Biography

I started cross country skiing at the age of seven. I was asked at my local daycare in Pakenham, ON if I would like to try the sport by Heinz Niederhauser, who soon became my first coach. I started skiing and racing in the National Capital Division and loved it. Every weekend there was a different race somewhere and a chance to meet up with all my friends and team mates.

When I was 14, I started racing the Ontario Cup series races. I qualified for the Ontario team that year and represented the province at my first national championships, held in Canmore, AB.

I spent 2 seasons training with the National Team Development Centre in Thunder Bay, ON before I made the move to Canmore last spring to train as a member of the newly formed Alberta World Cup Academy team. I am now starting my second season on the Academy.

With 2 world junior championships, an under 23 world championship, and four world cup races under my belt I am looking forward to another great racing season that will be filled with new adventures and hopefully some new opportunities that will lead me closer to achieving my goal of representing Canada at the Olympics.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Welcome To The Swamp!

For the last two and a half weeks it has rained steadily in Thunder Bay. Some days up to 5cm of water has found it’s way onto our streets (and into our basements). For some of my team mates this has been hard. A lot of them find this disheartening and miserable. They dread having to leave their warm, dry beds. I, on the other hand, enjoy it.

It is a chance to have one-up on everyone else. I know that the majority of my competitors look out their windows at bad weather and see it as an impediment to their performances either in training or on race day. They get depressed and gloomy, wishing that they didn’t have to go out in the foul weather. With this outlook, they are already standing in their own way of achieving their goals. They are already beaten. My positive outlook on the situation allows me to be one step ahead of everyone else before we even get out the door. I am not going to let a little rain hold me back.

We all need to recognize that we have choices. Once we understand that training and racing and having fun is our own choice, we are in a better position to act on it. We don’t have to train. We don’t have to race. Why do we? Some of us like the feeling of pushing ourselves to the limit. Others like travelling to new places. Many of us come to practice to see our friends and have fun. We all have our own reasons. Decide why you like skiing and act on it. Sometimes you have to take a step back to be able to see the choice in what you are doing, but taking that extra time will be worthwhile.

NTDC is now gearing up for our annual “Mental Toughness” camp next week where we are pushed to our metal limits by Eric (our coach), our team mates, and most of all, ourselves. This camp is all about attitude and making choices. These choices turn into opportunities to push ourselves to the next level or settle with mediocre.

So, to all my fellow Canadian skiers and team mates, good luck with your last few weeks of dryland training. Don’t let the rain get you down. And remember, MAKE GOOD CHOICES!
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