Imagine needing a hobby and missing the thrill of competition so much that you become an Olympian. That’s exactly how Johnstown-area native Dan Barefoot began his decade-long journey into the sport of skeleton.
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Dan and his brother David were working out when Dan proposed a crazy idea, picking up a new sport, but with a twist. Dan didn’t want anyone to know he was training for a new sport, skeleton, and bringing competition back into his life.
“He told me, he said, ‘Hey, I want to tell you something. Let’s keep it a secret. I am going to start training for this new sport that I found on Google by looking for things to compete in again,’” David recalled.
Growing up as athletes, the Barefoot brothers loved to compete, and Dan had his eyes on competing on the largest stage. This began Dan’s two-year training, keeping everyone in his life in the dark.
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It was hard for David to keep Dan’s secret, not only from the world but from those closest to him, including his parents. He wanted to celebrate his brother openly, to express his pride rather than hiding it, but he respected Dan’s wishes and cheered him on silently.
“I just witnessed, I encouraged and I was amazed the whole time,” David said.
Once Dan spilled the secret, the family was beyond amazed, supportive, and excited to see Dan discover his new passion. What was once a hard-kept secret turned into a rally of celebration within the Barefoot family.
“Anything he has ever done, he has thrown his entire self into it,” said his father, Barry.
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Dan’s sister, Erin, shared that same sense of pride.
“Just seeing him accomplish his dreams is just so surreal,” she said, adding she’s excited to follow him as he continues his journey with Skeleton. “He is the stereotypical best older brother.”
Competing in the Olympics is something to celebrate loudly, but for those closest to Dan, the moment was so extraordinary that it was almost hard to believe it was real.
“But to see him in the Olympics, it’s kind of like, ‘Is it real? Are we really here?’ You know?” his mother, Becky, said. “It has been a long time. He has worked a long time to be here. We are just enjoying every minute of it.”
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Unfortunately, Dan’s family hasn’t seen a lot of him, but they understand it’s hard to see one another when he’s competing for his country. Becky said she’s happy he can spend time with his other family, his team and the other Team USA athletes.
Dan’s journey from training in secret to competing on the global stage of the Olympic Games shows what the Games are about: dedication, hard work and courage. Through his journey, the support from his family has been his foundation. Dan continues his competition and hopes to bring home the gold for the United States.
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