Will's Blog

New Zealand fun!

2010-09-03T00:10:00Z

For the last few days I have been trying to figure out the New Zealand jet lag. Coming back to the U.S. after New Zealand is the worst jet lag we get all season. For me, it doesn't matter what I do the end result is always the same, a restless night and a 4 a.m. wake-up call for about a week. But I have been starting to think that maybe it's New Zealand’s way of giving me a perfect time to reflect about the amazing trip down there.

This camp was longer than most training camps we do. I left Park City, Utah on the 2nd of August and got back on the 28th. The time in between those two dates gave me one of the most productive, hard, and fun camps I have ever had. Something I was hoping would be possible after having my knee scoped again on June 2nd this year. It was the first full summer camp I was able to finish in three summers. Getting some much needed volume in my slalom training was exactly what I needed in taking more steps towards becoming a more consistent skier.

I took a different mental approach to this camp than any other I’ve ever done. I looked at it as just as much of a conditioning camp as an on snow training camp. I have to give a lot of credit to the men’s alpine team trainer, Alex Moore, for coming up with a great strength program to go along with my on snow training. And one of my coaches, Josh Applegate, for making sure I got it all done. There were a lot of mornings where I was skiing with tired legs down there, but it made me tougher. Plus getting stronger not only gives me more confidence in my skiing, but also is a key piece in fully conquering this knee issue.

It was a blast to ski with the boys again. The fun part about training in the summer with these guys is we get to feed off of each other's skiing a little bit, which pushes us all to step it up. The group of guys we had down there was a big change for everyone from the last few years. But the dynamic ended up being great. We laughed a lot, skied hard and fast, and even went skydiving.

It's kinda funny what a year changes. I remember being down here last year. Having fun and skiing hard. But as much as I was enjoying skiing, there was a feeling deep in my gut that I hated. It was a feeling of being so in love with something that could easily be taken away from me. It was a feeling of thinking and hoping I was good enough, but not truly knowing if I was. It was a feeling that I didn’t understand and didn’t want to.

I now feel lucky to be able to experience those feelings. The fear of the unknown is within everyone. It doesn't go away with a big race win, or a signing of a new contract. It's there because it should be. I believe you if run away from it you CAN live a happy life saving yourself from some heartaches. When you embrace it, you can and will fall hard. But for me, the moments when you can touch your true potential only come when you allow yourself to take a chance, accept the fear, and reach for more.

Until next time....keep it smooth.

Will

P.S. we were scheduled to go down to Portio, Chile for a speed camp in Sep. But due to a low snow year, I will miss my scheduled Portio trip for another year. But all that means is we will be heading back down for round two in New Zealand, this time to Mt. Hut and some much needed speed training for me!!

Ski Camp

2010-08-06T07:05:00Z

August is here and for me that means its time for another trip to beautiful New Zealand. There are so many reasons why this summer journey, which has become somewhat of a ski team tradition now, continues to be one of my favorite trips every year. One of those reasons is because I can’t get over how truly awesome it is that skiing takes me to places like this. Being in a place as beautiful as New Zealand makes a good day of training feel even more rewarding and a bad day of training feel, less shitty.

My first summer ski camp was much closer to home than New Zealand. Mt. Hood, the mecca of summer skiing in the United States was only a short drive from Walla Walla, Washington. But being so close to home didn't make it any easier for me to actually make it through the camp. By day two of camp I couldn't stop throwing up and had to drive back home with my dad. The next two summer ski camps I went to ended with the same result. I think the medical term for it is called being a puker.....or wuss. Roller costars make most people puke, but for me it was summer ski camp.

Eventually I was able to stomach my way through a ski camp and I loved it. Wake up and ski all morning, then play some game or sport in the afternoon. Camp was heaven for a ski racing crazed kid like me. Plus, to top it off, every camp had a new group of girls for me to chase after.

Over the past few years the destination for the summer camps have changed. Instead of quick car rides to the glacier in the neighboring state of Oregon, I’m taking long flights to different hemispheres, chasing winter. But I still found myself tossing and turning at 3 am this morning. Why? Because, that puking kid who couldn't wait to go skiing in the summer is still there. Lucky for me and my stomach, we get to skip day two on are way to New Zealand.

Until next time, keep it smooth.

Will

The Perfect Turn

2010-07-12T23:32:50Z

I can’t think of the last time I allowed a day to go by without thinking of the perfect ski turn. I just love closing my eyes and daydreaming about the feeling of entering a turn powerful, balanced and confident. While a smile comes across my face as I let the power of the ski shoot me down the fall line. Is it out there? Will I ever find this perfect turn?

There have been countless moments throughout the last few years that I felt like I have been living in a childhood day dream. The world seems to always wake you up from those moments though, and soon that daydream turns into an amazing memory. I was able to make some amazing lifelong memories from all over the world last year. Throughout all the good and bad runs that I made last season, there are two runs that I think about and compare the most. Not because the outcome of the runs were so different, but because the mindset and feeling within the run felt so similar.

As I cross the finish of the downhill portion of the olympic super combined, something just felt right( maybe it was because I acutely finished the corse for the first time all week, training runs included). That good feeling stayed with me all the way threw the finish of the slalom run. And within that run of slalom I raced at the level that I always new I could ski at. It was the feeling of having the confidence within myself to let go of everything else and ski as fast as I could, that was the most rewarding. Its a feeling that I strive to achieve every race.

Over a month after that I found myself in another slalom starting gate. This time on the east side of north America in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. It was the last NorAm race of the year and I was in 2nd after the first run. As the race unfolded and by the time I pushed out of the starting gate for my second run, all I had to do was come down in 28th to win the NorAm overall title. During the first 10 gates I skied like all I wanted was 28th, but then something clicked in my head, and I started to ski to win. I started to take risks, and fifteen gates from the finish, I was upside down hoping I didn’t just DNF(did not finish) the NorAm overall away. I did.

When people talk to me about the Olympic super combined slalom run the mood seems to always be light, fun and enjoyable. But when someone talks to me about the Waterville slalom run its always in a down tone with the same question being asked, “why didn't you back off and finish.?” To me, they do not feel all that different. I felt nervous in both and skied to win in both. In both runs I made one really bad turn, in the olympics, I recovered, In Waterville, I ended up on my head. The Olympic moment was one of the happiest in my skiing career and Waterville Valley was one of the worst. But one without the other would not have left as big of an impact.

There is a big difference between skiing fearless and reckless, and for some reason I like to make turns down both sides of the fine line that separates them. But I think the more training and experience I get, the more I will find myself skiing on the right side of the line. Achieving a balance between having tactical skiing and just letting it rip, is the big step I need to take in becoming a more consistent skier.

Over the last few months I have also learned that my perfect turn may not exist in most peoples eyes. But that I have all ready made millions of them in mine. Yes, MY perfect turn is out there. It just may not be anything like yours...and isn’t that what makes skiing, and life, so unique and amazing?

Find your perfect turn, and keep it Smooth

Will

Separating WANT from NEED

2009-11-25T20:13:00Z

The past couple of months I have been getting countless texts and e-mail asking if I am going to the Olympics. My thoughts are that I will address my goals for the season on this blog, so all of us are on the same page.

I was in the library at Mead High School of my sophomore year, searching races results when I had stumbled across Vancouver B.C. winning the bid for the 2010 Olympics. I remember telling myself "I need to find a way to make it there." I had always dreamed of being on the U.S. Ski Team and racing the World Cup tour, but for some reason when I saw that the Olympics were going to be so close to home it gave me a clear image of what I was chasing.

After that, a lot of big decisions in my life always came with the question.... "Will this help or hurt me getting there?" Trust me, that question kept me out of a lot of trouble. It also took me to Chile to train for skiing, instead of staying with my football team the fall of my senior year, making me miss playing in 3 games. The question kept me on the snowfields at Hood instead of the lakes around home during the summer. It helped make my decision to keep racing for Schweitzer instead of going to school. All of those decisions were huge in getting me where I had dreamed of being.

I want to be in the 2010 Olympics. But in working so hard and making hard choices to get where I am today, I realize that sometimes you have to separate what you WANT and what you NEED… just like I had with my choices before.

My #1 focus is returning from this knee injury the right and healthy way. I believe I am as ready as I was last year to compete in the opening Nor Ams in Loveland and Aspen. But with that being said, I think most of December I will still be building my way back up.

Another major focus this season is on the Nor Am tour and contending for the NOR-AM overall title. In winning the NOR-AM Overall you are awarded World Cup start rights for every world cup race the next season. But having this, as my focus will keep me away from battling for World Cup starts in December. Scoring World Cup points is how you make it to the Olympics. I believe this is the best path for long-term success in my career.

My dad has always told me to enjoy the journey, and when given an opportunity take advantage of it. That’s my final focus for this season. Being out last year really made me not just miss skiing. I missed the grind. I missed the wax room. I missed my smelly roommates. I missed the long late-night car rides and the crazy bad jet lag. So keeping my eyes open and enjoying the ride is a must.

I’ll be in Europe following the early January Nor-Ams. And if I am given an opportunity, maybe I’ll find a way to make it to there...

Until next time, keep it smooth.

Will

the come back

2009-11-17T04:35:28Z

I have a great blog on its way! untell then here is some training vid. First days back training hard and trying to ski fast!

music...jimmy buffett, pencil thin mustache

First day back!

2009-08-13T23:15:00Z

I’ve been asked the question, “where’s home?” a lot lately. In the last couple of months, the answer has been harder and harder to find. Most of the time I still say home is Spokane Washington (except when I’m out to eat in Park City and I’m trying to get the local’s discount). The truth is I’ve only been back in Spokane a couple of times in the last few years. It actually started to bug me a little bit.

Yesterday was my first day back on snow since my season- ending knee surgery last January. On the way up to the mountain in New Zealand, I was tempted to start putting my boots on in the car…. just like the way my Dad used to make us do. I got into the lodge and rudely brushed off hello's from teammates and friends. All I wanted to do was get on the chairlift.

The sounds of the chairlift and the long wait for skiing, reminded me of opening days at Bluewood, where I would always talk my Dad and Barnie Parrish into going down the hardest runs right away. When you are six year old ,there is no need for warming up. Standing at the bottom of the mountain yesterday, the fog was Schweitzer Mountain thick, but as the chairlift broke through the clouds, I started to realize something.....I was home.

Prayers and Thoughts for Cody Marshall

2009-07-18T01:47:00Z

My deepest compassions prayers and thoughts go to my good friend, room mate, and team mate Cody Marshall.

Please visit Cody's Blog: codymarshallsblog.com/ for more information.

RSN Rooted

2009-02-12T00:25:00Z

Ted, Jimmy, Tim kelly and I did some inerviews for the show Rooted, thats on RSN. Here are some out takes from my interview. The show is airing on RSN.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=47849263

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=47733284

Looking Forward

2009-02-04T22:42:00Z

    When I am on, I mean really on it in a race coarse, looking forward is all I can remember really doing. My break-through race series a couple years ago, I can still close my eyes and see the gates coming at me in G.S. I didn’t inspect any different that week. I didn’t visualize any differently than I normally do after inspection. I just pushed out of the starting gate looked ahead and knew I had the skill to make the turns I needed all the way down.

    In my opinion, my eyes are still my best asset to my skiing.( One of the few things I didn’t get from my Dad.) Looking ahead and being able to react to the situation is still what I do very well. But last season, somewhere along the way, I started to let mistakes or misfortunes get to me while on the hill. Where I was looking started to be blinded by where I had been. The mistake that I had made and recovered from earlier in a run would cause me to eventually not finish farther down the hill. In my mind I had to make the time up. I was still looking ahead but my decision were altered because my mind was holding onto the past. The worst part was I started to let previous races or experiences take over my skiing. Before I knew it, I had allowed myself to take away one of the things that I do best.

    Tom Sell and I had a long talk about it this summer. Looking ahead became a major focus for me every run. Letting the mistake go and focusing on turn ahead. Letting the bad run go and looking to the next run ahead. Letting the bad day go, taking what I learned from it and looking at the day ahead of me. I finished a record about of runs for me at the New Zealand camp. My skiing was better then ever after that camp. And most of all, I was having way more fun at that camp.

    Yesterday I was in the training center getting my knee worked on and working hard to get the muscles around my knee to start working again. I was kind of down a little bit. There were Nor Am slaloms going on, and as I sat there and all I wanted to do was race them. But fantasizing about racing wasn’t going to get my leg working again. So I opened my eyes and looked ahead.

Until next time….keep it smooth..

            Will

The End of this Season...But the Start of the Next.

2009-01-28T03:01:00Z

So that little check-up I went in for after the knee pain in Sunday River, well it turned into a big check -up. I can’t describe the feeling I had when the doc came in and told me I needed knee surgery. I was hoping he was just going to come in and tell me that I was just a wimp, but I guess not. Somewhere along the line, my knee went from being able to fight the pain and ski on., to rotten and needing surgery. The bone bruise and cartilage were severe enough that my knee doctor (Dr. Cooley) was going to have to do micro fracture surgery. And just like that my season was over…before it really started. I went in for the surgery on Tuesday the 20^th of January. Let’s just say I didn’t sleep to well the night before.

Moments before the surgery I was as nervous as before the second run of the World Jr. G.S. I felt pretty confident that the surgery would end up a lot better then that run did. Anyone who has ever been around me when I get nervous, knows that I don’t stop joking and talking. Lets just say the nurses were looking forward to knocking me out.

The first thing I remember after the surgery was Dr. Cooley telling me the micro fracture surgery took, and that he found a torn meniscus in there too. After that I called a few people from my cell phone but don’t remember a word of the conversations. I do remember thinking this isn’t to bad….. Wow was I wrong.

Here is a list of the best things about knee surgery:

1) Making every girl in the world jealous, because I got to spend a week in Steven Nyman’s bed. (Steve was nice enough to let me stay at his place while I rehab and recover)

2) having the best nurse and being able to have some quality time with the most beautiful women in the world….my mom (pretty Anne)

3) watching every movie ever made….

That’s all I could come up with…but the pain killers almost made the list.

I’m doing well mentally with this whole situation. It’s actually a relief to know that I don’t have to keep skiing in so much pain. Also the results and splits that I had while racing this season, have given me a lot of confidence going into next season. At the beginning of the year, if you told me I would make the B team next year, I would have been very happy. And it looks like I have. I’ll be back on snow in late July, healthy and stronger then ever. I’m not looking forward to the 6 weeks on crutches. But right now I just pushed out of a new staring gate…and this is a run I know I’m going to win.

` until next time…keep it smooth.

Will

moments before surgery

you can take my skies away....but you cant keep me off the hill for to long. Thats me crutching down the race hill in park city one week out of surgery...I hiked up to watch some people train. Ill I have to say is what a workout. My left lag cramped up a bit.

Hard Work Paying Off...In Unexpected Ways

2009-01-08T20:19:00Z

    After a long Europe trip this December, I was ready for some good R and R with my friends and family. I flew into South Dakota to spend time with my Mom and Dad. My brother came out for Christmas, and it was great to see him.
On the 26^th I decided to fly to Spokane to workout with my good friend, Jay Tully, and see all my friends from home that I haven’t see in a long time. After the first day of working out, I realized that my knee was no good. In my mind I new that it was going to be hard to race in Sunday River…..but I had to go and give it a shot.

    It took about 10 turns of the first GS race day to realize that I just couldn’t keep skiing hurt. I pulled out skied down to my coach Tom Sell. Tom has been my coach for every year I have been on the ski team. He hasn’t missed a high or low in my skiing career for the past three years. We both knew we were experiencing a low.

    I skipped the G.S. the next day. A skied and finished two extremely painful slalom runs , but that’s all I had left in me. I need time to heal and time to train. So instead of jumping on a plane to Europe tomorrow, I will be heading on another plane back to Park City to get healthy.

    I can’t help but be disappointed with the way the season has been going, but I am so glad I worked as hard as I did last summer and fall. I’ve put everything I have into this season and have no regrets. I have never believed more in myself and in my skiing than I do now. My skiing is there, its ready…now I’ll just give my body some time to get healthy…Keep it smooth

Will

P.S. and my boy Paul won today. That win puts him back on the ski team for next season. What he has been through the last 3 years has been a grind, to say the least. So if you have time tonight…crack open a beer and toast the kid….he deserves it.

Learning to deal with Frustration

2009-01-03T05:09:00Z

After a great start to the month I haven’t really been doing too much. I took another fall in my one race start over here and since then things have been very slow going. The knee
is bugging me big time again…. so much so that I haven’t really skied since the
fall , that was about a week ago. We also have been
getting hit hard with snow, so getting out of Italy was a must if we wanted to
get any training before the Europa cup slaloms at the end of this trip (Friday
and Saturday). Its hard not to get cabin fever a little bit over here, when
training isn’t an option. Ski racing is a waiting game sometimes, and trying to
stay focused is a must in slow times like these.

It’s been really hard not to get frustrated with the way things have been working out over here.
And I’m not going to lie…there are moments when this lingering injury can get
the most of me. That last only a few seconds, as I am starting to learn that
living or skiing in frustration is something that I just cannot do. Why worry,
stress or mope about the uncontrollable. I have let that take over before, and
am sure I will again (hey nobody is perfect) but life is just not as enjoyable
when that happens.

Yesterday was especially tough…we left Italy Saturday, because we found a great place to train
in Austria. Even though I need the g.s. training. I knew my knee needed more days off. So I did the smart thing. I went on the hill the first few days there, but just to help out, watch
the guys ski, and coach a little. I was waiting to train slalom, so yesterday
was the day…. It was one of those mornings were you woke up and feel like
everything is a little better…the air feels a little fresher, the water tastes a
litter purer, and the snow looks like a little more fun. I did my normal warm up
routine that Adam and I have come up with. I was the first on the hill and the
first one on course. At about the tenth turn I could tell my knee still wasn’t
ready. I finished the run, went to the bottom and it was a perfect time for the
classic Will blow ups that most of you all know to well. But that never
happened…. instead I walked around the corner…took a few deep breaths and calmed
down. I was so frustrated I wanted to cry…and almost did. It took a few minutes,
but I realizing that this is one moment in the journey. The frustrations I felt
at the bottom of that run will only make the good days feel that much better.
The great ones can control their frustrations and ego. And that’s what I’m
striving for.

I put my shoes on and hiked the hill. I wanted to watch the guys ski…and I am glad I did. Over the days of watching my teammates I have learned a lot. I have also gotten to see
one of my best friends start to break through to another level in his skiing.
Paul has had a hard couple of years skiing because of injury. So much so that
for about a week this spring he called it quits. Wow, I’m glad he didn’t.
Watching him rip the slalom that day was a thing of beauty. So as I was hiking
down the hill, a bigger picture moment, as I like to call it, hit me. In times
past I would have let all the frustrations get to me. I would have moped around
stayed inside counting the days tell I got home. This time I could finish my
walk down the hill, high five my friend and be really happy. And that’s exactly
what I did!

Oh, and by the way…not pushing it the last week was a good thing. We race tomorrow. And my knee feels better then before the races in Loveland… I am sure glad I did not sit
around frustrated…until next time. Keep it
smooth!

Will

My European Love Story

2008-12-11T06:07:00Z

So I’m beginning to realize that I’m falling in love with Europe….. All over again. I think mine and Europe’s relationship is kind of like a Hollywood love story.

The first time I came over here was for Topolino. I was a freshmen in high school. I remember when I got off the plane I could not wait to run threw customs get outside explore! The jet lag never really hit me then, I was too exited to see everything to be tired, and to be honest that’s the last time I raced really well over here. I compare my first experience to when the main character in a Hollywood love stories flirts with the extremely hot girl for the first time….He walks away thinking he is in love…she turns her back and says you have no chance bud.

My next trip to Europe a few years later was called the new comers trip. This time we went racing little kid races…it was time to try and race some F.I.S races over here. I was exited again to get over to Europe…I felt the jet lag this time, but I didn’t mind it, I was ready to rip in Europe. Well thought races didn’t go so well…but I was ok with it. I took it as a learning experience and was still totally in love with Europe. Just like in a the movie where the guy finds out the girl is with someone else but still wants to be (friends).

My next to trips to Europe were hell. They were in my sr. year of high school and the year after. I raced a few europa cups, got my butt kicked, fell a lot, and this time I couldn’t even start to handle the jet lag. I don’t think I ever got on the right sleeping schedule. I compare it to the part in the movie where the guy begins to see that the girl he built up to be this amazing person…was really just hot but dumb, and kind of a bitch.

So through the next few years I came over to Europe and loved the skiing part of it. Although I very rarely had a race day over here that I was happy with. I tried to open my eyes to the great experiences it was giving me. But most of the time I fond myself counting the days until I would get on the plane home…so I could eat a burger, kiss and American girl and watch some sport center. Kind of like the part of the movie where the guy just tries to be nice to the girl even though he really isn’t that into her and sees the friendship going nowhere fast.

But my last trip to Europe last year was different. I started to be able to handle the jet lag again. I started to feel comfortable with getting around here. I was communicating with the people a little bit better, and most of all, I started loving the food. Just like in the love stories when the guy realizes that the girl isn’t a bitch, she was just playing hard to get…making him work a little…seeing if he was in it for the long run.

So the start of this trip as been amazing. I’ve gone to the places I know pretty well by now and have seen old friends that I still can’t really talk to…but are still exited to see me. I’ve had all the food that I have craved for and been missing all summer. And the jet lag is still there…but I can handle it. I love Europe again. Now in are little love stories this is where the girl is supposed to start loving the guy back…..she might still have a few tricks up her sleave though….
But don’t worry, I’m showing Europe I’m in this thing for the long hall…..

Until next time…keep it smooth
Will

the first nor ams

2008-12-04T23:54:00Z

Winter is here and Colorado is getting nailed by it. Its been dumping snow here for a couple of days making pretty hard racing conditions. But I’m not complaining as my season has gotten of to a great start with two of my lowest results of my career back to back. It also kind of takes the monkey of my back a little as it has been a while since I have had a podium in a nor-am competition (I don’t count super combined). The races in Loveland were fun as the field was loaded with great skiers. The course sets were kind of funny, both the U.S. and Canada decided to set completely different course sets each run. It seemed kind of like a chess match between nations. We have one more race in winter park Colorado before we fly to Europe to start racing some Europa cups.

Hope the snow is falling hard and light in your neck of the woods…Keep it smooth!!

Will

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T05:01:00Z

Thanksgiving is always a weird holiday for me. Maybe because most of my life have spent them in Canada, training. Or maybe because I go to bed feeling a little sick to my stomach, as I always seem to take it upon myself to try and eat all the mash potatoes. But this year should be different, as I am spending Thanksgiving with my sister and new little niece (in her belly)in Colorado …far far away from Canada. So Happy Thanksgiving all you Schweitzer folk who are training up north in the land of the hockey player, and to my teammates getting ready for the first World Cup speed events in Lake Louise Canada.

There are so many things to be thankful for, but don’t just be thankful for what you have on the last Thursday of November every year. In my mind, there doesn’t need to be a holiday to give thanks for all of the good in our lives. So carve up that turkey just like the pilgrims did all those years ago…..but we have better entertainment during dinner as the Zags play right around dinner time on espn2. Ill be given a lot of thanks if we have an HD T.V. near by.

Hope all is well, thanks for the support, my first races start on Monday…….keep it smooth.

Will

Colorado

2008-11-21T06:06:00Z

    After some time off because of a bad bone bruise in my knee, I am finally able to ski again! The night before my first day back on snow, felt like a pre race night. I couldn’t get to sleep because I was so exited to ski. Winter hasn’t really hit hard here in Summit County Colorado, and although we have had some cold mornings, it has been pretty warm for the most part. Something that my teammates and I aren’t use to this time of year.

    I have skied Slalom, GS, and Super G in my first week back- and its safe to say my slalom skiing is ahead of everything else right now. I don’t think I have felt this consistent in a slalom course since I was a j4. My confidence is really starting to grow in my skiing and I think it’s because of the hard work I have put into the weight room over the spring, summer, and fall. Training at this high of altitude is hard on the body, but I can’t even compare my conditioning from this year to last. The knee is not quite 100% but I feel confident that I will be ready to go by the first race of the season; witch is less than a month away.

    I’m going to try and update this blog every Thursday from now until the end of the season. Sometimes all I will do is put up some race video, other time’s I’ll talk about skiing or whatever is going on in my crazy head. It’s going to be a big year for the U.S. ski team, Ill do my best to take you alone for the ride. Hope all is well…..Keep it Smooth!

Willy B

N.Z. vidio

2008-11-21T05:50:00Z

a fun run in N.Z.
a fun run in N.Z.
a fun run in N.Z.
the fall

My feelings this fall

2008-11-21T05:32:00Z

    I was doing great. Staying focus, not too bummed about missing a few camps. Until last night, when I was getting ready for bed and I heard the sound of slalom gates being hit coming from the other room. Cody was watching video to get ready for his next trip to Europe. The sound made me want jump into a course. But after a bad fall at the end of the New Zealand camp I’ve been sidelined with a bone bruise in my knee. It could be a lot worse. I’ll be back on snow by the end of October or early November. But New Zealand was in my mind my best, and the most fun camp I have ever had. Because of that I can’t wait to get back on snow and build off of it. I went to New Zealand with no expectations but found something that I had lost sometime last year, my confidence. And as any athlete in the world will tell you, confidence is everything.

    To be perfectly honest I think in the long run this might help me. Everyone else is out working hard on the hill, its making me want to work harder off of it. There’s no doubt that my sucess in New Zealand has a direct relation with my new found strength from the weight room. So when I get bummed about not being on snow, I just push that pain into my lags and core in the gym. When you take a step back and look at it, there is no better time to get hurt then when I did. And being away from skiing just for a couple of months make me realize home much I truly love it. Plus this little injury has given me even more respect for some of my teammates that have had to endure much more severe time away from the sport that they love.

    The season is so close that sometimes I feel like I can taste the snow. With every season come new goals and great opportunities. At the start of every year I had put certain expectations on myself. With those expectations came unneeded pressure from nobody but myself. I’m going into this season with the same mental approach I had down in New Zealand this year. No expectations, just goals to strive for. I feel like when you expect things to happen and they don't work out you can’t help but be disappointed. But when they do work out, the joy of the experience is not as great because in your mind that was the way it was supposed to happen. In my eyes that's not the way to live life.

    The vido attached is from new zealand. One of the clips is a slome fun the felt amazing, the other is the crash that hurt my knee. It doesnt look that bad when you play it full speed, but if you slow it down you can see why my knee hurts!!! untell next time.....Keep it smoooooth!!!!

Will

New Zealand!!

2008-08-04T21:03:00Z

It’s time for my favorite trip of the year. We are off to New Zealand for our training camp. Wow, what a year changes. I remember going down to New Zealand last year expecting things to happen, but wondering if I had been working hard enough to make them happen. When life threw me a curveball and all those expectations didn’t happen, I panicked. I tried harder to keep things in order, instead of letting everything work itself out. I left New Zealand last year with a new favorite place to visit, but questioned how good I was skiing. I feel almost like I took my trip down there for granted last year. I was so caught up in where I wanted to go, that I never really open my eyes to where I was.

As I pack my bags for another New Zealand adventure, I feel prepared. I’m not wondering if I am working hard enough anymore, because in my mind I know I am. Also, I am not expecting anything anymore, just trying to put a handle on things I can control…. like where to start my arc and when to release it. On Friday morning (our first day in gates) I’m going to be thanking God that I am in New Zealand ripping a G.S. course. Instead of being at the training center for Per’s (our physio) Friday Hell Days. Wow, what a year changes.

Until next time, keep in smooth!

Willy B

Mammoth training sl and g.s.

2008-06-13T03:47:00Z

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