AKRON, Ohio — Brock Kreitzburg knows a thing or two about finding a new purpose in life.
“So, right now, I am folding donations that we receive from the community. And [when] these donations go, we will ship them to eastern Europe to some of the poorest countries there,” Kreitzburg said.
What You Need To Know
- Brock Kreitzburg is an Olympic bobsledder
- He competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Kreitzburg now works for Summit Missions International
He’s the executive director at Summit Missions International — an organization that partners with pastors and churches in eastern Europe. However, years before Kreitzburg took on the role, he was an Olympic bobsledder.
“There came a point in my life where I said, ’At the end of my life, what do I want to invest in? Do I want to invest in just myself, or something else, or someone else?’ And that led to a journey of serving overseas with with an organization,” Kreitzburg said.
Kreitzburg only competed in the 2006 winter games. However, he said life after leaving elite sports can be difficult for athletes.
“Well, it’s been a process, certainly,” Kreitzburg said. “You know, when you’re an elite athlete, you love what you do and you have passion behind it. And it took me many years to find something else that would — I could have that same passion for.”
Despite this challenge, Kreitzburg said his life right now feels more fulfilling to him.
“You know, as an athlete, it’s a very lonely lifestyle, and again, you’re investing in yourself,” Kreitzburg said. “And now as I’ve transitioned out of sport, I have an opportunity to invest in things that are going to last, invest in my children and leave a legacy with them — and with the ministry I get to invest in eternal things.”
As the winter games continue in Beijing, Kreitzburg said he encourages the athletes who may be competing in their final Olympic games to think ahead about their future roles.
