Two-Time Olympian Trains, Talks Mental Toughness with KUA Skiers
More than 30 Kimball Union Academy student-athletes were afforded the rare opportunity to train alongside a two-time Olympian this week, and pick up a few tips on mental fortitude that are likely to prove useful far beyond the slopes.
KUA’s Alpine and Freeski teams spent a recent afternoon honing their technique and discussing mental-training tactics with former U.S. Ski Team downhill racer Doug Lewis. A native of Middlebury, Vermont, Lewis competed in the downhill in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and won a bronze medal in the event at the 1985 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
“It was an amazing opportunity,” Alpine coach Lee Morse said. “Having a two-time Olympian and World Championships medalist come around who loves to coach and share how he found success is exactly why I asked Doug to work with our teams. Life lessons through sports leads to growth and the ability to become resilient and successful.”
After a few hours on their home training grounds at Mount Sunapee, members of the ski teams gathered inside the resort’s Competition Center to hear what it took to make a 5-foot, 9-inch Vermonter standout among the giants of the elite-skiing world. Lewis reminded the student-athletes that, “most races are lost more than they’re won,” and credited his focus and grit as being what separated him from other aspiring racers.
Lewis then led the group in a brainstorming session in which they listed potential distractions that could impact their performance, as well as strategies and tactics for overcoming those distractions.
“These strategies will help us be competitive at races and make our training more productive,” said Alpine skier Henry Steffen ’25. “As Doug said, ‘mindset wins races.’ You can be the most talented skier on the hill, but if you have a bad mindset, you will lose to someone with a better mindset. Of course, it takes a lot of training and practice too, but if you are not determined to finish the race or willing to take risks on the course, you will not win.”
Lewis also showed the Wildcats a short film created by NBC during the 2002 Winter Olympics in which he was rigged with a camera to give viewers a ski racer’s perspective of Salt Lake City’s high-speed downhill course. Student-athletes watched in awe as their guest speaker reached speeds upwards of 97 mph.
KUA skiers also made sure to get the most out of the interaction, and asked Lewis questions about top speeds, the physical toll of skiing, and what it’s like competing at the Olympics. Then, Lewis offered up some parting words of advice.
“To maximize your potential, it’s all about hard work, grit, and setting goals,” he said, reminding them that he’ll be keeping an eye on their progress throughout the season. “You all have what it takes if you stay focused and committed to those goals.”
Both teams are early in the season with time left to apply the lessons learned. The Alpine team will wrap up its season Feb. 12 when it cohosts the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Alpine (NEPSAC) Skiing Championship at Mount Sunapee. The Freeski team will end its season with a slopestyle competition at Okemo Mountain on Feb. 26.
