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