After her impressive college career, former LSU track star Lolo Jones finds her way back into the Olympics. Jones is now a brakeman for the USA Bobsled team, and she is the very first LSU athlete to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Jones’ Coach, Dennis Shaver, communicates with her every week whether it is through text, email or a phone call.
Shaver says, “Lolo still consults with me. She talks a little bit on how they’re asking her to accelerate in the course of things over the years. Now I’ve taught her to accelerate, and there’s been some similarities there. But at the same time, I had to understand it a little bit more to be able to give her good advice from the standpoint of what the bobsled coaches are telling her.”
Although her athletic path has changed, Lolo’s roots haven’t. Coach Shaver has supported Lolo throughout her days on the LSU track, and even with a change in sport, he says Lolo’s skills were easily transferable to a “new kind” of athletic drive and push. This time it is on ice. 
Shaver says, “It was a real challenge at first especially when this coach here is saying I like you to weigh 138, and they say they want you to weigh 160 pounds. But she’s met that challenge.”
Back in the capitol city, Coach Shaver admitted that he will be up all night to watch Lolo’s first two heats on Tuesday, February 18th.