A Death in Our Ski Racing Family
Ski racing is a family to me, big and close-knit. Like any family, we disagree often, squabble periodically, and fight occasionally. Yet the ties that bind are strong: our passion for our sport, the joy in being in the mountains, the adrenaline rush of speed, the satisfaction of mastery, and, as the saying goes, the […]
Read MoreFour “Opponents” That Want to Kick Your Butt on Race Day
When you wake up on race day, you have a lot on your mind. And if you’re like most racers, one thing on your mind is your fellow competitors. How fast they will ski today and whether you will beat or be beaten by them. But I would argue that those competitors are the least […]
Read MoreVlog: Create an Ideal Competitive Focus
In my sixth of 12 vlog segments devoted to athletes and coaches, I focus on, well, focus in your training and competitive efforts. When I talk about focus, I mean two things. First, your ability to pay attention to things that help you perform your best including technique, tactics, your mind, conditions, or your opponents. […]
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Teach Your Young Ski Racers Healthy Values: Part II
In Part I of my two-part series on values in ski racing, I explored the essential importance of values as the foundation of your children’s ski racing experiences. I also described what I consider to be healthy and unhealthy values. In Part II of this series, I discuss how you can ensure that your young […]
Read MorePhase III of the Ski Racing Prep Period: Shift to Race Mode
For many of the top ski racers in the U.S. and around the world, the race season as already begun with World Cups in Soelden and Levi and FIS races in Colorado. For everyone else, your first races are anywhere from a few days to a few weeks away. At the beginning of the fall, […]
Read MoreVlog: Reach Your Ideal Sport Intensity
In my fifth of 12 vlog segments devoted to athletes and coaches, I describe the essential role that your physical intensity plays in your competitive efforts. When I talk about intensity, I mean the amount of physical activation you feel in your body before you compete. Intensity lies along a range from really low intensity […]
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Values in Ski Racing: Part I
When you think of ski racing, values are probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, whether you’re aware of it or not, the values that you instill in your children as part of their ski racing experiences have an immense impact on every aspect of their ski racing life as well as […]
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Vlog: Have Goals, not Expectations, for Your Young Athletes
In this week’s vlog segment, I explore the difference between expectations and goals. Expectations act as burdens that you place on your young athletes before a competition, causing pressure, anxiety, and worry. Goals, if used correctly, act as motivators to help them become successful. Having goals for your children in their sports participation starts with […]
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Tuning Skis Doesn’t Have to be a “Grind”
I’ve tuned a lot of skis in my day. Back when I was a racer at Burke Mountain Academy, Middlebury College, and the University of Colorado (as well as my two years on the pro tour), I was diligent about keeping my skis as well prepared as possible. More recently, when my daughters began skiing, […]
Read MoreVlog: Strengthen Your Confidence Muscle
In my fourth of 12 vlog segments devoted to athletes and coaches, I show you the essential role that confidence plays in your athletic success. Confidence is so important because you may have all of the ability in the world to perform your best and achieve your goals, but if you don’t believe in that […]
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