I was talking recently with Darcy Norman, the new Director of Athlete Performance at Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy about what it takes to be the ski racer you can be. Darcy has been involved high-level sports for his entire life including as a ski racer and ski coach back in the day. Most [...]
I get several phone and emails a week from parents of athletes who tell me that their young athlete is struggling and it seems to be “mental.” I then ask for more details about what kinds of specific difficulties their kids are having and they have a tough times explaining further. The most common response [...]
Winter's coming. You can feel it and smell it in the air. I’m not talking about the crispness of a cold and clear winter morning. I’m the talking about the feel of files digging into edges, scrapers scraping bases, and the smell of hot wax dripping onto skis. Yep, for parents of young ski racers [...]
My last blog post about over-invested ski racing parents caught fire with more than 14,000 views. With the race season just around the corner, I get the feeling that parents are hungry for helpful tips on how best to support their young ski racers this winter. So, to keep that mo’ going, this week’s post [...]
One of your most essential goals in your children's lives as ski racers is to have them gain ownership of their participation. They need to feel that ski racing is their thing. But ownership isn’t just something that they can gain on their own. Rather, it is a gift you give them that offers so [...]
It’s hard to believe that we are only weeks away from the start of another ski season. The snow guns are blasting in Colorado. Some academies are heading to Europe for early season training. And the first World Cups will be in Soelden in less than three weeks. Even if it’s a little early for [...]
It’s Oct. 1st. If you’re serious about your ski racing, this means you’re hip deep in an intense physical conditioning block. You’ve been at it for at least a month and there’s another month or more of busting your butt before you get to do what you love to do, namely, get back on snow. [...]
It’s hard to believe the summer, what I consider Phase I of the ski racing prep period, is over. Hopefully, the summer was devoted to building the foundation for your success this coming winter. In all likelihood, your efforts focused on two areas. First, you engaged in an intensive physical conditioning program. The reality of [...]
With the summer now over and the oh-so-important fall prep period underway, now is a great time for racers to get their minds in great shape, coaches to sharpen their skills, and parents to be the best they can be as we all prepare for next winter. Good news; I can help! I’m pleased to [...]
I recently completed the online course and certification for SafeSport, a nonprofit whose mission is to end all forms of abuse in sport and ensure that all athletes safe and supported. I found the course to be of considerable value with the many hats I wear in sports: Highly educational as a parent and volunteer [...]
