After more than 30 years with USA Luge, Jon Owen retires

USA Luge is celebrating the career of longtime employee and Olympian Jon Owen, whose final day with the organization is today, August 31.

Several weeks ago, Jon announced his retirement from USA Luge, marking the end of a career spanning more than 30 years in support of the organization, its athletes and the sport of luge.

Since the 1990s, Jon has been the face of USA Luge in Park City, Utah, playing an instrumental role in establishing and growing the sport in the region and creating opportunities for young athletes throughout the western United States.

A 1988 Olympian and 1990 U.S. National Champion, Jon has made an impact on USA Luge in countless ways throughout his career. Among his many contributions, he has:

• Helped build USA Luge's presence in Utah through the after-school program and his work with the Wasatch Luge Club, introducing thousands of young athletes to the sport.
• Provided coaching and technical expertise since 1994, helping generations of athletes grow and develop in the sport, including Olympians Preston Griffall, Matt Greiner and Ashley Farquharson.
• Coached internationally, including serving as coach of the U.S. team at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
• Twice been recognized as USA Luge Developmental Coach of the Year by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
• Served as an athlete representative to the 2002 Olympic Bid Committee, on the Utah Sports Authority Board of Directors from 1996-99, and on the Utah Athletic Foundation Board — now the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation — from 1999-2005.
• Developed relationships with technical partners who have helped advance USA Luge's approach to sled design and development.

Jon also holds a unique place in Park City luge history: He was the first athlete to slide on the Park City track in January 1997.

These accomplishments represent only a snapshot of Jon's contributions to USA Luge and the growth of the sport in the United States. For more than three decades, he has been a coach, mentor, technical expert and advocate for countless athletes while helping build a lasting luge legacy in Utah.

Please join us in thanking Jon for his many years of dedication to USA Luge, our athletes and the sport, and in wishing him all the best as he embarks on his next great adventure.