DALLAS, Feb. 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "HEADFIRST: The Olympic Success Story of Skeleton" (Brown Books Publishing Group) by Robie Vaughn is the story of an obsession: first with the sheer thrill of sliding down tracks on skeleton sleds, which the author first tried at the age of thirty-nine, and then with the idea of representing the United States as a member of the Olympic skeleton team.
Ever heard of skeleton? In the world of sports, skeleton has been in the shadows of its more famous cousin, the luge. Skeleton is high-octane sledding that begins with by a running leap onto a sled that appears no bigger than a cafeteria tray. Plunging headfirst—barely inches off the ice—down a winding, mile-long track, sliders achieve outrageous speeds—often surpassing 80 mph. So close you can smell the ice, this extreme sport requires incredible nerve and, intense focus, and will surely make for thrilling viewing in Sochi, Russia.
Who is Robie Vaughn? An oil and gas entrepreneur from Dallas, Texas, and former interim executive director of the US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. How does one go from the boardroom to directing sports on ice? Well, it helps when you are the unlikely hero for putting skeleton back into the Olympic circuit in 2002.
There were only a few obstacles to overcome. To begin with, most Olympic athletes start out at about half the age the author was when he first encountered skeleton. Also, there was no US Skeleton Team—simply because skeleton was no longer an Olympic sport after being dropped in 1948.
"HEADFIRST" tells the story of how as an entrepreneur, Vaughn applied business savvy to create, build, and man an organization spearheading the campaign to reinstate skeleton to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This is a spirited tale of risk, leadership, and determination that will delight sport enthusiasts as well as readers seeking to be inspired by one man's ambition for success.
To order copies, please visit: www.headfirstskeleton.com; or call Brown Books Publishing Group at: 972-381-0009
About the Author
Robie Vaughn has not only competed as a skeleton athlete on the United States National and World Cup teams, but has shared his leadership and strategic management abilities with the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation (USBSF) and the 2002 Olympic Skeleton Team with the United States Olympic Committee.
Vaughn is the head of Vaughn Capital Partners, LLC (an oil and gas corporation based in Dallas, Texas). He is a graduate of Culver Military Academy and the University of Texas in Austin, where he is a Life Member on the Developmental Board. He lives in Dallas with his wife Fallon, and is the father of two grown children, Robert and Browning.
About Brown Books Publishing Group
Founded by Milli Brown in 1994, Brown Books Publishing Group is a full-service, independent publisher of high-quality books across all genres, from non-fiction to fiction. Committed to producing award-winning books for authors who choose to retain the rights to their intellectual property, Brown Books publishes more than one hundred titles a year and has won numerous, prestigious awards including the Writer's Digest Grand Prize, Mom's Choice Award, Foreword Book of the Year, Gold Ink Award, Axiom Business Book Award and many more. Brown Books authors have appeared on programs such as Piers Morgan Live, Oprah, the Today Show, FOX News, Face the Nation, CNN, and BBC News. They have been featured in publications such as USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Times. In addition, they have been guests on NPR programming, including The Diane Rehm Show, Morning Edition, The Takeaway, and Tell Me More. To learn more, visit: www.brownbooks.com
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