Let’s All Give Mikaela a Warm Hug and a Big Thanks
Mikaela Shiffrin’s results at the Beijing Olympics were not what we were all hoping for (least of all Mikaela herself!). At the same time, I have no doubt that, after some sadness and soul searching, she will be back stronger, better, and faster than ever. It’s easy in these situations to analyze, evaluate, and critique […]
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Season Management: Choose Your Races Wisely
I was talking to a top junior from back East I work with last week over Zoom about his race season so far. He was really excited about his results to date, but also expressed how he was already starting to feel a bit “cooked” from all of the racing he was doing. I asked […]
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5 “Must Dos” for Race-day Success
A fundamental question you need to ask is: “What do I need to do to be totally prepared to ski my best on race day?” If you ask the top-ten men and women on the World Cup, you will probably get 20 different answers. But, having asked this question of many world-class ski racers, I […]
Read MoreMy 5 Biggest Pet Peeves on Race Day
There is no more important time in ski racers’ lives for them to do everything they can to maximize their preparedness than on race day. The simple calculus is that racers won’t perform to the best of their ability if they are not optimally prepared physically, mentally, and with their equipment. Second, the reason why […]
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5 Things I Hate to See Racers Do in Training
I’ve been in the ski racing world since I was six years old. The first 20 years, I was a racer learning the ups and downs of ski racing the hard way, mostly through trial and error, and sometimes painful failure. That, I can say with 20/20 hindsight and absolute certainty, is no way to […]
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Five Obstacles That Weigh You Down on Race Day
In my last Ski Racing post, I introduced you to five attitudes that you need for ski racing success. In this post, I will explore five obstacles that will prevent you from skiing your fastest and achieving your ski racing goals. Mental obstacles refer to any psychological or emotional issue that interferes with your ability […]
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Five Attitudes You Need for Ski Racing Success
The dictionary definition of attitude is “The way you think and feel about something…a way of thinking and feeling that affect a person’s behavior.” You hold attitudes about your ski racing that have a direct impact on how you train and how you race. Moreover, you may not even be aware of some of these […]
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How to Survive (and Thrive) in Your 1st Year of FIS
The transition from U16s to U19s is an important and challenging rite of passage for every young ski racer. The year of FIS racing is also a crucible that tests racers physical, technically, tactically, and especially, psychologically and emotionally. To continue to pursue your ski racing goals, you must “survive” and, in fact, find ways […]
Read MoreOffer Zoom Parent Education Workshops to Your Sports Program or School
As many of you know, a big part of my passion for sports and education is helping parents to support their children in the most positive way. Also, as both a sport psychologist and a parent of two young ski racers, I empathize with the challenges of being a sport parent. Particularly during the Covid-19 […]
Read MoreUse the Fall for Your Final Push to Race Season
It’s hard to believe that it’s already October. For the World Cuppers (and even some FIS athletes), the race season is only a few weeks away and, for most racers, only a few months away. What I consider Phase I of the ski racing prep period is over. Hopefully, the summer was devoted to building […]
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