GYMNASTS ARE washed up by 14. The Chinese scout for athletic prowess in the womb. At your age, you have a snowball's chance in Cheney's house of ever making an Olympic team, right? Nope.

Let's call them the fun-slide sports—bobsled, luge, and skeleton. Among previous U.S. Olympians in these events: retired San Francisco tight end John Frank (size helps); skeleton racer Eric Bernotas, who made the 2006 Games four years after picking up a sled; and Katie Uhlaender, a softball player who finished seventh in the skeleton junior nationals 15 weeks after her first ride. If you can run very fast for two seconds and hang on for another 45 at speeds topping 80 miles an hour, your glory days could be ahead.

"Bobsledding is dangerous," says U.S. Olympic coach Brian Shimer. "But I don't know many other sports you can pick up in a year or two and compete for your country."

Opening ceremonies for the next Winter Games are February 12, 2010. If you want to make it in Vancouver, here's where to start.

Utah Olympic Park
PARK CITY, UTAH
BOBSLED OR SKELETON: Four-day, all-inclusive camp, $1,800; full day, $500; half day from $200; olyparks.com
LUGE: Four-day, all-inclusive camp, $2,000; usaluge.org

Lake Placid U.S. Olympic Training Center
LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK
BOBSLED OR SKELETON: Four-day, all-inclusive camp, $2,000; usbsf.com
LUGE: Four-day, all-inclusive camp, $2,000; usaluge.org

Canada Olympic Park
CALGARY, ALBERTA
BOBSLED: US$150 per ride
LUGE: $20 per ride; canadaolympicpark.ca