Courses
Hometown:
Salt Lake City, Utah
Primary Sport & Specialty:
Alpine Ski Racing – Super G/Downhill/GS
Sports background:
Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Football
Other Interests:
Water Skiing, Hunting, Camping, and every sport you can think of.
Your favorite thing about skiing/ski racing:
I love the adrenaline involved. I have not found anything else in life that makes my blood pump like ski racing does. I love being scared and trying to stand up to the occasion.
What has your sport taught you?
Sport has taught me everything. The biggest lesson has been perseverance and being ok with failure and learning from it. Sport pushes you to be better every day. It also beats you down and learning how to build yourself back up is extremely valuable in sport and in life.
What inspires/motivates you?
I love when people doubt me. I get an immense amount of motivation when I can tell someone doubts my abilities. Love proving people wrong!
Power fuel of choice:
Pancakes! Throw on some peanut butter, protein powder, chocolate chips and some maple syrup and I am fired up for the day.
Favorite workout or exercise:
Love box jumps. Makes the heart and the legs feel like an actual ski race. Also great for coordination and agility.
Your most valuable mental skill & why?
In ski racing specifically, visualization is key to my mental state and ability to execute on race day. I know that I can memorize every bump on the race hill and be proactive in my race run, I will have an advantage. This gives me confidence and calms the nerves on race day!
Favorite ski resort in the US:
Have to say Squaw Valley, California.
Favorite race venue in the world:
Kitzbuhel.
My Advice to Jr Athletes:
Trust yourself. Coaches are tools for you to leverage to make yourself better. However, no one knows you as good as you know yourself. Play with elements in your skiing and discover what works for you. Once you learn that you can be a coach to yourself, a whole new world opens!
My motto:
“Headfirst, eyes closed, can’t lose” – do everything full gas, even if you’re not comfortable with the situation!
Follow Sam on Insta:
@itsliterallysam