Team

Thu, Oct  23, 2008 - By Lindsey Dehlin

What's important.  Lindsey and Liz let us know.

Lindsey Dehlin and Torin Koos.

Cross country skiing is (most of the time) an individual sport. We spend a lot of hours alone in the woods and on the trails where the only person we have to talk to is the little voice inside our head telling us to keep going or making sure we are working on our technique weaknesses. However, there are also a lot of times, like camps and traveling to races when we spend 24 hours a day with our teammates and coaches.

This is where having a good relationship with all of these people very important. Over the last few years (all right six years) I was on the Northern Michigan University ski team and was and still am very close to my teammates and coaches. Since we spent so much time together, we all knew everything about everyone and supported each other through good and bad races. Now being on the US Ski team, things are the same. We know a lot about each other, spend a lot of time together in small hotel rooms in Europe and can push each other to be stronger and faster during the toughest workouts. We can share stories about how much the time trial hurt, give advice on technique and tell a dirty joke or two. The season can get long sometimes, but surrounding yourself with a great support network can make all the difference.

- Lindsey Dehlin

USST Teammates while with the NMU team - Morgan Smyth, Lindsay Williams and Lindsey Dehlin.  Podium Sweep at NCAAs.

 

This from Liz Stephen:

 If you ever need a reminder

that this is not an individual sport

If you ever think you could do this alone

or this

think again.

This is a team sport in every way I can think of, whether it is this

or this

or facing a fear

It is not accomplished without some incredible support.  So while letting myself fall off a 160 foot bridge over a raging river was the most prominent thing on my mind that day, this is not only the most real smile I have ever seen, but was also an effort I could watch over and over. 

It was the biggest trust fall I have ever taken, but then again, the strongest arms I have ever known caught me.

No matter how individual this sport may seem on some days the times when we accomplish greatness are never done solo.

ALL IN.