We were lucky to catch up with Gracie Otto recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gracie, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

After spending four years at the University of Hawaii at Manoa getting my undergraduate degree in Marine Biology with a special interest in sharks, I was living in California with my older sister, Cece. I had gotten a job at a scuba dive shop and had become a dive master while applying to grad schools across the country.

When we went home to visit our parents for the holidays in 2022, I signed up for a public “Discover Skeleton” event at the Utah Olympic Winter Sports Park just for fun because it sounded interesting. This event allowed young people between 8-28 years old to get on a skeleton sled and slide down the last five curves of the track. Every participant was given two chances to slide. When the coaches running the event began describing the technique we should be striving for, they made sure to let everyone know that we were bound to hit the walls of the track at some point, and it would likely hurt, but it was all part of the fun. If we made it down the track without hitting the walls, it was considered a “clean run”. I took two clean runs that day, and was heavily encouraged to begin training that same winter.

I flew back to California with my sister shortly after New Years and packed up all my things to drive to Utah in order to pursue this Olympic sport. It had always been my dream to pursue becoming a professional athlete, and here I was being given the opportunity. Even though it was a big risk to put a hold on my ambitions of shark research and venture down this new path, I know I would have regretted missing out on this opportunity, and I can always return to my marine biology passions in the future.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As a Marine Biologist my goal is to study the ocean and marine life systems in order to help the public get a better understanding of our world’s most important life system. I love to film the underwater world through scuba diving and teach people about incredible corals, algae, micro/macro organisms. I aim to continue my education after my skeleton career in order to further my research on food web systems and apex predators.

As an athlete in a sport that most are not familiar with, it is my goal to show my passion, determination, and grit in order to take it as far as possible. Since this sport is not in the public eye very much I want to show what it is like to have a working balance of both an athlete and scientist. We train year round and have a short window of ice time for sliding and competition. I am a advocate for women in sports and women in STEM and it is my priority on my platform to show that we can do it all.

I am most proud of pursuing both of my biggest passions in life and hopefully inspiring others to the same. As a kid I had big dreams of studying sharks and becoming a scientist. I also had my sights set on becoming an professional athlete. I was able to fulfill that dream and continue on each of those pathways.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect is interacting with those who have the same passions as I do. I enjoy hearing from people and getting questions about how they can pursue similar career paths.

It is rewarding to see the impact on the public because it can inspire curiosity. I enjoy when people are passionate about the ocean and care for our ecosystems. It is rewarding when they discover the world of sliding sports and how cool Skeleton can be.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to be able to advocate for not only women in STEM but also women in sports. I want to show that you are able to follow your passions and make it happen if you want it. After graduating with my B. S. in Marine Biology and traveling throughout the U.S. I was working towards settling into a graduate degree program. I found Skeleton in a transitional period of my life and was encouraged to follow my new passion and talent. Throughout this journey it has not been easy as a self-funded athlete (as most of us are). I did not have a strong collegiate athletic background to propel me into the sport. I have had to work hard through training in sprinting and lifting in order to meet national team standards. There are few women training skeleton, but I have been lucky to have their mentorship throughout my training process. Their leadership has inspired me to continue to train and work my way up as well as help new athletes. I want to encourage women that they are capable. I believe that women can do it all and I want to continue to foster this belief.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @oceangirlgracie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Oceangirlgracie

Image Credits
Cece Otto Playful Spirit Media Doug Park Field School