2/23/09 WEEKLY UPDATE

THE EPIC RUN
Some thoughts on winning, shredding, and having the run of your life... any day, every day.

Andrew Holson cork 3 Japan

Mark Preschern rippin' da woods

Sean Kennedy 5 blunt

...As my elementary school gym teacher would say after a game of kickball when asked the final score (and he really did, this isn't some cliche to make you dry-heave!) -- "those who had fun, won."
...As coach Franky P can be heard saying daily, "PMA -- Positive Mental Attitude, brutha!!"
...As parent Matt Preschern expressed in a conversation this weekend, "Just SKI... it's all about just skiing!"

I chose the three photos above -- and the quotes that follow -- for a very specific reason: they embody an approach to sports, skiing, competing, and life that, I believe, is the path to success.

From the 10 year-old who is in the gate trying to qualify for Eastern Championships, to the 17 year-old who is trying to "get the shot" in front of a pro videographer's lens, there is a very important piece of preparation that will win the day, moreso than any other bit of technical coaching. What I am talking about is one's mindset, or "inner game," if you will... the focus on fun, positivity, and placing greatest importance on doing what we do simply because of one's love for the sport, that will put one in a position to ski the run of his or her life -- wherever, whenever.

I think you can see this attitude in the photos above -- our skiers are performing at an amazing level. Even though Sean doesn't have a bib on, Holson is only "soul-skiing,"and Mark is turning through the trees and not in a bump course, they are shredding their hearts out, and loving it. The point of my ramblings, in short, is that come competition day, why should one's mindset, priorities, and level of confidence be any different than on the day these photos were captured???

Good luck and congrats to our team as we approach Eastern Championships, the Mount Snow Open, Superunknown Finals, and any other opportunity to put your hard work to the test. Have fun with it, and you will all be winners.

A Freeride...
Below is the link to invitations/registration for A slopestyle Eastern Championships -- Peterson, Galloway, Buller, Talkington, Kennedy, Landy (Bunt and Holby will probably get in as people decline and list advances through alternates...)

• We will be going to Mt Snow to train on Thursday.
• Event is Friday -- a van will be leaving early Friday morning from Ludlow.
• Please accept invitation and register IMMEDIATELY, as they expire 48 hours from when they were posted.
  

http://services.easternfreestyle.org/invitations/invitation.php?inv=0

A Moguls...
A Mogul Eastern Championships at Killington this weekend... Karns and Heitsmith, Congrats! Though Heitsy is in another hemisphere right now...

• Karns, register immediately!!
• Training Friday, Singles Saturday.
  

http://services.easternfreestyle.org/invitations/invitation.php?inv=4


B Moguls / Freeride...
Hey team, below are links to invitations/registration for Regional Championships... please accept and register IMMEDIATELY, as invites expire 48 hours after being posted. Congratulations for all of your efforts and good luck in these invitational events!!

Female Mogul Skiers -- Whyte, Craig...
http://services.easternfreestyle.org/invitations/invitation.php?inv=43

Male mogul skiers -- Provance, Pawlak, Kaufman, Backe (alternate)...
http://services.easternfreestyle.org/invitations/invitation.php?inv=42

Male Slopestyle competitors -- Pawlak, Backe, Sturm, Provance (alternate)...
http://services.easternfreestyle.org/invitations/invitation.php?inv=44

Thanks and have a great week!
-Marks