Skiing, racing and all the space in between
Every high level coach in the country is lamenting the echo chamber that is our development “pipeline” of technical skiers….And yet, this rush to speed, this Faustian bargain to pursue the quickest path to the podium at the expense of developing solid technical skills, continues.
Last spring I signed up to take an online course called The Science of Happiness. The course started in September and ran through November—timely for a native Californian with a propensity towards Seasonal Affective Disorder heading into a New England winter. Not surprisingly the course comes out of U.C. Berkeley, where contemplating the neurobiological and evolutionary roots of happiness over steaming cups of chai is, like, totally legit. What really hooked me on taking the … » read more
The time is ripe to take the notion of being a “good sport” out of the realm of loserhood (i.e. the conciliatory pat on the head, and the “there now Jimmy, be a good sport,” with the subtext being, “get used to losing and be quiet about it.”) and into the realm of greatness.
Goooooooooooooal! Oh yeah. We’re into World Cup soccer now, and as long as everyone is yelling, screaming and vuvuzela-ing about goals, it’s a good time to talk about them. I know…YAWN. So let’s ease in to this by talking about summer camps. My kids’ favorite camp of all time is Eliteam, put on by Doug and Kelley Lewis. As a parent it’s been my favorite camp too, because it has put my kids through Basic … » read more
This just in…pole plants are back. If you didn’t believe me in Once Upon a Pole Plant then just look at What Sasha Rearick had to say from the USST men’s training camp in Mt. Hood: “The pole plant was something that was emphasized a couple years ago, and we are going better with that. More kids know how to pole plant. Not everybody, but we’re making progress there,” noted Rearick. “But we need … » read more
Trying to manage the cost of ski racing? Try these for starters….Attend public school. Live at home. Buy equipment at fall ski swaps. Be a member of your closest local ski club. Make your own lunch. Car pool. Read on for more ways to keep the dream alive while keeping it real.
Consider all the time invested in getting to this point, to the peak of your abilities, and capitalize on that strong foundation now that the going is easy. Skill development, especially at a young age is all about volume and repetition, and, most importantly, fun. In springtime it’s all here for the taking.
Every year on or before March 1, when the high emotional stakes of Championship season are upon us, I roll out the “Long Road” speech. It already started making the rounds from other sources this year, but for any who missed it and need a little perspective heading into the March Madness of Championship season, check it out. This year’s update comes in the form of a letter, inspired by the following incident along with … » read more
“Pole plants are kind of like manners. If you don’t have them when you’re young you’ll probably never have them. And if you want to go as far as you can you’ll need them in your quiver.”
This following piece appeared in Racer Next, in Ski Racing’s Issue 8, 2014. Here is the amateur version. When people ask me about favorite memories from my ski racing career, the first thing that usually pops into my mind is the Opening Ceremonies at the Calgary Olympics. It was my first time on such a grand stage. I was wide-eyed and overwhelmed and despite the itchy wool skirt and sub-zero temperatures, thrilled beyond words. There … » read more