September 14, 2005 – For most teenagers, there are lots of life changing decisions that have to be made after High School graduation. The biggest and most obvious decision usually surrounds choosing a career path and deciding whether to continue on with a university or college education. While these decisions are by no means easy for any teenager, they are even further complicated if you are a cross-country ski racer.

The time commitments of a full time University student and a full time athlete quite often clash. Ski racers spend most of the winter traveling around the globe on various racing circuits. University students spend most of their winter confined within a 2 km radius. Ski racers spend a large portion of their day outside skiing, running, roller skiing, cycling or nordic walking, engrossed in deep thought or a thorough lack of it. University students spend much of their day sitting inside and listening to someone lecture them and solving the deeper problems of the world. Needless to say being a full time student and a full time cross-country ski racer is a difficult match, but it can be done!

I began my journey as a university student exactly six years ago. Since then I have completed half of the courses (20) required for my Bachelor of Science degree in the field of Geophysics at the University of Calgary. It is quite obvious that I have never been a full time student! Right out of high school I decided to take three university courses each semester. I chose my classes wisely: I didn’t take any courses with labs and I made sure that all my classes fit into only two days of the week. By the end of the first year I had a significant number of my options completed, and not so many core subjects covered. The next three years consisted of casually taking university courses when they would fit into my skiing schedule. I took full advantage of Athabasca University’s distance learning program, which not only allowed me to live in Canmore full time, but also allowed me to create my own school and exam schedule. With the help of Athabasca University and the occasional spring session at the University of Calgary I was able to officially complete my first two years of study in a measly 4 years.

It was then that I had to make a decision regarding school. The Geophysics program at U of C (as with many other science programs) is quite time consuming. Lectures are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while labs are on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is necessary to go be at school from 9-5, five days of week. On top of that, a full course load is often required in order to complete all of the pre-requisite courses for the next semester. Being a part time student wasn’t much of an option. I wanted (and still want) to be successful in everything I do, and after finishing two years of school I felt that skiing full time would limit my success in school and attending school full time would limit my success in skiing. I made the decision to put school on hold as I pursued my skiing dreams.

From my experience, the average person doesn’t understand an athlete’s decision to take time off from school to pursue sport. They seem to consider high performance sports as a game or hobby and not a career and lifestyle. I often explained to people what I was doing in life and although most people were intrigued, they often asked me when I go back to school and get a real job. As a response I usually just smile and say that skiing is my job!

These past two years I have dedicated my time wholly to skiing. Instead of studying school during my spare time, I have been working odd jobs and running a small business, SOS Headwear, with two partners. I usually stimulate by brain by researching business information on the Internet (I am now a self taught expert on importing into Canada!), learning to speak German, and gaining some computer programming skills (visit www.sosheadwear.com if your interested in seeing those limited skills). I have no regrets of taking the time off from school, as I have been able to experience many other things that university would never have taught me.

My opinion on attending school while skiing began to change last winter. For most of racing season I was sick with a parasite and wasn’t able to train as I had planned or race as much as I wanted to. I was bored and found it quite frustrating that I was sidelined from my major focus in life. I began to think about adding a second focus to my life by returning to school. I thought about the benefits and sacrifices going back to school would have on my skiing, and in the end the benefits won. I made the decision to return to school as a “full time” student while continuing to ski race, with the goal of finishing the final two years of school in the next two years.

I have accepted that returning to school this fall will not be an easy task, but I am ready for the challenge! My time management skills will be put to their test the next couple of months. I worked out my school schedule beautifully so that I wouldn’t have to take more than four courses a semester in the fall and winter, however I will still have to be in Calgary four days of week. As a geophysics major, one can imagine the pure joy of my course selections for the year: Physics, Geology, Geophysics and Math! I much prefer courses with finite answers than ones based solely on opinion, so I don’t find the schedule too daunting. I have counted the hours in the day and figured that after the necessary time for training and racing, school, commuting twice a week to Calgary and running a business, I will have at least four hours a day to spare! I will obviously have less time to relax in front of the TV this winter. My new approach is that by adding another focus to my life, I will be able to fuel successes from school to success in skiing and vice versa. All I can hope for now is that my professors are understanding when I ask permission to miss my lab exams in order to race the Canadian World Cups in December! I will let you know how that goes in my next update!

I would like to quickly thank our newest team builders and team supports: Jaime Coatsworth, Ann Gallie, Rick Morson, Dan Gilligan and of course my Aunt Cindy, for their generous support of the Exel Racing Team! There is no doubt that ski racing and school are expensive in their own rights, but combining the two can be even more of a financial challenge. With their support, as well as the support of our other sponsors, I can focus on skiing and school this winter, with out the concern of also having to work part time!