Ohioan trains for Winter Games in L.A.

The Plan Dealer - Tim Warsinskey - July 27th
Olympic hopeful and North Ridgeville native Tina Koenig runs the sand dunes of Manhattan Beach by day, works in a martini bar at night, and mostly lives out of her car. [...] She left the comfortable surroundings of Salt Lake City, where she lived and trained with the U.S. national speedskating team, which also paid her a monthly stipend.

"I didn't get along with the coaches, and I took the chance and left," she said. "It's probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life."

Koenig is training twice daily -- once on the beach and once on the ice -- with former U.S. coach Wilma Boomstra. Koenig, 22, lost her stipend from U.S. Speedskating and is bouncing between the homes of three friends while scraping a living between her job and income from a health drink sponsor, FreeLife. [...] "It's a little harder to live, because I'm basically living out of my car. It's a risk I'm willing to take because it's my dream, and I'm willing to do this to get it done. The coaching is really good." [...] Koenig said the motivation to make the Olympic team builds every day, especially with the Summer Games approaching and many of her friends on that team.