Hey everyone, yeah I know, I'm really bad at updating this blog, but don’t worry, I'll get better at it. A lot has happened since my last blog. Let me get you up to date on my life this past month.

    So December was crazy for me. I raced all over Europe and skied my first world cup in Alta Badia Italy. I spent Christmas away from the inland northwest for the first time in my life with my parents in South Dakota. I still made it to Schweitzer for some of the best powder skiing of my life. And spent new years eve and my 21st birthday in Seattle (I have the best sister). So even when I have time off the travel never stops.

    The racing side of things have been a little disappointing thus far. If you have looked at my reslult sheet you might notice a lot of letters on it instead of numbers. No the FIS hasn’t changed there protocol, I just haven’t finished a lot of races lately. It’s a thing that every skier (or athlete) goes through. Some more/worse than others.  Battling through the down times in your sport is something that every athlete has done. Has anyone seen the part of the movie Tin Cup, where Kevin Costner is shanking golf balls all over the driving range of the U.S. open. Well that’s a little bit how I feel right about now. But just like in the movie, the only thing getting in my way is my head. I seem to over think things sometimes. Soon I will have that moment where everything clicks. I really hope its tomorrow!

    This little rut has helped me realize two things. First, that I really do love the sport I am in. Yes sometimes I come to the bottom and say it sucks, but I really never mean it. Every time a race doesn’t end up the way I want it to, I always find myself itching to go try again. Or figure out why that day didn’t work. Although I do get frustrated, I am truly having so much fun doing what I am doing. The second thing I have realized is that there is nothing on this earth that can cheer me up like listening to Jimmy Buffet. Try it. If you're having a bad day and are a little down about something, go put some Buffet in your C.D. player. I'm telling you it helps.

    Ok, time to talk about some people other than myself. My buddy Cody Marshall scored his first world cup points the other day. It was some solid skiing. He has had a hard road getting to where he is today. A lot of people doubted him, but he believed in himself and is now one of the top slalom skiers in the world. Also I want to give my best wishes to my good friends Erick Fisher and Adam Cole. There seasons were cut short due to injury. I have great respect for both of them on and off the hill and wish them the best. 

     A great race series starts tomorrow and I can't wait to click in and go compete. Cherish that starting gate wherever you are, and in whatever you are doing. I know I will be. My best wishes, and as I used to write on my skis when I was little, KEEP IT SMOOTH.


Will