USASJ Story Project 7-DEC-2014 DAN BEVINGTON

TeamAK athletes training in Park City, UT:  Ryan Brubaker (L), and Carter Brubaker (R) with coach Dan.

DAN BEVINGTON
Age 51
TeamAK
Anchorage, AK

My observation about the sport is that it has a profound effect on the young life that has far reaching effects.  Learning to fly through the air by leaping with one's legs is, practically, mythic in proportion.  Facing fears, overcoming disappointments, and learning calm resilience "pay forward" in life, which is the true value of the sport.

Recently in Park City, the young Carter Brubaker from TeamAK decided to stay and work on some details of his in-run position even when all his pals had quit for the day. Afterward, this 10-year old said, "Coach, I'm really glad I stayed back for another session with you."

As one example of the benefits of the sport, I believe that his willing desire to improve will have a long reaching effect in his life for the better. 


Editor's note- Dan is headed to Zambia on a Peace Corps aquaculture project.  He should be leaving in February for two years.  Learn more at his blog of the adventure-  http://zambiadan.blogspot.ca

USASJ Story Project 6-DEC-2014 WALTER MALMQUIST

Jim Page, former Holderness, Dartmouth, USST, and USOC coach, teacher, mentor, executive, shows the basics to members of the Holderness Nordic team in the early 70's.  Author and then Holderness student Walter Malmquist leans on his poles and watches.

WALTER MALMQUIST
Age 58
Bradford, VT
Ford Sayre (1966-1969), Lebanon Outing Club (1970-1971), Holderness School (1972-1974), Dartmouth Outing Club (1977), United States Ski Team (1974-1981), US Olympic Winter Teams (1976 & 1980)
wmalmquist@kingcon.com

Fantasies Became Goals

During my first week at Holderness School, the Fall of my Sophomore year in high school, Jim Page gave me a training log. Jim told me that before opening the log I should list my goals for my ski career and for the year. Jim also told me that he and I should review my list of goals ASAP.

Articulating my goals to present to someone else for review for the first time was the largest challenge anyone has ever presented to me. While I had unspoken aspirations to make the US Ski Team and to become an Olympian, I really had no idea what it would take to reach those goals. Further, at the moment of Jim’s assignment, I realized it was much easier to maintain those aspirations (fantasies?) if I could harbor them secretly/unspoken... but I trusted and respected Jim as my dorm master and coach... and I wanted him to respect me; so I knew that I could not blow the assignment off.

I gave a lot of thought to the long and short term goals I listed for Jim’s review... making them reasonable/doable for me. When I met with Jim a few days later to submit and speak about my goals, we had a lot of fun discussing how conservative my goals were and consequently how they limited my vision... and how I was limiting my vision of myself. This was the first time anyone had spoken with me in this way. While I found it very complimentary that Jim told me that he thought that I was capable of achieving much more than I had written down, at the same time I found it very challenging that he actually accused me of lacking courage and confidence in myself as demonstrated by my “reasonable” goals. Jim told me that while I had no responsibility to him to set more lofty goals, he was disappointed that I was not aiming higher.

I didn’t realize it at the time but Jim’s challenge broke the ice which in turn made me think about myself and my aspirations completely differently than I had... my fantasies became my goals... my goals became consequences of my willingness and ability to confront/commit to address actionable items... my commitment to address actionable items became my day-to-day tasks... my day-to-day tasks became actions to record and monitor... my records became data to evaluate progress toward my goals... my progress toward my goals became my motivation to set new/better goals... my new goals became consequences of my willingness/ability to commit to address actionable items... What a great mentor and great lesson!

Holderness ski team in the early 70's.
Malmquist back left; Page in center row on right.

Jim Page contemplative before
coaching a soccer game.

USASJ Story Project 5-DEC-2014 CHARIS FRANKS

Just 11 years old, Charis throws a wide V and chases it hard right from the take-off!

CHARIS FRANKS

Age 11

Norge Ski Club

Cary, IL

skijumpmom@gmail.com

My name is Charis Franks, I am 11 years old, and I live in Cary, Il. (5 miles from the Norge ski jump).  When I was 7 years old and in second grade, my friend asked me if I would come watch him ski jump.  We had known about ski jumping for the last year, but wanted to check it out.  We went to a practice, and when I saw kids ski jumping I said…….

   

“I have to do this!”

I was jumping two days later at the next practice.  About 2 weeks after I started jumping I went to my first competition in Madison WI.  I continued to travel and compete that year and the next.  The summer of my second year, I went to Park City UT and jumped my first 40 meter hill.  That winter, on the morning before the first competition of the year, I fell on Saint Paul’s 46 meter and broke my foot.  I was off for almost the whole season, but recovered in time to go to the last competition of the year in Coleraine, MN.  Four months later in June, while attending a training camp in Madison WI, I slipped on a hotel floor and cut my other foot.  I needed 8 stitches! Ouch!  I was off for another 2 1/2 weeks.  After I recovered, I finished the summer season and went on to compete on the 25 meter hills that winter.  At the end of the winter, I got to compete in the Virtual Nationals and got second place in the U12 girls class! That was a blast! This summer, I began jumping the 40 meter hill again and look forward to jumping many 40 meter hills this winter.  I plan to jump Norge’s 70M hill next year and maybe qualify for Junior Nationals in 2016 or for sure in 2017!  To gain sponsorship for my ski jumping in the next few years, I am putting together a presentation to give to local businesses.  I hope to raise $5,000 annually in ongoing sponsorship. I am home-schooled and so my mom /teacher can make a lot of my school assignments ski jumping related.  My presentation has been a chance to learn to do research, make a power point presentation, speak publicly and learn about tax deductions.

I love and I am thankful for the opportunity to ski jump!

Editor's note- To watch Charis's 2nd place finish in the 2014 U12 Girls Virtual National Championships click here 

USASJ Story Project 4-DEC 2014 ADAM LOOMIS

Another load to the top of Blackhawk's K58- Adam Loomis shares memories of  summer camps in Madison.

ADAM LOOMIS

age 22

Flying Eagles Ski Club

Eau Claire, WI, 

Some of my finest memories from growing up jumping came at the Blackhawk Ski Club, near Madison, WI.  In fact, I took my first ever jumps there in the summer of ’02.  (Once I decided to be a ski jumper, I didn’t want to wait for the snow to fly).  In my early teens, my mom would occasionally drive me down there to jump after school.  That was serious commitment – at least 2.5 hours of driving each way for one jump session.

At the top of the list of good times at Blackhawk are a few informal summer training camps.  We’d stay at the Schott’s farmhouse, where CC was generous (or crazy) enough to take in a half dozen 12 – 15 year-old boys for a week.  In addition to Nick and Will –  the Schott brothers – our crew consisted of a few jumpers from the UP, a couple of Minnesotans and myself. 

Of course, we took plenty of jumps on Blackhawk’s distinctive K58.  Our coach, Kip Kopelke, taught us how to train like the big guys.  Rand Schott would usually rally us up between jumps in the back of an old pickup, and we’d be back from a jump session in no more than a couple hours.

We found plenty of time for all kinds of messing around.  Foosball games were frequent and heated, someone usually had fireworks to light off, and CC’s food kept us full and happy.  (Especially her pies).  On a couple of occasions we made the trip to the Wisconsin Dells and raced around on the go-karts until they kicked us out.  We were always competing.  Eventually, by the end of the day, we were tired enough to fire up the old desktop and practice our technique in the form of DSJ3 ski jumping. 

At the end of the camps, we’d spread back out across the Central division, exhausted but looking forward to the next time we’d meet up again.  These jump camps were better than your traditional summer camp, and the best form of team bonding.  This sort of closeness mixed with competitiveness is what I've always found and loved in the world of ski jumping and Nordic combined.

Editor's note- see Adam's FIS bio and international results- click here

Adam jumping in Olympic trials.

USASJ Story Project 3-DEC-2014 BEN BEREND

Ben  (left, closest to the camera) and Jason Lamy Chappuis (neon shirt) about to start the XC portion of Grand Prix event in Oberweisenthal, GER.

BEN BEREND

age 19

Steamboat Winter Sports Club

Steamboat Springs, CO

benberend@yahoo.com

Every summer the Ability Plus program at the SSWSC takes a month long trip to Europe in August. These summer trips are an unbelievable way to allow young athletes to gain much needed experience, see how tough the competition is in Europe, and have a lot of fun bonding with their teammates. Some of my most memorable experiences over the years have been on these trips.

Definitely the most memorable of these experiences was two summers ago when I was 17 years old. Our A team rarely competes in the Summer Grand Prix’s (Summer World Cups) allowing the young guys on the development team to get a shot at skiing against the best in the world. I’ll never forget showing up at the jumps in Oberweisenthal, Germany and seeing all these athletes I’ve looked up to my whole life. When I was younger I used to wake up at the wee hours of the morning and watch the World Cup races on my computer. Now all of a sudden I was competing against the athletes I had watched endlessly as a child. Just this experience in itself was unreal, but it gets better.

At the time I was jumping very well and I actually ended up laying down a solid jump. In between the jumping and the cross country we went back to our hotel to relax. I remember hopping on my computer right away to pull up the start times on the FIS website. I saw that I had tied for 30^th place in the jumping with maybe the greatest Nordic Combined skier of all time, Jason Lamy Chappuis of France. Jason Lamy Chappuis has an Olympic gold medal, 4 World Championship gold medals, 3 World Championship bronze medals, 57 World Cup podiums, 25 World Cup victories, and won the overall World Cup in 2010, 2011, and 2012. I remember everyone joking with me to try and hang with him in the race. In the back of my mind I thought, I could probably hang with him for a couple minutes out of the start.  

The race began and skiers began to barrel out of the start. After a minute or two I was at the line and the clock was ticking up towards my start time. All I was thinking was, “stick with Jason, stick with Jason”. The buzzer went off and I accelerated out of the start. At about the same time this blur went flying through my peripheral vision. It took me a second to comprehend what had happened, Jason Lamy Chappuis had put about 100 feet on me in just a matter of seconds. I didn’t see him again for the rest of the race and I ended up getting lapped by the leaders on my 3^rd lap. I believe that was the most I have ever gotten my ass kicked in this sport. This was such an amazing and humbling experience. It really opened my eyes to the amount of work it would take to achieve my goals. After the race I told myself, “someday I’m going to ski that fast”. I still will never forget the day that one of the greatest Nordic Combined skiers ever motivated me without even knowing it.

Editor's Note-  Check out Ben's FIS bio page and international results-  click here

USASJ Story Project 2-Dec-2014 JOSHUA FLANDERS

Joshua Flanders- flying high in Brattleboro, VT in 2009.

 JOSHUA FLANDERS
Age 25
Lebanon, NH
Lebanon Outing Club
joshua.j.flanders@gmail.com
 
With the theme of crash and burn stories… I have my own to share which is a little different than some, because I happened to do some swimming in the cold January waters of New Hampshire.  Having grown up and trained daily beside some of the most talented American ski jumpers ever to set ski on snow, let’s just say that competition was strong and pushing ourselves to be better was a nightly occurrence on the K48 in Lebanon. 
 
It was 2003-04 I believe, Casey Colby was still coaching in Lebanon before his departure to LP… and as some may recall every time a new skier makes their way to the elevator chute which is Lebanon's K48 there is always an intimidation factor…. "but that bridge doesn't have a fence!”
 
Needless to say that bridge which stands about 10' over the brook doesn't have a fence… or any way to slow an out of control skier down.  At the time I was just getting comfortable really laying out over my skis and trying to push my limits to get the most out of every ride, I believe my face landed somewhere around the K point that frigid evening when there was no stopping a 13 maybe 14 year old wrecking ball from sliding out of control….. off the bridge and into the waters of the cold brook below. 
 
Let’s just say Casey could have made an appearance on the US Track and Field team because he made that sprint in no time to come fish me out. This has happened multiple times.. to me and many others over the years! 
 
I’m also proud to say that after college, marriage and having a son, (who's now 2) I am slowly making my way back into the ski jumping community as I have taken the head ski jumping coach position at Hanover High School, and with my goals for this winter are to coach a successful team and share my knowledge as well as throw myself BACK off Harris Hill which was one of the last hills I Jumped in 2009 before retiring from the sport.

Josh Flanders- ready to lead Hanover High School ski jumpers.

USASJ Story Project 1-DEC-2014 ELIZA GUILIANI

THE LONELY WALK.  If you look carefully you'll see Eliza making her way to the top for another jump.

ELIZA GUILIANI
Age 8
Andover, NH
1mbroas@tds.net

8 year old Eliza Guiliani climbing the stairs to the K18 at Andover NH's AOC ski jump program.

The lift was not operating at the time so she and the others had to climb their way to the top.

Needless to say they all had a great workout that afternoon! Eliza had an 8.5 meter jump! Way to go, Eliza!