It’s winter time. Time to get the shovels and bust out those ski’s. The Alpine Ski team, lead by captains Woody Hust, Connor Sample, Lauren Johnson, and Keller Hickok, is starting to prepare for the up and coming season. Alpine skiing requires strength from the mind and body to focus-in, and pass by gates while being timed going down the hill. Events are held throughout the months of December, January, and February and everyone is encouraged to get to the hills and cheer on your fellow Spartans.
Woody Hust, a senior and captain of the Alpine Ski team, started hitting the slopes at a young age “I started skiing when I was two, it runs in the family, and I’ve skiing ever since.” Hust’s favorite place to ski is either Buck Hill or Big Mountain in Montana.
“Time on task – the more I do the better.” Hust said to prepare for his competition “I don’t talk to people before my run, I just keep to myself and focus.” In order to get pumped for the big race, Hust listens to classic rock, and of course the one and only dubstep.
When asked if Alpine was worth the time and effort, he responded with “Definitely! It is the most fun you could ask for and it challenges every part of the body.” Hust says he will always ski for fun, but has not made his mind up yet on if he wants to race in college.
Lauren Johnson, a senior and captain of the team, has been skiing since she was seven and said she loves it. She said, “it is very time consuming. During the week it can be 3 hours a day at Hyland Hills, but when it is all said and done, it is always worth it.” What Johnson enjoys most “is being outside in the snow with all of my teammates and friends.”
She will ski recreationally and race at the collegiate level. When Johnson was asked if she thought Alpine was worth her time and effort, she quickly responded, “of course, and even though we have a big group of seniors leaving, we believe more students will continue to join even after we leave.”
Lucy Kearney, a sophomore, says she is part of a big ski family so she has been skiing since she was little. What Kearney enjoys most about Alpine is “It is such an amazing sport, and the people who do it are amazing and fun.”
“My mental game is really good. Skiing takes so much mental toughness that it can make or break a race,” she said. Kearney’s pre-race ritual is “Talking with my coach before my run. My sister and I used to give each other pep talks, but she went to college so that is not an option anymore.”
What pumps Kearney up before the big race? Apparently “anything with a fast tempo and a lot of bass!”
Kearney said she plans to continue skiing after high school. “Skiing is such a lifelong sport that you can ski your whole life, and I definitely plan on doing that.”
Get down to the hills and support your Alpine Ski team. Listen to announcements or check the televisions for upcoming meets, and look for Woody, Lucy and Lauren to wish them luck.
Elan Chargo is a Staff Reporter for The Spartan Speaks.
