LOCALadk Magazine

Winter 2017 LOCALadk Magazine 19 LOCALadk Hi, my name is Ellie Evans. I am a Nordic ski racer for NYSEF. I have lived in Lake Placid for most of my life. I don't know how old I was when I start- ed skiing but I was ver y little. When I was about five years old I started ski- ing for the Bill Koch program. I am now 12 and have been skiing for NYSEF for three years. I love skiing and hope to do it for a long time. NYSEF is one of the most fun and challenging things I have ever done. All of the team members are ver y sup- portive and funny. The coaches are awesome, and thanks to coaches like Sophie and Marge my skiing has im- proved a lot! My parents have always been ver y supportive of my skiing and pre-season training. Another wonderful thing about the program is having "Dr y Land" or pre-season training. During Dr y Land we work on agility and core through fun games. We do this until we have enough snow to start skiing. We commonly ski at Mount Van Hovenberg in Lake Placid and Dewey Mountain in Saranac Lake. When we have bigger races we get the chance to travel. I have been to two races, one in Maine and one in New Hampshire. It was a great experience competing against so many different teams. It was also fun to spend time with my teammates. Ever y Tuesday there are short races for prizes and pins at Dew- ey Mountain. Practices can be either two or three days a week. Overall I just love NYSEF so much and want to thank my coaches and my parents for this opportunity. Hello, my name is Emma Poisson and I'm 11 years old. I live in Montreal and I have been ski racing for NYSEF at Whiteface since I was eight. I would like to talk to you about my passion for alpine skiing. I don't real- ly remember the first time I skied – I was only 2 years old – but my mother tells me that I would sleep with my ski boots on. My family and I (I'm the youngest of a family of three children) started to ski throughout the moun- tains of Quebec. Ever y weekend we were discovering new mountains and new trails. We always made the same challenge: take the first lift of the day and be on the last chair at the end of the day. Good or bad weather! One day, my sister asked if she could begin ski racing. For that to happen, we had to choose a home base moun- tain and a ski club that would take the three of us. The choice was easy: Whiteface! NYSEF welcomed us with open arms. At the beginning of this adventure I didn't speak any English and I was shy. My coach Greg was ver y patient with me and took his time to make me un- derstand the exercises. Now I'm a U12 second year; I will start my fourth sea- son of ski racing, I am bilingual, and I have a lot of friends. I love this moun- tain because it is suitable for all types of skiers. The diversity of the trails allows me to practice my technique on all types of surfaces and to be pre- pared for all possible race conditions. ''Let's not forget, it is the highest ver- tical east of the Rockies,'' my dad is always saying! NYSEF became a second family for me. I always look for ward to going to Whiteface on the weekend. All the people at the mountain are nice and welcoming. The coaches are extraor- dinar y. They always have something new to offer, like a new drill to im- prove our technique. They help us not only to become top skiers, but also to stay passionate about skiing: ski for the pure pleasure of it, in any condi- tion, in the rain, the cold, at the races, and on free ski days. I am happy to practice my favorite sport, with extraordinar y people, in an exceptionally beautiful region. I love to work and train hard. I am proud to stand on the podium after a race with my NYSEF coat and hat, and I'm happy for my friends when they too reach the podium. Thanks NYSEF for including me among your athletes and your great family. Ellie Evans Emma Poisson

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