Thank You SBA and You Awesome FIS Girls!

I've gotten so much more from joining SBA than just access to training, racing and travel to new places.  I've learned so much about what really goes into being a successful athlete - from nutrition and conditioning, to mental and emotional preparedness.  Most importantly, I've truly experienced a strong and healthy team culture.  Throughout our travels, and our work outs, and our hard times, I've found a family like to other.  The SBA community helped with a very challenging transition - from small town Alaska to California.  Throughout the season, my SBA team has taught me acceptance, support and how to be a high level athlete.  These girls have helped me learn things I'll utilize long after I've run my last race.

SBA Womens FIS Team, Ohau, New Zealand

Thank You Nordica!

I would like to thank Nordica for all the support provided me for the 2018-19 race season.  With Dave Nihan's help, I was able to try skis of varying stiffness; promptly received replacements when my GS skis were damaged; had access to SG loaner skis; and was able to get new liners for my boots that we had perfected the fit on.  Nordica's generous and attentive support helped ease my transition into FIS racing while I also adjusted to academy life.

Alyeska Cup, Girdwood, Alaska

2018-19 Season in Review

My first year FIS racing started in New Zealand in August of 2018 and ended in April with the Mammoth Spring series.  Overall I consider my first year FIS racing to be a success.  I travelled to 4 countries and 5 states, flew over 40,160 miles and drove more than 4,125 miles.  With 58 starts (including downhill training runs), I had 38 finishes, 30 of which were top 30, 13 were top 10, 7 were top 5, and 2 were top 3.  I scored my first NorAm points, qualified for the US Alpine Speed National Championships, and have been nominated to the Western Region Regional Training Group.  Racing at this level is like nothing I've ever experienced before and I did struggle to find my stride.  I put my all into performing to my best ability and finished strong at Mammoth where my mental game was the strongest it's ever been.  I ended my season with decent points (lower is better, 0 is best), although I know I'm capable of so much more:  112.02 (DH), 58.58 (SL), 70.81 (GS), 79.10 (SG).  As of the end of the season my FIS age rankings (AR) are:

	World AR	US AR
DH	62	3
SL	82	7
GS	184	19
SG	55	6

Sugar Bowl or Bust!

This summer I went with Grammio Sage to San Francisco to have a girls trip and late sweet 16 birthday on the way to Sugar Bowl Ski Academy.  We stayed in San Francisco a couple of nights and over that time rode a trolley, explored Pier 39 and ate at the same restaurant where Grammio had her sweet 16 dinner!  The we made our way to Sugar Bowl.  On the way I met some distant cousins and got to visit Great Grandma Steinbach's basket museum in Tahoe City.  It was sad to leave home but I am very excited about the future, am happy and certain I made the right choice.  More later!

The Season Begins!

In July and August I had the opportunity to visit down-under with my new ski team (Sugar Bowl Ski Academy) when we went to New Zealand’s southern island to train on the Ohau Snowfields (that’s New Zealand for “ski area”).  We trained both tech disciplines, had more than 76 hours on snow over 14 ski days, and raced our first FIS-level races.  We raced girls from teams and universities from all over the world (Germany, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ecuador, New Zealand, and Australia).  I had mixed results with 15th in the first race (9th in the 2nd run!) and 23rd in the second race; the gs was cancelled.  The whole trip was amazing, from the three course meals we ate practically every night to the scenery (it looked a bit like home) to the great grooming that was done by the same guy who plowed the roads in the morning and was the head of ski patrol all day!  This first trip helped me improve my tactics and has given me full appreciation for my team – a great group of girls who are welcoming, supportive and fun to be with.   I'd also really like to thank Dave Nihan and Nordica for all the amazing support I've already received in my short time with Sugar Bowl Academy.  Can’t wait to get back on the snow!

Sugar Bowl girls FIS team at Ohau Ski Fields, New Zealand

BIG Changes Ahead!

The 2018-19 race season is pivotal as I transition into the higher level of International Ski Federation (FIS) racing events.  This is the entry point for progression to World Cup racing and will put me in a whole new pool of athletes.  I will now be ranked against the best skiers in the world, and next year I will be starting at the bottom!  Skiing as a FIS racer changes everything.  Most of my training will happen in the summer and fall, and I will do a lot more racing in the winter than I have in the past.  Both of these things mean lots more travel.  Our head coach at Alyeska estimated that we would be missing at least 2 months of school.  As understanding as my teachers have been at my high school, the thought of trying to make up that many missed assignments is truly frightening.  My parents and I have been trying to find a solution - like me taking most of my classes online, but that wouldn't work with all subjects.  Even if we could figure out the school part, that doesn't even come close to addressing the cost issue.  For every trip I take, we can automatically add about $1000 just for airfare.  With three or four camps and six races on the schedule next year, that adds up quickly.  I've always wanted to go to a ski academy, but they are terribly expensive and we never even considered it a possibility.  Never say "never."  Because of my good results this year, I have been offered a very generous scholarship to attend Sugar Bowl Ski Academy near Truckee, California!  Ski academies build their academic schedule around the training and racing schedule so kids can focus on one at a time.  Sugar Bowl Ski Academy has about 100 students and about 35 of them live on campus.  I visited the campus in June and was very impressed!  Everyone, from students to faculty, seemed so happy and energized to be there.  I'm hopeful and excited for what the next two years may bring and am so looking forward to being part of that community.  I will be joining the team in July for a training camp and race in New Zealand, and then will move into my dorm room on August 14!  I'm sad to leave Alaska, but it was a decision that will help me succeed in the sport I love.  I got these pictures from the academy web page; for a few more pictures check out my picture gallery.

Academic building with dormitory in the background; Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy, California.

Dormitory kitchen and common area; Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy, California. 

2017-18 Season Reflections

This past season has been great.  My technique improved a lot, I qualified for several invitational camps, and I enjoyed good results both at home and at outside races.  My season started with a bang (and a brrr!) with a trip to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada for training.  Although the temperatures were bitterly cold there, the snow and training were great.  After that, I got to continue my progress at Copper Mountain for a National Performance Series Camp where I got to train on a World Cup speed venue!  I made leaps and bounds with my technique this year.  I was able to really dial in my slalom turn, create speed, and finish more consistently than I ever have before.  My giant slalom has come a long way too; I've really tightened my line and am able to build speed throughout the course.  All this hard work is starting to pay off!  I won the Alaska State Giant Slalom Championship, won my first out-of-state races at the Northwest Cup Giant Slalom at Mount Spokane, and I placed first, second and third in the three Lone Peak super g races at Big Sky, Montana.  The high point of my season, though, was Western Regional Championships, which we hosted at Alyeska.  I placed fifth in slalom after starting forty-fifth, and I won both giant slalom runs, finishing 1.3 seconds ahead of my closest competitor.  I won the super g training run too, but crashed in the race.  My Regionals results qualified me for the U16 National Championships at Mission Ridge, Washington.  Securing my spot for National's was an accomplishment in and of itself, and I am very proud of that.  Unfortunately, I didn't accomplish quite what I would've like while there.  I allowed myself to get intimidated by my competition and lost my confidence, which was very detrimental to my performance.  Although Nationals wasn't all I'd hoped it would be, it ended on a high note; I got my confidence back and my team placed third in the team dual panel slalom.  My biggest lesson this season?  Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.  I have to get out of my own way!


U16 Western Regional Championships, 1st in Giant Slalom, Alyeska Resort, Girdwood, Alaska

  

Getting There is Half the Fun

My 2017-2018 racing season started at 6 am, Thanksgiving morning, in a cold parking lot, under a pitch black sky, with snow beneath my feet. My team and I were set to drive to Whitehorse, Canada for our first camp of the year, and our journey to get there was supposed to be a simple fourteen hour ride in a van. About three hours in, however, as my friends and I slept peacefully in the back row, that plan changed. We woke to find ourselves stuck at the side of the road, hours away from civilization, in chilly negative 12 degree temperatures, with a broken transmission.  In the spirit of the season, though, luck smiled on us.  Although seemingly miles from nowhere, we had only recently passed a small jumble of buildings, including a gas station, a church, and to our relief, a garage. Hoping to still make it to Whitehorse that night, our coaches immediately started working with the mechanic on fixing the van, but to no avail. As if frozen by the bitter temperatures, time seemed to stand still.  Soon we'd passed three hours sitting on a cement floor, without food or drink, or any luck with repairs. It became apparent that if our trip was to continue, we would need a different van.  Luck, yet again, favored us. My coach Kieffer Christianson's girlfriend offered to drive a replacement van to where we were, in the middle of nowhere; an offer we quickly accepted. As we waited for the van to arrive, our stomachs growled and we fantasized about home - the people, the comfort, and most especially the food!  Hours later, as the day started to fade,  our new van arrived, we loaded up for the second time in the last twelve hours, and set off.  Fourteen hours after we left Anchorage, we pulled into Tok, a small town right outside the Alaska-Canada border, exhausted and barely half-way to our destination.  We stayed the night in a run-down motel, and had a Thanksgiving feast of candy, chocolate, and Cheesits from motel vending machines because every restaurant and grocery store was closed for the holiday. We arose early the next day, and grabbed food for the long drive ahead. We thought we were out of the woods now, but oh, were we wrong; after another four hours driving, we stopped for a short break, only to discover that our oil had been leaking for the whole trip, and we were pretty much out. After another two hours of us sitting in our broken van, our coach returned with a supply of oil, and we were back on the road. At around 9pm, the Alyeska Ski Club rolled into Whitehorse on fumes, dripping fuel like Hansel and Gretel dropping bread crumbs. Over the following 9 days, I trained (and swam) in some of the coldest temperatures I have ever experienced; at one point it dipped to negative 42.  Hard plastic ski boots just get harder and certainly no warmer in those kinds of temperatures and become almost impossible to get off!  It took some determination for us to make it to this camp, and even more determination to face that cold every day, but it was worth it and I came away with some great memories!



Starting the 15 minute ride in -30 degrees; Mt. Sima, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
 

Takhini Hot Springs; Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

 

Reflecting on Last Season and Looking Forward to the Next

 

The ski season of 2016-17 was great! I won State Champ for slalom and super-g, went to the Western Regional Championships in Big Sky, and got invited to a Western Region speed camp (called "fly camp") at Mammoth Mountain! A lot of things started coming together for me last season.  I found gear that I really like (thank you Nordica!), and I worked hard to transform my slalom technique.  All that effort paid off with great results at divisional races and regionals, and I continued my forward momentum at Fly Camp where I worked on gliding and jumping, and at Mt. Hood where I improved my tactical and technical skills in slalom. But much to my dismay, winter came to an end. Summer rolled around, bringing long days, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and biking and jumping on my trampoline. Finally summer has given way to an Alaskan fall that smells of fermented berries and wet dogs, sneaks up on you and chills you to the bone, and promises the thrill of the first snow. That’s where I am right now; in the middle of autumn, staring off at the snow that sits atop the distant peaks, and all I can think about is SKIING. My good results from last season have earned me an invitation to the National Performance Series project in Copper Mountain where I'm going to get to train at the US Ski Team Speed Center! I leave on Thanksgiving to head to Whitehorse in Canada to train giant slalom for two weeks with my team, and then will head down to Copper Mountain for more super-g and gs training. My next few months are chock full of even more travel races and trips, and I’m committed to continuing the improvements I started last year. This season is going to be even better than the last. I'm starting to understand the difference between skiing and racing, I'm working on building confidence, and I've started to enjoy the rewards of my hard work. My story is starting to take shape and in that story my dreams have now become my goals.

 

2016 Spring Series GS, Alyeska Resort

Confidence from Corbet's

In 2016 I qualified to be part of the Alpine Ski Team representing Alaska at the U14 Western Regional Championships in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  I have to admit that just making the team was a significant accomplishment, although it didn’t give me much confidence.  I had struggled through a disappointing 2015/16 season as I worked to transform my slalom technique and had finished only half the slalom races I started. So when we arrived at the staging tent on our first day I couldn’t have felt more out place. Even though we were only free skiing with our teams that day, as I watched my competitors getting ready around me, I had a haunting, sinking feeling that I was completely, utterly out of my league. Unwilling to let my uneasiness show, I pushed my discomfort down and headed out with my teammates to explore the new mountain. Jackson Hole is home to Corbet's Couloir, a gully about 10 feet wide with a 50 degree slope and a hair-raising entrance.  We wanted to check it out, and our coach Clayton did one better and offered to take us down it.  I skied Christmas Chute at 4!  I can do this! So, in a surge of confidence I, along with my teammate Colin, took him up on the offer. At the top, lots of people were lined up just outside the rope that marked the boundaries of the run, but only a few dared drop the cliffy entrance. As I watched, self-doubt started taking the place once occupied by my confidence. Suddenly, I found myself alone at the top – a skinny little 13 year-old girl with a bunch of burly skiers and snowboarders.  Clayton and Colin were at the bottom waiting for me.  It was my turn. I held my breath as all eyes traced my movements; cautiously, I slipped down towards the drop. All too soon it was there, and the ground was gone from beneath my feet. Almost as fast as it’d started, the run ended.  Although it wasn’t my best performance, I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. That run reminded me that I was exactly where I belonged and renewed my belief in myself and my abilities.  The very next day, I went on to place ninth overall in super-g. Facing down this challenge reminded me how important confidence is to ski racing and that it is one of the most valuable skills you can practice and grow. Thanks Corbet's!

Dropping into Corbet's, Jackson Hole, Wyoming 2016

Where it All Began

My cheeks and nose tingled.  My breath came out in little clouds that floated away in the cold air. I felt my Dad’s hands on my sides as we reached the lip of the jump and launched into space. Time slowed in my three-year-old mind as I flew, eyes wide and full of wonder, through the sky. That is my first memory of skiing and I was hooked.  That's when I fell hopelessly in love and got a glimpse of my future. Because of this, Alyeska is now my backyard; the chairlift is my couch; wherever my skis are is my home. When I’m on the mountain, rain or shine, training or free-skiing, I’m exactly where I should be. But the place that brings me the most comfort and happiness is in my first memory of skiing, with my dad’s hands holding me, the air on my face, and my heart beating with a love that will last a lifetime.


Shredding, not quite 3 years old

Jumps with Dad, 2006

Come On, Let's Go!

It’s the middle of winter, on a Sunday morning, and I wake to the sound of the mountain’s snow-makers doing their job.  I don’t have to check the thermometer to know it’s going to be a cold day.  In Alaska in January, crystal clear skies usually mean single digit temperatures; sometimes even lower. It’s dark out when I leave the house on my bike, and the snow squeaks under my tires as I head to the mountain for “early ride.” That’s when we get to train on the slopes before the lifts open for everyone else. In the locker room at the base of the mountain, I pull on my race suit and layer on ski pants, boots, fleece top, neck gaiter, coat, mittens, and helmet.  My fellow racers and I slowly creep out into the cold before the lift starts turning. The lights shine down on our course, the sky is still dark and the air so cold it stings when I breathe in. You may be wondering why I do this. Sometimes, I ask myself the same question, and there’s really only one answer:  I do it because I love it. Skiing and ski racing brings me joy, opens the door to many adventures and has taught me valuable lessons.  I know that many of my friends and family have never skied, and most will never see me race.  I’m creating this blog so I can share with you my journey to ski racing success. Some posts will be from recent events, but I'll also reach further back for inspiration. In addition to my blog posts, I'll use this site to share some photos.  I'll update it regularly so please check back often.  Join me and venture out into the cold for this amazing sport!

Looking at Alyeska Resort from my house