Racing Kids

[dustyfog]

Pretty cool life your kids and your family have, very interesting and happy evolution with trials that come with competition naturally. Just curious, why have you not taken her hiking up to Highland Bowl , bemused question.

Lots of professional and experienced ex-racers on this site it appears.

What a fun thread!

@epic that is too bad about your daughter..best wishes in her recovery. My 11 year old is soon to undergo surgery for a shoulder problem so I know how you feel.

My oldest is 2nd year U14 and this past Saturday had her first major crash in SG at Breck. Two gates from the finish she lost it and did double somersaults into the B netting and took out 2 sections of netting before coming to a stop, Fortunately nothing other than few scratches and bruises. She raced another SG on the same hill the next day but was very slow. The Sunday race was one of the 2 SG qualifiers for our regional championships and she was devastated by her slow time and finish.

As Muleski says above it's so hard and rewarding at the same time as a parent to watch them work so hard and not achieve their goals. The lessons they are learning about life and competition will serve so well in whatever they choose to do. The friends they have made and the places they have been already in their short lives are amazing. My girls are both in their 6th year of racing and over that time I have spent enough money to buy a very nice high end vehicle and that doesn't count the time investment in volunteering at races and hauling them around to practice. I'd do it all again at twice the price without hesitation. They are both much better skiers than me and both love the sport and that's all I wanted when I began this amazing journey.

I never ski raced, didn't even learn to ski until I was 25 and I'm jealous of my own kids and blown away by how tough they are. They are just plain tough kids.

I couldn't be more proud of their efforts over the last 6 years!

Here a few pics from over the years

5 Year Old Alex at her first YSL race took a pole to the eye in warmups but finished the race. Her mother told me to never text her a pic again


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An 8 year old Alex two gates from winning her first GS race on brutally cold day at Breck in 2013.
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Olivia (with the hood on) on the podium at a Loveland GS with her best friend on the top step...getting beat by her best friend is a habit she is still trying to break
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Alex (in the blue jacket) on the podium at Aspen Highlands....I missed the actual race because I was hiking the bowl...she made me promise to take her on the bowl hike to make up for it...I still haven't lived up to that promise

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Olivia at the Prater Cup U14 SG in 2015.
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[James]

Years ago I did a psia clinic with Barbara Marshall at Stowe. Barb was famous for her multi layered down coat Michelin Man look, (even in April), and skiing a group to the last lift. That cold day in January we got the lift up at five of 4. Then came down National where I discovered unedgeable ice. Barb would have 3 kids make the US Ski Team. The A team. At the time, Jesse was number 3 behind Schlopy and Bode, then later retired due to back issues. Years later Cody while on the team got seriously injured falling off an escalator in Utah, and Chelsea raced in the Vancouver Olympics.

That day after lunch getting our skis we bumped into Chelsea getting her skis for I suppose after school training. Just a kid, parent - child talk ensued. Only 7 or 8 years later she'd be in the Olympics. On the lift I asked Barb about kids and ski racing. She told me Jesse wasn't any good till about 14 or 15 years old. At that time she thought lots of programs skied too many gates. I tried to get something about how she ended up with a kid on the ski team. She told me, "I just taught them how to glide."

 

[Tricia]

@dustyfog, the pic I posted was from a free ski day I had with @epic and his family when his daughter was really really small.

I've had the good fortune of skiing with @UGASkiDawg and his girls a few times as well. These kids are the future.
@coskigirl coached one or both of ugaskidawg's girls.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Pretty cool life your kids and your family have, very interesting and happy evolution with trials that come with competition naturally. Just curious, why have you not taken her hiking up to Highland Bowl , bemused question.

Lots of professional and experienced ex-racers on this site it appears.

Just haven't had time. Was hoping to make it next week for the gathering but that's not gonna work out with my working and her racing schedule. Maybe in the spring after the season is over...

 

[coskigirl]

I've had the good fortune of skiing with @UGASkiDawg and his girls a few times as well. These kids are the future.
@coskigirl coached one or both of ugaskidawg's girls.

I coached Alex her first year of racing. I may be partially to blame for the $ it's cost @UGASkiDawg because Mr.@sbrown knew Mrs.@ugaskidawg and @SBrown connected us so that she could have an in depth conversation about the program and how they might handle Miss O's diabetes.

Miss Alex and I headed off for one last run after the last race of the season in March 2011. We skied one of the bowls at Breckenridge but I can't remember which one. I know you're not supposed to have favorites as a coach but, well, yeah.

 

[SBrown]

^^you might be interested to know that last weekend, @UGASkiDawg met fatherofsbrown at one of nieceofsbrown's races. I think @UGASkiDawg might have met othergrandmotherofnieceofsbrown, too. It's a small world...

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

I've had the good fortune of skiing with @UGASkiDawg and his girls a few times as well. These kids are the future.

I have as well and will forever remember Alex killing it on some of the most challenging terrain at A-Basin while a bunch of grown-ass adults watched slack jawed from below.

 

[coskigirl]

Wow, I had trouble following that one and I've met most of the referenced relatives. Maybe even all, can't remember if othergrandmotherofnieceofsbrown was at John's memorial. Sisterinlawofsbrown introduced me to quite a few people that day.

 

[ScotsSkier]

^^you might be interested to know that last weekend, @UGASkiDawg met fatherofsbrown at one of nieceofsbrown's races. I think @UGASkiDawg might have met othergrandmotherofnieceofsbrown, too. It's a small world...

wait, is there a decoder wheel to work this out???!!!

 

[Philpug]

@UGASkiDawg, love the black eye..all I could think is...Yeah, you should see the other guy...

First thanks for the use of the condo..again..(and again in the future). While looking around and seeing the tuning set up, boot back packs and two pair of SG skis I could only smile and think how proud I am of how far these girls have come and as @Muleski would agree how much lighter your wallet also is now LOL. Look at the bright side, it only gets more expensive..when they get into adult skis..the prices start doubling with the adult skis. Racers..trainers...will you need both...well, when I worked with Mark Engle (who is now on the USST) made it to his first year or so on just one pair of skis, so it can be done. If going two pair, consider rotating them instead of trainers and racers, think more of A/B pairs, this keeps the skis skiing more consistent and the trainers don't break down as fast, especially in slalom where they take a beating.

 

[dustyfog]

Do any of you have video of your kids skiing ? That would be a welcome addition!

Years ago I did a psia clinic with Barbara Marshall at Stowe. Barb was famous for her multi layered down coat Michelin Man look, (even in April), and skiing a group to the last lift. That cold day in January we got the lift up at five of 4. Then came down National where I discovered unedgeable ice. Barb would have 3 kids make the US Ski Team. The A team. At the time, Jesse was number 3 behind Schlopy and Bode, then later retired due to back issues. Years later Cody while on the team got seriously injured falling off an escalator in Utah, and Chelsea raced in the Vancouver Olympics.

That day after lunch getting our skis we bumped into Chelsea getting her skis for I suppose after school training. Just a kid, parent - child talk ensued. Only 7 or 8 years later she'd be in the Olympics. On the lift I asked Barb about kids and ski racing. She told me Jesse wasn't any good till about 14 or 15 years old. At that time she thought lots of programs skied too many gates. I tried to get something about how she ended up with a kid on the ski team. She told me, "I just taught them how to glide."

James - interesting and for educational purposes could you elaborate on the key punchline "I just taught them how to glide." Think would be helpful for the non-racer, recreational ski parent.

@dustyfog, the pic I posted was from a free ski day I had with @epic and his family when his daughter was really really small.

I've had the good fortune of skiing with @UGASkiDawg and his girls a few times as well. These kids are the future.
@coskigirl coached one or both of ugaskidawg's girls.

You folks all ski and race in the same area, real nice community. And yes, where we are, the ski parents form a superb band of friends where new race kid parents are welcomed with open arms and assisted with easing all the 'duress' that goes into these races usually held on little no-name mountains in NY, CT, VT and where there are a whole bunch of incredibly fast good young skiers!
The contrast in technique and similarity in some is pretty fascinating, especially since some of our coaches and coach-parents have video-ed the kids, like some of the winners who seem well not so elegant but you can see why they win perhaps, and other kids who ski so close to Ligety's arc-to-arc style, on edge throughout, and others who modify their tracks and seem to be excellent tacticians on line selection or master-tacticians and they are almost all self-taught. The luckiest kids are the ones whose parents are racers and locally based, as they have the advantage of parental experience and wisdom being provided to them, on the other hand - the pressure to perform is 'high' !! Parents can be pretty tough on kids ! It's quite something to see and realize .

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I do have videos, I'll have to dig them out or figure out to link or download from dartfish. I can say that living in Denver and skiing only 2 days per week has been a hurdle for my kids. Already at age 11 they are racing against kids who get 6 days a week on snow and you can see them falling behind. This year we have just pulled them out (ie skip) of school on Friday and ski so that they can get more days in. They are currently lower upper tier or upper middle tier in the age groups. They want more but are they (and mom and dad) willing to pay the price it will take to get to the podium and do they have the talent. They are racing against some kids that are sooo much faster than they are sometime that it boggles the mind. I have no idea where their racing career go's but I'll support them and cheer for them and believe in them for all long as they want to chase that dream. My oldest is racing as a Type 1 diabetic who wears her insulin pump 24/7. She has had to race with normal blood sugars, blood sugars so high she's almost throwing up and blood sugars so low we were afraid she was going to pass out mid run. She asks no quarter and soldiers through but we know it affects her physically and mentally. We learn and she learns and then her growing body changes and we have to learn it all again.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

^^you might be interested to know that last weekend, @UGASkiDawg met fatherofsbrown at one of nieceofsbrown's races. I think @UGASkiDawg might have met othergrandmotherofnieceofsbrown, too. It's a small world...

I did and sbrowns niece was racing the same Super G my daughter crashed in and made top 10 out of 100 on Sat and 14th on Sunday. She has set herself up nicely to qualify for the regional championships so congrats to her!

 

[coskigirl]

My oldest is racing as a Type 1 diabetic who wears her insulin pump 24/7. She has had to race with normal blood sugars, blood sugars so high she's almost throwing up and blood sugars so low we were afraid she was going to pass out mid run. She asks no quarter and soldiers through but we know it affects her physically and mentally. We learn and she learns and then her growing body changes and we have to learn it all again.

Having watched some of those swings in person I am constantly amazed at how well she and your entire family deal with this stupid, no-good, gawd-awful disease. From mom and dad monitoring blood sugars all night, Olivia being awakened for shots or adjustments or having to consume some sugar and being more and more responsible for her own monitoring and care and the way Alex deals with it as well, you guys are heroes and role models and a personal inspiration for me.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Some video of Olivias GS race at Breck a few weeks ago. She did not ski well for her. She has a problem with aggressiveness most of the time.

And the younger one skiing out of the same GS course earlier in the day.

And some powder skiing...I could go on for days...can you tell I'm a proud papa

 

[KevinF]

Oh no @epic ! Sorry to hear about your daughter's injury. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

As @SBrown said -- the worst pain is hearing how long you're out for.

 

[dustyfog]

Muleski : with that alias ,hilarious, what a family ! Get better and better across generations! Born to ski, eh!

Great pic! I remember those years well, and wringing the hands over whether to go the ski academy route or not at about that time. Both of our kids were real passionate and hard working. Loved the sport. Both now adults....and retired racers. It's a long road, and in our family, we'd do it again in a heartbeat. Or, we might move to another part of the country to do it a bit differently. This technology thing opens up many options.

Great sport, but one with a lot of ups and downs. Can be cruel at times. It teaches SO many life lessons. Been part of my family a long time. My parents raced before WWII. Only one of my wife's parents raced.

My advice to all is to remember that it is a long haul. Our son coaches in a very large, very intense program, year round. He loves it, and he works hard. Our daughter's in the business world, and "only" skiing about 60-70 days a season. We're so glad that we all share a love of skiing. It doesn't always work that way. Very easy to burn out in this endeavor. When my son was the age of Epic's daughter, he was in a training group of six. One went on to the USST. Five skied at the NCAA level. Three were captains, many were AA's. Incredibly unusual. My daughter's training group had two ski in college. The two phenom's were done as J1's, and I think no longer ski at all. One of the more interesting bits of ski history in our house are some result sheets from our kids J3 Junior Olympic years. Fascinating to see how the entire deck was re-shuffled between then, and when they were 18-19. Same names, very different results for most. A very small handful stayed at the top.

Many kids kept making steady progress. Some at the top slowed down. Some quit. Some changed their on snow focus. My son arrived at college {as a 21 year old FY} and two kids that he raced with at those JO's were there. Both captaining other sports teams, and really not skiing at all. Both had quit racing at 14-15, and had no regrets. Were loving life. My daughter was racing in pretty big events in her 20's with a bunch of kids that she had begun racing with at age 7. She met her college roommate at J2 Nationals, when they were 15. About half of the kids there, the "best" in the country, were out of it by the time they were 19.
She still often skis with "kids" that she's skied and raced with since they were toddlers.

So yes, take the long haul. One of my favorite coaches told me a long time ago that he liked my wife and me, because we "got" it. He was chuckling, and I asked where he was going. He said "You guys grew up doing this, so you know your role. Cheer every kid, give out a ton of hugs, bring a lot of good food, and write big checks." That was pretty constant through all of the years. Some years less food, more checks.

Epic, hoping for a speedy recovery for you daughter. Great pic, Subtle proof that there's more to Jay Peak than the powder, too. VT's NVC, serious stuff!

Have fun!

Beautiful course, nice power skiing, contrast in sibling styles is very interesting. Wow, with the diabetes - and she races with the pump on ! Bravo! Now that is fearlessness, perseverence and skill, inspiring, will show my young lad your clip and story!

I do have videos, I'll have to dig them out or figure out to link or download from dartfish. I can say that living in Denver and skiing only 2 days per week has been a hurdle for my kids. Already at age 11 they are racing against kids who get 6 days a week on snow and you can see them falling behind. This year we have just pulled them out (ie skip) of school on Friday and ski so that they can get more days in. They are currently lower upper tier or upper middle tier in the age groups. They want more but are they (and mom and dad) willing to pay the price it will take to get to the podium and do they have the talent. They are racing against some kids that are sooo much faster than they are sometime that it boggles the mind. I have no idea where their racing career go's but I'll support them and cheer for them and believe in them for all long as they want to chase that dream. My oldest is racing as a Type 1 diabetic who wears her insulin pump 24/7. She has had to race with normal blood sugars, blood sugars so high she's almost throwing up and blood sugars so low we were afraid she was going to pass out mid run. She asks no quarter and soldiers through but we know it affects her physically and mentally. We learn and she learns and then her growing body changes and we have to learn it all again.

Thanks

Some video of Olivias GS race at Breck a few weeks ago. She did not ski well for her. She has a problem with aggressiveness most of the time.

And the younger one skiing out of the same GS course earlier in the day.

And UGASki : (Not Racing but your Highland Bowl Conundrum grabbed me) Got to share this if you have never seen it ! After all it is your very own Bob Barnes in the pilot's seat : Just to make you feel a tad envious, grab Mr. Barnes ! 'Cause things like this can happen, on a hardpack New England Ice day - No racing here in the film, but Highland Bowl was skied, from sea level to 12,539ft (I think!) in about 12 hours! he took an 11 year old, (and his hapless dad who fell about 40 ft on G8! Survived), but it was rock hard, we loved being there, done that...11 year old got his mojo back somewhere in the middle of G8 in the steepest part: Mr. Barnes, shot and composed this video most kindly, great memories, and he took us up, as that was day before closing and it was a bluebird day, as you will see in the video: Min marker 1' to 1'41" , 11yo being introduced to the X-move and trying it! And then 1'54" to 3'30" is the Highland Bowl adventure and the trials and tribulations of that hike captured, and the prone image is soon after the scariest part where the hike goes around a snow mound just past that mini patrol hut, scariest climb/traverse bootpack ever and soon after Mr. Barnes grabbed 11yo skis as he was spent - most gracious ski coach, guide and friend.

 

[Dadskier]

This is my son ready for his first race after a rough start to the season (races canceled for weather and then a sprained ankle). He came in 18th out of 42 in his age group (U10) in the GS which is pretty good considering it's his first race ever.

 

[x10003q]

My son racing GS for SUNY Geneseo at Labrador Mtn, Truxton, NY last weekend

 

[Karl B]

My youngest at last years Downhill held at Boyne Highlands.