually capable of as a human being those are things that just never crossed my mind and when I realized you are nothing without your health, no matter if you want to be a good family member, if you want to be good in business, no matter what it is, you are nothing without your health. And just practicing gratitude on a daily basis and really realizing how blessed you are in every way, shape and form, and even what my body is capable of despite these adversities, that is constantly telling you of how powerful as humans you really are and how you can really rewire yourself.
Speaker 1:Hi, I'm Ryan Gonsalves and welcome to a Second Wind Academy podcast, a show all about career transition through the lens of elite athletes. Each week, I invite a guest to the show who shares their unique sporting story. Please join me to delve into the thoughts and actions of athletes through a series of conversations. Don't worry, there's plenty to learn from those of you that aren't particularly sporty. Elite athletes are still people after all. Let's be inspired by the stories of others. Alex, welcome to the show it's going to be. I'm looking forward to having this conversation with you today.
Speaker 2:I'm very excited. I think it'll be unique. Lola made it sound like I'm unique, so I'm very excited. I think it'll be unique.
Speaker 1:Lola made it sound like I'm unique. You are unique, you are your own unicorn and we're going to flow with this as we go through the conversation. Perfect, well, alex, you know we were chatting before and, as you mentioned, you know this show is all about that career athlete, career transition, career athlete, career transition. And one of the bits that I've loved about your story I'm loving about your story and want to go into a bit more is not just that athlete career transition that happens outside of the sport, but for you, that also happens within the sport as you move from elite levels to global levels. But then for you, going across sports as well and having to change a lot more than just the kit, it's great.
Speaker 2:It's quite a change, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I want to certainly delve into that a little bit more as we go through. For those who are just joining us and want to know a little bit more about you, please can you just give us the infomercial of Alex, give us your introduction.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course I'm a professional bobsledder for Team Canada. It's my. I actually just concluded my second season and I am aiming for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Games. That's basically the one line.
Speaker 1:That's a good line. This has been practiced. I like that. That was good.
Speaker 2:I should probably mention the big picture goal.
Speaker 1:That's right. So you've got the Olympics. So the Olympics is that goal. Try and make that debut in the bobsled. How's that going for you at the moment?
Speaker 2:I had a yeah, so my second second season. It was a good season, my first real year of actually experiencing the sport. Last year I was the alternate for the world cup team for canada and as the spare you don't get a lot of race experience or a lot of reps at the top of the the mountains, at the top of the track. So you know, I was actually racing this season and I was able to compete at the world championships as well, which, which is the equivalent of the Olympic Games, but just not an Olympic year. That was a really cool experience and it's going well. I'm just very eager to see where this offseason takes me to prep for next year, for the third year of the quad.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wonderful. That already sounds super exciting and great progress for you in your second season. So well, let's move away from the teaser that we probably gave out at the start and just say so. If this is only your second season, what has been your primary sport before this?
Speaker 2:Basketball, which is very odd, to transition into bobsled yeah sled.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yes, it is, because one I'm imagining size and things like that are going on, but we'll come back to that. So just talk a bit then for you then as an athlete, because clearly you're multidisciplinary. What was sport like for you as you were growing up? What was important to you and your family environment?
Speaker 2:oh, what was important to me I, I will say, growing up, my parents I'm very blessed to say that my parents kind of pushed me into any and all sports, so that was a big, a big thing I'm really grateful for now. And I was always the type of athlete that it wasn't always talent Like. First and foremost, I had to really work hard and stay really disciplined and put a lot of effort into getting to a high level. And you know, you always play with other athletes on your team or whatever the case is, and they're just naturally talented athletes. And I'd say I'm different from that. I always had to put a lot of work into the game and into basketball. So, yeah, that was, I think, a big value is the work ethic and, I guess, the um path and not straying from that goal that you have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so as you talk about that work ethic for you as a young athlete, what sort of enjoyment did you get from sport?
Speaker 2:What kind of enjoyment. I think the challenge was really part of the enjoyment of the game. The teamwork dynamic, I would say was a really big part of my overall enjoying my experience as an athlete. And that's something that is quite different. Going to bobsled because you are, I know we can get more into it. But it's a team, it's considered a team sport but quite honestly it's quite individual Two individuals coming together really to make that end goal. But I crave that team dynamic when you're warming up and everyone's high-fiving and tapping each other on the back and you set up a good play and you shout out your teammate and that kind of thing which is just not part of the culture of bobsled. So that's what I would say is probably one of my top takeaways or aspects of the sport would be the team dynamic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, listen, I love the team sport and you know, for me that is certainly one of my attractors to continue to play in the game way after elite levels. For you going. You know you've got the college experience, but the college experience for you was in basketball and I'm curious at your time of going into college to play basketball, what aspirations did you have?
Speaker 2:Funny you ask that because at the time obviously I knew I wanted to play in the US and I wanted to play at a D1 school that was very, had strong academics. So that was really important to me and that's why I chose prestigious business school and I had never had the thought at all of playing past university. And so it's funny looking back that I did play professionally in Europe and then not only that, but I randomly decided to transition into a Team Canada Olympic sport. So that was never a thought I had in my mind. It's just kind of how the universe presented the opportunities and I took them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so well, that's. That's fascinating, because what you've described there is you went into college sport not with the idea of what comes next, but quite simply to enjoy that environment, enjoy the sport and to be able to build on your academic as well. That was it. So it was quite this, you know, odd enough, relatively short-term goal of hey, let's just take this and let's enjoy what we've got at the moment.
Speaker 2:Yep, that's well said. I had never had the thought of going past that. So take what God gives you, the universe gives you, and roll with it. That's how I'm living.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, what was it like for you then, graduating and becoming a pro basketball player, and indeed, that moving. Well, actually you moved cross border, but then you went overseas, so what was that sort of experience for you?
Speaker 2:It's funny you ask that because I'm actually a part of a couple of different speaking engagements and that's what they want me to speak about is the different like cultural experiences and how that was, and I would say the game itself, talking about basketball, is very different like IQ, wise and speed of the game when you go to different countries. So it's a lot faster in America. The IQ it's just like quick and more elite, to be honest, not to say Canada's not elite, but it's just kind of a next level and Europe is just like a different style of game. It's almost like you're speaking the same language but it's a different kind of language, if that's an analogy. I really enjoyed playing in both, but my favorite, I guess like experience, would actually have been in Europe. I love, love, love, love the girls and I am so really close with a lot of them too.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it was a good experience overall with it yeah and and so when you talk, so I'm actually interested. Now I love that link between basketball sport as a language. So it was this common language of of sport that actually transcends the different cultures and the spoken language that we have, so I think that's great. I'm interested, then, when you talk about that favorite experience in terms of basketball being when you're overseas. Was it on court? Was it this experience of what was on court, or was this? You know, how was that off-court vibe and experience? How much influence do you think that had in your overall enjoyment?
Speaker 2:yeah, I would say. Actually I would be talking more about the off-court. I would say that the level of of ball in the US at least, it depends on where you play in Europe. Obviously different leagues, different caliber of the game and everything. I would say like US might have been a little bit more intense, like more aggressive of a game. It's more of a contact sport, I would say in my experience in the US. But it was more my relationship that I developed with my European friends and just I don't really know how to explain it, but just culturally over there, the relationship I was able to make with them and it's very, I would say, I feel more at peace in Europe.
Speaker 2:I feel my body picks up on. When I land back in North America. I always say it's. I can feel my body like everything's rushed. People are on their phones, everything's fast, you're kind of always anxious and nothing's ever good enough. That's the culture of business here. You're always striving, which is great. That's how you create achievers and it's never, you know, you're always chasing, which leads to results. But then when you're in Europe I feel more at ease and kind of slow and present and that's just the vibe that I kind of got while living there. So I think experiencing that with my teammates allowed me to kind of find a new version of myself and and be able to breathe a little bit, so it's interesting.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is, it is. And you ended there with this. You found this new version, perhaps a version, a version that was inside you all along, but you were able to let this alternative version of you start to come out, even in many respects. So that experience for you over in Europe, what shifted, what happened next for you?
Speaker 2:So while I was in Europe, I actually started to develop like symptoms, health wise, that I had no idea what was going on. And it was when, basically every time when I would go to the bathroom, there was blood. And that's when I was like, oh, this doesn't seem to be awesome, this can't be great. And so I called my mom and at the end of the day, we decided that the best decision would be to come back to Canada to get your health in check. And so it was a really hard decision. It was a really unfortunate circumstance at the time because obviously, you know I had wanted to finish out the season and you know potentially see where my career, what other countries could I play in and where could that life kind of lead me? What other countries could I play in and where could that life kind of lead me? And so when I came back to Canada, it took eight months to be diagnosed and then, yeah, from there I just kind of made peace with closing the basketball chapter.
Speaker 1:Wow. So when you say diagnosed, can you, are you comfortable to talk about what was diagnosed, because that description is fairly shocking already. So please share, share a bit more if you can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's an autoimmune disease. It's called ulcerative colitis. So it's the sister disease of Crohn's disease and that's the one that people are usually well known of. They're like oh yeah, and it's actually quite common when I'm talking about it openly, especially as an athlete, because it seems to be a disease that isn't really spoken about publicly. Funny enough. But when I do have a conversation with somebody about it, more often than not they know somebody directly or personally that is battling that or living with that, either Crohn's or UC.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, it's just something that I'm constantly managing and kind of monitoring on a daily basis in my life. But in my athletic career it's just something that I'm constantly managing and kind of monitoring on a daily basis in my life. But in my athletic career it does create kind of more obstacles than maybe the norm. I'm managing how my body like reacts to different environments and being on tour all the time, things like that, changing environments is definitely something that my body is more aware of and I can kind of I just have to make sure it's a safe space and I'm feeling myself properly and things like that. So that's what I have.
Speaker 1:It caused the end of you to shift away from basketball as a career, but it didn't stop you from launching into an alternative sporting career. So what difference is what has changed between that point and where you are, I'll say, today?
Speaker 2:Great question. I actually this is, I guess, deep and funny to say out loud but I view myself as a completely different human and athlete from then in every way. And also I should say that I didn't transition directly into bobsled. It took me a couple of years to get my health back in order and I had actually started working in the business world, in the corporate world, in sales and marketing, and so, like I said, that wasn't on my radar and yeah it was. I just happened to meet the physiotherapist for the team back then and she suggested why don't I go to a testing camp and see how I perform? So I didn't act on it right away and eventually I thought you know what I feel like I have something left in the tank and why don't I just give it a shot? Because what's the hurt in trying and seeing what happens? Worst case, I'm in the same position as I start.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's right and you know, I know we, you move through that sort of transition moment quite quickly. I'm curious to just to stop in one of those elements, that initial shift away from sport, from basketball in particular, for health reasons. You then joined the workforce. Over that period, what was the hardest moment for you? What did you find the hardest in that sort of transitionary point?
Speaker 2:I would say for me at the time, figuring out my body and how I can stay, have wellness as a priority. Still, I know it's a little bit of a unique transition because, on top of just going from an elite athlete life to the corporate world life or normal per se life, now I have that element of okay, how do I manage my health on top of that. So I would say, staying fit for figuring out how to have fun with it, but not in as a regimented, strict kind of structure as maybe perhaps was required of you previously. So that's something I would say is very important to have fun with it and figure out how to stay fit and and love that part of your life still. So wellness is still a priority, but not to the degree of okay. It needs to be as it was before because you don't need three workouts a day anymore no, it's actually listening to you.
Speaker 1:It's fascinating because you know saying that, yeah, keeping fit and healthy for the enjoyment of being fit and healthy, not in order to go and play a game, not in order to be match fit, but just for that general fitness. Of course you that's coupled with health, right? So not just that fitness piece. You talk about that as a complexity. So in terms of that sort of I'm going to say mid-career transition for someone so young, I'll still say mid-career transition how did you find the corporate world? How did you know what you wanted to do in the corporate world?
Speaker 2:I didn't, I didn't, that's the answer. I still don't. It's funny because, yeah, I've done that transition and that's kind of where people find job opportunities and business opportunities and go from there, but now I've decided to go back into sport and then one day I'll have to eventually do that transition a second time. So it's kind of interesting having done it and then I'll have to do it again. But I would say, yeah, there's no way. I completely know exactly what I want to go into. I do have an entrepreneurial kind of mindset and I'm a creative, I guess from the online coaching world, and I really want to help other people. But I'm so focused on now, like the Olympic Games 2026 goal, that thinking about anything else is just not even a reality. I guess past that.
Speaker 1:No, I suppose so. So I'm now super interested in getting an understanding on how someone goes from basketball to bobsleigh, and the bit you mentioned earlier is that you actually see yourself as a completely different athlete today than you were back then. So talk to me about that. What does that mean physically, emotionally, what does that look like?
Speaker 2:Yeah, in every way, shape and form, I feel like I'm different. So I'll start with the physical. I'm over 20 plus pounds, 21 or 22 pounds heavier than basketball me. I was very, very skinny. It was obviously cardio oriented 40 minutes of playing a game and not getting gas priority. Now we. The first thing actually I did when I started training for ball slide was you cut cardio. Essentially it's zero to a hundred, as fast as possible, and the 30 meters is like the most. Maybe we sprint, maybe 45, like the odd time 60 meters, but typically like 30 meters is the sprint. The distance that you would practice and bobsled is all sprint mechanics and Olympic lifts that are tied together with learning how to push. So we don't have any of that training in basketball. My body still wants to go this way and I have to keep training it. No, no, you need to go this way. So it's a constant.
Speaker 2:From vertical to horizontal 20 years of my life training it to go this way. So, yeah, it's vastly different. I think that's why I was so attracted to it, because I seem to be I don't know why, but the way I'm wired I seem to want to do things that are out of the norm and unique and not easy, like I always strive or crave, going for things that seem impossible and seeing if I actually achieve the impossible. So those are just a couple of differences. But physically, I had to totally rewire and focus on power oriented fitness versus like cardio and aerobic. And then emotionally, spiritually, I never really thought of these things.
Speaker 2:To be completely blunt with you, when I played basketball, I didn't think of emotional wellness. I didn't really think of spirituality. The mental game, yes, but as for the others, I just kind of, yeah, miss those parts of wellness. And I think that's something that's really important is to remember the four pillars, because there's the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. And now, at this, this sport, especially with the health side of things, I'm at the top of the mountain, about to launch myself into the back of a sled, so I need to be able to calm my nervous system as much as possible and go from zero to a hundred, as hard as I possibly can. So I know it's a long-winded answer, but those other three elements, or two elements, I never really thought of and now I have to incorporate those daily.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that, that shift. And you said, you know, you went to these tryouts with the physio and said, oh, you know. They said, oh, you should give it a shot. What was going through your mind? To think, hey, I'm. I used to be a pro basketball player. I had these health issues. Now I'm not. Hey, do you know what? Despite all of these vertical to horizontal power versus cardio things, I'm going to go give it a shot and clearly come out as being selected. What was going through your mind?
Speaker 2:Back then. I don't know. I want to say that I was crazy, because we always joke that anybody who does bobsled is a little bit crazy. To some capacity you can't not be. But now, if you ask me now, I would say again, going back to being a totally different human and athlete. It's like I know I can do hard things from being a bobsledder, hard things from being a bobsledder Basketball, not to undermine it by any means. You're putting a ball in a hoop. This there's so many elements going into. You know you're freezing cold. It's impossible to warm up at some times it's like difficult when you're in the back of the slide. You're getting banged around. It's physically quite a difficult sport. You crash. I have a big burn on my shoulder from crashing. I'm not a driver, so I'm putting my life into my pilot's hands. There's all these other different kind of components of the sport that don't exist in basketball. So yeah, I don't. I don't know. You'd say I'm. I think I'm a little bit crazy, to be honest, but I guess just pushing myself well.
Speaker 1:So we're pushing yourself that little bit crazy. It does get me a bit, you know, interested now in I can. I know the courts right. I know a basketball court. I can see that. I can understand the online coaching and things like that. I can watch a bobsleigh, you know four years, or whatever. Winter olympics I see it. That's where where I get into it. But as a basketball player, I have to assume you're reasonably tall. We're meeting through video. I don't know how tall you actually are, but I have to assume you must be fairly tall. I'm seeing this tiny, or at least this little tube top of the mountain you said it poetically now, but I mean physically at the top of the mountain. Top of the mountain you said it poetically now, but I mean physically at the top of the mountain and you and what three other ladies have to get into this little cube and this little tube and shoot down. What sort of forces are we talking? What sort of, you know, physical space are you now trying to squeeze into?
Speaker 2:it's funny that you call them tubes. I think that's so awesome. I've never had that said to me. You're right. So men have two disciplines the foreman and the two. Men and women have the two women in the monobob. So there's one less discipline for me to compete in as a break woman, I only have the two women to compete in. Monobob is just the ball that goes down. I only have the two women to compete in. Monobob is just the pilot goes down. So yeah, as a two woman, it's just my pilot jumps in. You're sprinting all out, pushing it all out, and then she jumps in and then the break woman goes in afterwards.
Speaker 2:And yeah, like you said, we deal with the G-forces as you go down the tracks. All the tracks are, I mean, different ice conditions, different number of corners. They're differently made technically. So Whistler, for example, in BC, which is where we train in preseason, and Lake Placid, new York, those are two North American tracks that are more technical, and then there's a lot, there's a bunch. The rest are kind of in Europe. There's one in Park City as well, actually in North America. But yeah, so it really depends on the types of tracks, but each run is its own. You never really know what's going to happen, especially as a brakeman. You're just in the back, folded over, holding on for your dear life.
Speaker 1:You're in the back, folded over. By folded do you mean like I'm guessing, like scrunched up.
Speaker 2:I mean mean like I'm guessing like scrunched up. I mean it's so funny. I showed lola this last call. I put my laptop down on the floor and showed her the position that I'm in. Do you want me to do that?
Speaker 1:yes, yes, please go for it. Yes, I'd love to. I'd love to just how do you how? Do you fit? Yeah, go for it.
Speaker 2:Teachers I'm like this. So she's ahead of me, she's over there and there's like foot pegs right kind of under her seat collar and then there's like a frame. So I hang on to the frame and you drive your feet like a deadlift, you know, back so that your butt is as tight into the back of the sled and you're like this.
Speaker 2:Wow, as tight into the back of the sled and you're like this wow, so you can't even see where you're going. Oh no, not at all. I don't see anything, just feel the sled and when you hit corners, things, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I'm like this for for those, we're gonna have people in audio trying to think what is going going on. They're just going to have to watch the video. That's probably the only way to describe that. Do you know? It didn't even occur to me that when you talk about putting your trust in someone else when you go into this, into the sport, you literally mean that I mean, how fast are you going down, going down?
Speaker 2:It depends the track and it depends the weather and ice conditions. The fastest we went was just over 148 kilometers an hour, so almost 150. That's where we crashed. Actually, we crashed in a race, and so I have a little bit of a scar here, yeah.
Speaker 1:You said kilometers 150. So even if I say you're in control at 140k an hour, 140 kilometers an hour, you cannot see where you are going at all. You can't see, but then you're the one who's doing the braking yeah, so she.
Speaker 2:Once we come out of the last corner I'm not coming up personally you know kind of where you are. Once you get more reps in and you get used to the tracks you can count the corners and know where you are. But typically she breaks and then you pop up all the breaks accordingly.
Speaker 1:Fantastic. Now. So you describe yourself as a completely different athlete. You've got me into the sport now. I am all over this sport. This, this, I mean that completely different athlete. You've got me into the sport now I am all over this sport. I'm in that completely different athlete. I'll ask the question because it's in my mind what's different? What do you see as what else? Did you have to change physically as an athlete to go from a professional athlete in one sport to again top of the game in another sport? And they're so different you can't see where you're going. Sorry, I should stop talking. We said this is one way. I'm just asking you the questions. Go for it.
Speaker 2:No, that's great. I had to become a power athlete and that's something that's non-existent in basketball. I don't know how training is nowadays. I'm curious because I'm going back to my school in the States and I'm curious if they incorporate Olympic lifts. That was never something I grew up with.
Speaker 2:I wish that I was introduced to that type of training earlier on, and I think it would have benefited me as a post player. Actually, because you have to be so powerful, you have to be so powerful, you have to act all day from defenders and just to power up and still score the ball. I think that having that, that power type of training would actually really benefit all athletes, especially like post players. But the type of training, like everything, is so I'd never done sprint training. The only thing your coach tells you is baseline and you start doing suicides or something like that, right. So now it's like there's so much, so many technical aspects of bobsled and it just seems so simple go push the sled as fast as you can, but it's so technical and so that's something that's quite different and I had to. I'm still doing it, training my body with those little tiny, minuscule details. Not to say that it doesn't exist in basketball, but it's just like a next level of it here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I guess that the technicality, but there's a lot that's individual technicality as well, that that comes into play. What do you think from being a basketball player? What do you think you brought with you from playing basketball that now supports you as a bobsleigh break?
Speaker 2:I would say being a good team player is something that I really pride myself on and comes naturally, so it's very organic and flowy and easy for me to do, whereas I think a lot of the, a lot of my teammates they all come from various sports backgrounds and a lot of them are from individual sports and you can really see, not that they don't work well with other people, but you can see, like even I go, I go like pat my girlfriend, my friend, on the back and I'm like hey, good job or whatever, and you can tell she's like why did you touch me?
Speaker 2:Type thing, whereas in basketball that's like something you're constantly doing, right, that I mentioned. So, yeah, I'd say the team player aspect and I mean having long legs behind the sled if you know how to use the tools that you have is advantageous. I'm still figuring out how to totally use the tools that I have completely to my advantage, and that's something that's in the works. But it is a weighted sport so I'll say that it can also be a negative per se is I have to make sure that my pilot and I have to make sure we're under the weight that the overall sled needs to be, so with us and our gear and us ourselves. Yeah, us, our gear and the sled. It has to be a certain number and, being tall, I can only cut so much weight come race day. So it's advantageous and at the same time it can be a little bit of an issue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm amazed. I'm amazed, I'm loving it all. To be honest, I'm curious a bit about, then, mentally, what does it mean, you know, for you? You know you talk about that team ethic. You know they, you know your teammates, are a bit surprised with the, I guess, your physical encouragement of, hey, good job, and that type of thing. Mentally, then verbally, what are the differences that you're finding?
Speaker 2:Everything. Sometimes I don't know where to start because everything is so vastly different. I don't know where to start because everything is so vastly different. I would say that just because the conditions of the sport, like I said, you know you're about to launch yourself in the back of this thing and hope to make it down each run. So there's an element of anxiety, like natural anxiousness, that I think most people have to overcome, some obviously more extreme than others. But you do get more immune to it the more reps that you do and the more experience that you get, you kind of are able to still perform in those environments, but that's something that you know. You get a little bit of butterflies before a basketball game, but this is like there's that element of danger and that discomfort that wasn't present in the previous sport. So, mentally, that would be something that I work with a mental performance coach as well that you're always kind of keeping in mind and really working at still performing despite those conditions.
Speaker 1:What your story talks to me about is that is the flexibility, the flexibility that is in probably in everybody but really comes out through athletes, and what you are demonstrating is that ability to take your athletic skill Like you say. You describe them as tools. You describe your size as a tool that you can use, but it's to be able to reapply that to a different situation. Be able to reapply that to a different situation. Often I speak with individuals about applying their tools being mental skills, capabilities, physical abilities from sport into that life outside of sport and in the game. And here you're doing that same thing, but moving from one sport into another sport, and what's great is you're also adding new skills and you're learning new things whilst doing that. It really demonstrates you're not a one sport or one individual person. In essence, you've reinvented yourself to be elite at this sport as well.
Speaker 2:I like to think so, and I think I was just talking to my mom about this. Today actually is now. I know from this experience from getting sick but also transitioning into now this type of athlete is I can do hard things, and that's something that when you're fearful let's say there's been a bunch of crashes prior to you going and you're really scared about going down because the last X number of sleds have crashed, something like that you know as an example it's like I can do hard things. I've crashed before. I can do the sport and get in the back of this thing. I'm going to be fine. I can do hard things and that's something again, I never had to remind myself and encourage myself that I could do. I knew I could put a ball in a hoop, but now it's yeah, it's just that extra push and I guess development of strength of character.
Speaker 1:that is new to what extent do you think that belief I can do hard things, I can do hard stuff, you can go through that, be it health, be it pushing yourself physically, emotionally how do you think that's changed the way you look at your life and where you might go?
Speaker 2:In every way. It's very much changed. Like I said, you know, back to when I was basketballing in 2018, even it, gratitude, and realizing the strength of what you're actually capable of as a human being those are things that just never crossed my mind being. Those are things that just never crossed my mind. And when I realized, you know, you are nothing without your health, no matter if you want to be a good family member, if you want to be good in business, no matter what it is, you are nothing without your health. And just practicing gratitude on a daily basis and really realizing how blessed you are in every way, shape and form, and even what my body is capable of, despite these adversities, that is constantly telling you of how powerful as humans you really are and how you can really rewire yourself in a completely new way than you might have ever imagined. It is possible. It just might not seem easy, but it's possible.
Speaker 1:No, no, it might not seem easy, but that possibility, I guess knowing it is possible, is what can push you through. It doesn't need to be easy. In fact, hard work that can drive us. I can tell you are enthused by that challenge. That's what keeps moving you forward, and I think it's just amazing how you've been able to do that through sport, through countries, through locations, you know, health. I think that's absolutely quite an amazing story and kudos to you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. I think there's something I want to say. I want to mention quickly that I think of constantly that one of my mentors taught me after my basketball career and it stuck with me, which is playful curiosity and I really like that because I naturally even now, but I grew up as a very structured individual and I really like knowing what the future holds and things like that. And it's like no matter how much you plan out your life, it's most definitely not going to work out exactly how you have planned for yourself. Things are going to happen, Stuff is going to get in the way, Crap is going to come up, and that's something you have to look at with playful curiosity and you're always you know, something that gets me through. If I didn't take the risk and jump on this thing that came my way, I always would have wondered what could have been if I did that thing, and that's really kind of what got me to go for it.
Speaker 1:Yes, beautifully said On that theme, when I guess a younger well, actually it doesn't need to be younger, but someone going through that transition or a transition, be it from one sport to another, be it from shifting gears in sport. What else would you sort of offer as sort of your experience or your guidance to support them through the journey?
Speaker 2:absolutely. I would say number one avoid isolation. Avoid isolation for me was big and consider therapy and, like I said before, staying fit, but in ways that you enjoy Finding, I think, a lot of the time too. I don't want to speak for, of course, every human and every athlete, but you lose that identity, you are that sport that is. You don't. You don't know who you are without that thing, and that's, I think, the underlying layer to a lot of people and that's the biggest struggle. So I think therapy and seeking resources is a sign of strength and not a sign of weakness. That a big, a big thing that I would recommend to people going through a transition wonderful, alex, listen, I've enjoyed our conversation.
Speaker 1:You've taken it physically to a different place than I thought you would do, so this is really good, actually literally picking up the camera and showing us the transition that you've had to make in your life so far. We touched on one point and sort of just rounding out you. In this period between the sports, you found yourself in the, I'll say, more traditional world, the more traditional workforce, if I can call it that. When you look beyond the Olympics, when you look beyond what's next, how, if at all, do you see that weaving back into your life?
Speaker 2:There are certain components about that work experience that I really liked and I learned the things that I like and I want to keep ideally, and then the things that I don't love and that maybe I wouldn't really want to be involved in in a workforce. I don't know what specific role I find or see myself going in afterwards. I am a believer again, that I believe in, you know, some kind of the universe or God or whatever it is bringing opportunity to me and kind of the path showing itself. I do believe that's going to happen to me and kind of the path showing itself. I do believe that's going to happen. But as for the role that I'll be in, I have no idea.
Speaker 1:That's great, I think, listen, I think that's great. And I'd say to you and to many that doesn't matter the way you opened your response you were able to take from the experience that you had, from the work experience that you had things you liked, things that you didn't like, and that often means the role is irrelevant but it's these small bits, they're the elements that motivate you to wake up and do something, and frequently it's. You know, if someone doesn't have a problem, then there's no work right. If someone doesn't need help, then there's very little for us to do. So, listen, alex, I think that's a great approach to have Focus in where you are now. And, hey, you know what It'll happen. It will come. We just have to be patient. That's it. Well, listen, alex, people are going to want to certainly try and follow your journey or perhaps even get in touch, get some more guidance from you. What's the best way to follow your journey and understand more about yourself and Bobsleigh?
Speaker 2:Absolutely so my best, I guess, Instagram platform would be the at itsalexklein K-L-E-I-N, and if they want to email me, it'd be Alex at CoachAlexKleincom. Those would be the two best methods to reach me.
Speaker 1:Alex, thank you very much for sharing your story. It's been awesome having you on the Second Wind Academy podcast today.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me. It was so much fun.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Second Wind podcast. We hope you enjoyed hearing insights from today's athlete on transitioning out of competitive careers. If you're looking for career clarity for your next step, make sure you check out secondwindio for more information or to book a consultation with me. I'd like to thank Claire from Betty Book Design, Nancy from Savvy Podcast Solutions and Cerise from Copying Content by Lola for their help in putting this podcast together. That's all from me. Take it easy Until next time.
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