Star AFL Receiver has Olympic Dreams
Wednesday January 16, 2013
Utah Blaze WR Aaron Lesué Hopes to Compete in Olympic Games
SALT LAKE CITY – Five months out of the year, Aaron Lesué competes in one of the most fast-paced, high-octane sports known to man, requiring elite speed, immense strength and immaculate focus. He also happens to be a pretty good football player.
From March until August, Lesué catches passes in the high-powered Utah Blaze offense. In 2012, he emerged as one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the Arena Football League, earning first-team All-Arena honors while setting a single-season combined (regular and postseason) record with 64 touchdown receptions. But when the AFL season ends, Lesué steps off of the turf and onto the ice to begin training for another extreme sport.
While most players spend the offseason rehabbing and rebuilding their bodies, Lesué trains to compete as an Olympic bobsledder. It began last October, when he received an unexpected phone call from a former gold medalist.
“Last year, I got a call from (2002 Olympic gold medalist) Jimmy Shea,” Lesué explained. “I picked up the phone and he asked if I wanted to compete in the Olympics someday. Of course, I said yes.”
For Lesué, converting from football player to bobsledder was a natural transition. “Bobsled coaches and drivers typically look for football athletes because it’s a combination of power and speed. Playing receiver, it was a perfect fit for me. All of the football training is great for bobsled training and it really translated.”
Four-man bobsledding requires a pilot, two pushers and a brakeman. All four team members begin pushing the sled before jumping in at strategic times. The pilot, responsible for driving, is located in the front of the sled and is the first to enter. He is followed shortly thereafter by the two pushers. That leaves the brakeman (Lesué) as the fourth and final member to enter the sled.
“The fourth man has to have a pretty good combination of power and speed. He’s the last guy in the sled and pushes longer than anyone else. He has to be fast enough to keep up, but also strong enough to continue propelling the sled.”
Lesué is accustomed to playing in a quick-twitch, high-speed environment, but nothing could prepare him for the feeling of gliding down a track made of ice at 80 miles per hour. “It’s full speed from start to finish, and then it’s over after about 47 seconds. The g-forces pull you down and it actually takes a toll on your body. It’s like being on an extreme rollercoaster without being secure to the track.”
Although he quickly transitions from one sport to the other, Lesué is confident his offseason activity will prove to be beneficial when he steps back on the gridiron. “Bobsled training has really helped me prepare for this season in a different way. I actually think I’m in better shape coming into this season than I was last year. I don’t think bobsledding takes a mental toll on me because I really enjoy doing it. I’m an adrenaline junkie. I have to get out and do something in the offseason.”
“The next thing for me is the combine next October. That’s where they evaluate all the ‘push’ athletes. It’s kind of like the NFL combine. They rank everyone and try to put the best team together based on the testing.”
Lesué has his sights set on competing in the 2014 or 2018 Olympics, but nothing will cloud his focus when the AFL season begins.
“I’m definitely ready to get back on the field. We came close last season, but fell just short of our goal. I think like that experience has made us all a little more focused and a little more determined. We know what’s in front of us and we’re all committed to the ultimate goal of winning a championship.”
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