TO GREAT HEIGHTS- Jasper flying in Planica SLO last year. Photo credit Romina Eggert.
JASPER GOOD
Steamboat Winter Sports Club
Steamboat Springs, CO
jrobertgood@gmail.com
My first day to jump this was an evening at Howelson Hill which means that the entire ski mountain is throbbing with athletes training in multiple disciplines with parents and coaches watching from the bottom.
I have been waiting for this all throughout my school day and now the moment has finally come. As I start my warm-up I become more and more excited, after completing my warm up and watching videos from the previous day of jumping I start to get dressed. This involves putting on Under Armor and the right thickness of socks. I then pull on my jump suit and begin to tie up my boots. After this is completed I grab my helmet, goggles, gloves and pass.
With all my equipment I grab my skis and head for the poma. As I ride the poma up to the top stop I am starting to get really excited because I have never been at this stop with jump skis. I have finally made it to the top stop of ski jumping in Steamboat.
The walk to the jump is filled with my mind going over what I am working on and what I will think about when jumping. As I arrive at the top of the jump I get butterflies and I start to get my skis and suit fully on. Right before putting on my skis I look down the jump and the view across town as the light begins to fade and I am able to see all across town from here.
I then slide out on to the start bar which I will go from. I straighten my back and become focused; the moment has come and I signal to my coach that I am ready. He checks the hill then with a downward sweeping motion of his hand he signals that I am good to go.
I take a big deep breath and let go of the bar starting my descent, the in run is faster than any I have ever been on. I near the end of the take off with my mind completely focused and I nail the timing of my jump and lift off into the air. I feel like I just keep going up and out, my mind is telling me to stop getting more on top but I over rule that and stay with the jump. I feel as if I am extremely high which is one of the coolest feelings ever because I really felt like I was flying.
My jump ends and I am very excited as I arrive at the base of the poma. The jump is replaying in my head and I just want to keep jumping. I make my way through the crowd as fast as possible so that I can have the experience of flying for five seconds again and again.
Editor's Note- Jasper competed in a Continental Cup in Klingenthal, GER yesterday and scored points, finishing 21st! To see his FIS bio CLICK HERE
EARLY SIGNS OF GREATNESS- (L-R) Jasper Good, Ben Berend (who finished 8th yesterday in Klingenthal), and Nicholas Madden around 2012 when Jasper first jumped the big hill in Steamboat Springs, CO (seen in the background).
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