Olympian Uhlaender visits Giants 'family'

SAN FRANCISCO -- Perhaps the best athlete present at AT&T Park the past couple of days wasn't wearing a uniform.

Katie Uhlaender, three-time member of the United States women's Olympic skeleton team, visited the ballpark during a Bay Area speaking trip on behalf of Liberty Mutual Insurance. Uhlaender felt at home, since her father, Ted, spent several years as one of general manager Brian Sabean's top assistants until his death in 2009.

"It's almost like a family," said Uhlaender, who chatted with hitting coach Hensley Meulens and first-base coach Roberto Kelly, among others. "It's a great opportunity to come back out, say hi to everyone and watch some baseball."

Uhlaender has thrown herself an athletic curveball. Not content to compete only in the skeleton, she's attempting to make the 2016 Olympic team in women's weightlifting. To reach that goal, Uhlaender has started training six days a week at Colorado Springs, Colo.

"It's going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life," she said.