DALLAS —
It’s a change of scenery and a wild 80 mph ride for a Dallas P.E. teacher.
Freddie Harris Jr., a former college football player, made the national Team USA in bobsled.
“It means a lot,” Harris Jr. said. “I'm soaking everything in.”
Last weekend he competed in his first World Cup race in Park City, Utah, and placed 11th.
“It was great,” Harris Jr. said. “I didn’t place where I wanted to, but everybody on my team are all rookies, except for the pilot, so it was a great learning experience.”
On Tuesday, he was in Lake Placid, New York, where he'll have another opportunity to compete against the best in the sport next weekend.
“It’s an amazing opportunity competing against the world’s best,” Harris Jr. said.
Harris, who attended R.L. Turner High School in North Texas and played football at the University of Central Oklahoma, said it’s only the beginning.
“I was taught, never be satisfied always look for the next biggest thing. I'm happy, now I’m trying to make the Olympics in 2026,” Harris Jr. said.
Harris acknowledges it's a unique sport for a North Texan to compete in, but Harris said he dreamed up the idea while feeling stagnant during the pandemic.
He knew it was time for something more.
“Bobsledding, it’s random, just like me,” Harris Jr. said.
“I’ve always had that competitive itch, but I didn’t know what to compete in,” he added.
While training for bobsledding in Dallas-Fort Worth may seem nearly impossible, Harris Jr. said it’s surprisingly simple.
He learned a lot of the sport’s technique by watching YouTube videos and training at grassy fields and around a track.
"The training aspect is just like in football. You’re just training to be explosive, powerful and run fast,” Harris Jr. said.
The elementary school teacher has been away from the classroom while he competes but told WFAA he is sharing his journey with students while teaching them an important lesson -- it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
“We all have dreams, but dreams are just dreams until you apply action and they become reality,” Harris Jr. said.