In my recent ski racing articles, I’ve been focusing on how racers can use the fall to get maximally prepared to ski their best when race season begins. Well, with winter approaching, there’s another stakeholder in our ski racing community who also needs to get ready for the demands of the race season: Parents! As [...]
It happens every winter. In December, January, and February, I get calls from national team athletes and parents of young racers who are struggling mentally in their ski racing, and they have big races coming up. They want me to somehow fix them quickly. Though I think I’m pretty good at what I do, I’m [...]
Have you ever thought about how incredibly difficult it is to be a ski racer? So many factors affect how well and how fast you can ski a course, whether in training or races. And, one small mistake or failure in any one of those many areas will result in a disappointing run with little [...]
I’m sure I’m not the only follower of all things ski racing to observe what appears to be a spate of serious injuries among World Cup stars and up-and-comers. It seems as if, every week, there is more than one article on skiracing.com describing both an inspirational victory by our favorite World Cupper along with [...]
Yes, the 2019-20 race season ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Yes, it was massively frustrating. But it’s time to put the past behind us and turn our gaze to the future, meaning next season. Being the best ski racer you can be is not a part-time activity. It requires a year-round commitment and [...]
Due to COVID-19, the race season ended with a whimper, not a bang. After what was still a long and demanding winter, you’ve had some down time to do remote school and hopefully begin to look toward next winter. But before you file the 2019-20 race season away, you want to act on a famous [...]
In my previous ski racing article, I shared with you My 5 Biggest Pet Peeves on Race Day. In that article, I shared what you shouldn’t do on race day. This article is about what you should do to ski your fastest and achieve your goals on race day. A fundamental question you need to [...]
I’ve been working with a world-ranked junior athlete over the last few months and, in exploring why she doesn’t take more chances when she competes, she told me that a big goal of hers recently has been to “risk it for the biscuit.” I had never heard this expression and I laughed hysterically for almost [...]
I’ve been involved in U.S. ski racing for—Yikes!—more than 50 years. I started as a “Chipmunk” at Mad River Glen, then moved on to the Valley Junior Racing Club (at then Glen Ellen, pre-GMVS), Burke Mountain Academy, Middlebury College, the University of Colorado, and even two seasons on the old pro tour. Since then, I’ve [...]
One of the questions I’m asked most frequently from racers, coaches, and parents is: What does it take to be a successful ski racer? For any racer who wants to be their best, this is no easy question, yet one that is worth asking and worth even more to answer. First, let me address how [...]
