The preparation, clear sense of direction and self-discipline required to succeed at Olympic level Luge is huge.
There are the qualities, Martina Kocher from Bern, Switzerland has exemplified in her sporting career, with top ten finishes in the Sochi and Vancouver Winter Olympic Games and a 1st place in the World Sprint Championships in Königsee 2015/16.
Whilst her sporting ambitions remain as high as ever, a realization of the need to succeed in life after sport, encouraged her to join the ACP. Martina studied at the University of Berne and completed a business school whilst being a professional athlete.
This was possible thanks to the flexible schedules she was able to agree with both educational institutions. With the support of the Swiss ACP manager, Claudia Kaufman, who guided her to a four-month part-time internship, organizing all the administrative work for Martina, at a sports business consultancy. This helped the athlete to stay focused on her sports whilst getting her foot into the labour market.
Martina said: ”The ACP helped me find the right opportunity to share my passion for success in the sporting world. It's a stepping-stone to my long-term aspiration to teach sports and develop sportspeople at a high level, when I finish competing. The internship has provided me with valuable experience and know how that I can add to my CV. It has given me the freedom and focus to strive to get even faster in the Luge.”
Rainer Gilg
Managing Director BPM Sports
“In order to be able to understand what it means to combine elite sports and a workplace career, you have to live and see it. It was not always easy to find a balance between Martina’s sports schedule and the tasks she had to deliver for us. It meant to show flexibility on her and our side. But Martina’s amazing commitment to deliver results inspired us to become more pursuant and goal-oriented than we thought we could ever be. To go through such an experience makes it more than worth to have elite athletes as part of the workforce and on the other side contribute to their development on and off the field.”