Ski Career

My cross-country ski career started in 9^th grade when I fell short of qualifying for the Junior National Championships. A close friend did qualify, and I was envious that she got to skip a week of school—I resolved not to miss out again. (Thanks, Laura, for the motivation!)

I started training by myself, spending hours alone skiing, biking, running, and lifting weights. While I was consistent and determined, I was young and had little strategy. I would not have succeeded without the thoughtful guidance of coach John Callahan. With John’s help, I developed as a skier and saw improvement in my results. By the time I finished high school, I was having national level success.

In order to pursue skiing full time, I turned down college acceptances and scholarship offers. While forgoing college was difficult for my parents to understand, I was sure of my choice. I skied for a professional team in Ketchum, Idaho for two years and was named to the U.S. Ski Team. I relocated to Park City, Utah and, with the instruction of technique coach Zach Caldwell, my career was on a steady upward trajectory. I earned a silver medal at the 2012 Under-23 World Championships, had the fastest time in two World Cup stage events during the 2013-14 season, and qualified for my first Olympics in 2014.

After the 2014 Olympics my career hit a series of roadblocks. I fought through a broken fibula, mental health struggles, and a year of overtraining. Despite a decline in results, I qualified for a second Olympics in 2018. Two weeks after the Pyeongchang Games, I ended my career at the Holmenkollen World Cup in Norway.

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