Aaliyah was a two-time Alaska Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year and three-time All-State performer at Dimond High School in Anchorage. In her first two seasons at Alabama State University, Aaliyah ranked among the top collegiate offensive players in the nation. Aaliyah set a bevy of school records and earned All-Southwest Athletic Conference honors in 2013 and 2014. A business marketing major, she was on the academic Honor Roll in the spring of 2015. Her twin sister, Ariela, also plays soccer at Alabama State.
Aelin grew up in Unalakleet and Fairbanks. While at West Valley High School, she was a two-time state high school ski champion and was ranked as the top junior female skier in the United States for three years. She raced on the World Juniors and World University Games teams while in college at Northern Michigan University, where she earned a degree in Economics with a 3.97 GPA. She later left a corporate finance job to pursue her dream of skiing at the Olympics, and succeeded by representing the U.S. at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Aelin retired from competitive ski racing in 2004 but remains passionate about promoting health and fitness in Alaska. Nowadays, she stays busy with parenthood and her role as a Healthy Futures Spokesperson.
A native of New Hampshire, Aliy moved to Alaska in 1990 and is a longtime resident of Two Rivers near Fairbanks, where she “enjoys the community and the surrounding wild lands.” In 2000, she won the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race and remains its only female champion.
From 2001-15, Aliy completed the Iditarod every year and placed 2nd three times. She is also a two-time winner of the coveted humanitarian award. In 2015, Aliy earned the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame's Trajan Langdon Award for Leadership, Sportsmanship and Inspiration.
Aliy, who is married to fellow musher Allen Moore, says Alaskan huskies are the focus of their lives.
"We have some of the most talented, fun-loving, dedicated sled dogs in the world, so racing them on the largest stage in the world – the Iditarod — seems only fitting!" she says.
When not mushing dogs, Aliy enjoys hiking and drinking good coffee.
At age 6, Allan began running in his hometown of Wasilla. He later joined the University of Alaska Fairbanks cross country team and experienced his running breakthrough by winning the 2014 Crow Pass Crossing in a time previously bested by only three individuals. He followed up with a speedy win at the Resurrection Pass 50-mile race and thereafter landed a sponsorship with the Salomon Trail Running Team.
Allan works as a facilities engineer at ARCTEC Alaska, the company that runs the Alaska Long Range Radar System.
While growing up in Palmer, Andrew dreamed of one day representing his country on the wrestling mat and won multiple state wrestling titles. But at age 13 in 2005, Andrew became partially paralyzed in his legs after an ATV accident. Two years later, while representing the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Andrew was introduced to the Challenge Alaska program and fell in love with skiing. Andrew now represents his country not as a wrestler but as a skier and raced at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
Andrew also competes as a bodybuilder, works as a country music disc jockey and chronicles his adventures on and off the slopes in YouTube videos.
Bobby, a powerlifter from Eagle River, is one of the most decorated Special Olympians in Alaska. In 2003, he won two gold medals in his weight class and finished third overall at the World Games in Ireland. Four years later, Bobby, who has Down Syndrome won four silver medals at the World Games in China. He is also known and loved as the unofficial mascot for the Anchorage Aces hockey team and was inaugurated into the team's Hall of Fame in 2015.
A state champion runner growing up in tiny Glennallen, Christy Marvin (nee Virgin) went on to compete collegiately at Colorado State University. Later, as a mother of three boys living in Palmer, she became the first person to sweep all six races in the Alaska Mountain Runners Grand Prix Series in a single season. Christy also won the Mount Marathon Race in 2013, holds the Equinox Marathon course record and posted the second-fastest women's time ever in the Crow Pass Crossing.
Damen grew up in Hydaburg, a small village in Southeast Alaska. Damen, an Alaska Native, says that growing up he was surrounded by poverty, drug abuse, partying, and other reckless behavior. Fortunately, his basketball skills provided an opportunity to pursue his dreams. After graduating from Ketchikan High School as an All State basketball player, Damen played NCAA basketball at Oral Roberts University and graduated from college. A 6-foot-9 power forward, he played so well at ORU that he landed a career as a professional basketball player. Damen was briefly a member of the Boston Celtics and competed in Turkey for the 2014-15 season. He spends time talking with at-risk youth as much as he can. "I told them, if I can come from a small village in Alaska to playing at the Division 1 level, then anything is possible for them. I want them to dream so BIG that it seems impossible."
Damon was born and raised in Anchorage and graduated from Bartlett High. He led the Golden Bears to a state championship in 2011 and was a three-time All State selection. After playing one year for a junior college in Texas, the 6-foot-5 guard realized his dream of playing Division I basketball and had an outstanding career at Colgate University, an institution regarded for its high academic and athletic standards.
David is the most accomplished long jumper to come out of Alaska. A two-time Alaska state high school champion, he then won the NCAA Division II National Championship at UAA and was a three-time All American in track and field. David is also an talented sprinter. He is a dual citizen of United States and Dominica (a Caribbean island) and currently represents Dominica in international long jumping competitions. He won a silver medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games and hopes to qualify for the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil.
Dean is the all-time leading scorer in University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Aces hockey history. At 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, Dean relied on his smarts and exceptional skills to make up for lack of size. Dean was drafted by the NHL's Calgary Flames before playing for the Aces from 1995-2003. Dean is a member of the UAA Seawolf Hall of Fame and had his Aces jersey retired. He received a 2003 State of Alaska Legislative Citation for career achievement and outstanding contribution to the State of Alaska.
Dick Mize came to Alaska to serve at Fort Richardson, discovered biathlon and then competed in the 1960 Olympics. He was a longtime local teacher and principal as well as cross-country running and skiing coach at Dimond High School. A pioneer for Nordic skiing and biathlon in Alaska, he helped design and construct local trails such as Kincaid Park and Hillside. A World Masters ski champion, Mize remains involved in the local ski scene, both as a racer and a volunteer, and can still be spotted on his namesake loop at Kincaid. Dick was inducted in the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.
Ellyn was always an adventurous outdoor enthusiast but didn't try a sport until she began running 5Ks and 10Ks in her 30's. She came to love mountain running after competing in the Mount Marathon Race in 1982 and has only missed the grueling event once since then. Among her many accomplishments, Ellyn holds the race's 60-69 age-group record. Ellyn also loves to swim, bike, orienteer, do triathlons and work out in the gym. Since retiring from teaching, she has helped coach women inmates at Hiland Correctional Prison. Even more than the actual races, Ellyn cherishes the time she spends training with friends in beautiful places and traveling with them to events in scenic areas.
With five wins and eight second-place finishes, Eric Heil is easily the most successful skier ever at the Arctic Man Classic, a wild competition in the Hoodoo Mountains where a skier, aided by a snowmachiner, exceeds speeds of 80 miles per hour.
Eric has competed in nearly every Arctic Man since 1991 and first won in 1993, when he was a recent graduate of the University of Alaska-Anchorage and pursuing a spot on the U.S. Ski Team.
As a longtime physical education and health teacher at Goldenview Middle School in Anchorage, Eric understands the important of physical activity for youth. When not skiing or teaching, Eric spends his summers as captain of his longline salmon fishing boat in Bristol Bay.
Eric Strabel is best known as the guy who broke Bill Spencer's 32-year-old record at the 2013 Mount Marathon Race.
He has also helped countless youth as a ski coach with the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Program.
Eric grew up in Palmer, was a champion runner and skier at Colony High School and then competed successfully in both those sports at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, where he is now a member of its sports Hall of Fame.
Though Strabel's Mount Marathon record was broken in 2015, he still holds some of the fastest times there and at other iconic Alaska running races such as the Crow Pass Crossing, Matanuska Peak Challenge and Equinox Marathon.
Eric received the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame's Pride of Alaska director's award in 2014.
Erik represented the USA at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in cross country skiing and was a member of the 6th place men's sprint classic team. Erik won three Junior National Championships and was an All-American at the University of Alaska Anchorage before joining the APU Nordic Ski Program and winning two US National Championships. When Erik is not training, the native of Winthrop, Washington, likes exploring the Alaskan outdoors, fishing and spending time enjoying nature.
Known as the "Huslia Hustler", George established himself as the best sprint dog musher in the world. He won 10 Fur Rendezvous World Championship sprint dog titles in Anchorage and eight North American Open sprint dog titles in Fairbanks and energized the small Native communities of the Far North and inspired thousands of Alaskans in the 1950's, 60's and 70's. George still mushed dogs and was actively involved in a youth mushing program he established in his hometown of Huslia before his death in 2015. He was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in its inaugural class.
Hilary Lindh grew up in Juneau and at age 16 won the downhill title at the 1986 U.S. national championships. Days later, she stunned the world by becoming the first American to win the downhill at the World Junior Championships. For the next 11 years, she shined nationally and internationally. Highlighting Hilary's career were a silver medal in the downhill at the 1992 Winter Olympics and a gold medal at the 1997 World Championships.
While coaching full-time at the Alaska Pacific University nordic program, Holly surprised many by qualifying to ski at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She then focused on competitive skiing and returned to the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Competing on the World Cup, Holly posted several top-10 individual finishes and was a member of the U.S. women’s relay team that won a historic bronze medal in 2012. She won two U.S. national championships as well as the American Birkebeiner. As a mountain runner in Alaska, she has claimed races at Mount Marathon, Lost Lake, Bird Ridge and Government Peak.
Holly also is involved with the Fast and Female group and is a spokesperson for Healthy Futures, where she has spent countless hours helping inspire kids in Alaska and beyond.
Holly, who is from Washington state, is pursuing a counseling psychology degree at APU and is interested in becoming a sports psychologist.
Born and raised in Anchorage, James started skiing as a freshman at Service High School after failing to make the school's basketball team. Eventually he developed into an elite distance Nordic skier and competed in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.
James also won five U.S. national championships and the Tour of Anchorage twice.
Southam graduated from APU with a degree in business.
Janice Tower is a lifelong Alaskan who has dedicated herself to volunteer service and promoting cycling. She is the director of Mighty Bikes, a program teaching children to mountain bike, and the president of Singletrack Advocates, which builds mountain biking trails in Anchorage. Janice is an ultradistance cyclist and a certified cycling coach. Janice was a nationally ranked alpine racer until knee injuries forced her to stop skiing. Not to be sidelined, she took up whitewater kayaking, marathon canoe racing, telemarking, windsurfing, and finally, competitive cycling. Janice enjoys mountain biking and road racing and has established herself as an elite endurance racer.
Juneau native Jim Shine excelled as a runner at Western States College, where he was part of the Division II national championship cross country team in 1999. His times of 13:59 for 5,000 meters and 28:53 for 10,000 meters rank among the five fastest ever run by an Alaskan. After a lengthy hiatus from competitive running, Jim took up mountain racing and quickly set records at Bird Ridge, Government Peak and Knoya Ridge. He also posted the fifth fastest time in Mount Marathon history in 2015. Jim became a father in 2015 and works as the Acting Deputy Director at the Alaska State Division of Natural Resources.
For five seasons, Joey played hockey at the highest level — the National Hockey League. In his best year, 2011-12, he notched a career-high 26 points in 67 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He represented Team USA in the 2012 World Cup. Also in 2012, he came home to Anchorage to play for the Alaska Aces when the NHL was on strike. Joey, a graduate of Dimond High School, returns to Anchorage during the off season and spends some time at community events for children supporting Healthy Futures.
A Team Universe Fitness Champion and multi-time state champion bodybuilder, Karen is also a mother of three and a trainer for Special Olympics Alaska athletes.
"As a mother, my greatest priority is to present an image of a healthy, fit, competitive woman who embraces challenges, accepts defeat, and overcomes obstacles," Patten told bodybuilding.com in 2006.
Patten knows first-hand the benefits of being in shape.
"Keeping myself strong makes me healthier in all ways; physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Fitness is the tool that allows that to happen, and I am grateful to be a part of this sport," she said.
Kikkan is the best American female cross country skier ever. A standout runner and skier at East High School in Anchorage, 19-year-old Kikkan made her Olympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002. Thereafter, she has competed in three more Olympics and has achieved numerous milestones including first American woman to win a World Cup gold medal and first American woman – and second American ever – to win a World Championship medal. Perhaps her biggest triumphs are her three World Cup overall sprint titles. She has also been inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, an honor rarely bestowed upon athletes before they retire. Kikkan also gives back to Alaskan communities through her role as a Healthy Futures spokesperson and Fast and Female organizer.
Kris was the first Alaskan to win an Olympic medal, proving that Alaskans belong on the world’s biggest sporting stage. A 1978 graduate of West High in Anchorage, Thorsness didn’t learn to row until she was at the University of Wisconsin. She was good enough to get the attention of national team coaches, but at 5-foot-9, 150 pounds, she was tiny by rowing standards. But she was strong, fit and hard-working and overcame all doubters to win gold as a member of the Team USA's women's 8 rowing team. Kris earned several World Championship rowing medals and was inducted into the U.S. Rowing Hall of Fame and Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.
One of the greatest runners in Alaska history, as Kristi Klinnert she never lost a cross country race in high school and was named the 1986 Alaska Sportsperson of the Year. The Kodiak star went on to become a three-time NCAA Division I All-American at Northern Arizona, where she set conference and school records in the 10-K. She qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon and 10-K and in 1995 won a bronze medal in the marathon at the World University Games.
Kristi, a mother of two, remains active as a runner and triathlete, a youth running coach and as a volunteer for various running events.
Lars, of Anchorage, won numerous national championships in Nordic skiing and competed at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics, along with four World Championships. Perhaps his great legacy beginning in 2011, however, is creating and directing the NANA Nordic/Skiku programs, which has taught thousands of kids to ski in 40 Alaska villages and provided them with equipment to keep skiing.
Laura was a two-time Alaska Player of the Year who averaged an astounding 33 points per game as a senior at East Anchorage High School in 1997. She was also a state champion sprinter. A 5-foot-4 point guard, Laura went on to play Division I basketball at Ohio State and the University of Nevada.
In 2010, Lauren, of Anchorage, took her son to a jiu-jitsu martial arts class and decided to join an adult class. She fell in love with mixed Mixed Martial Arts and that same year began fighting as a professional. Lauren has since moved to Arizona and is a ranked bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Lex grew up in Anchorage where he was a state-champion skier at West High School. He then skied for the University of Alaska Anchorage — placing second at NCAAs in the freestyle race as a freshman — and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. On his 25th birthday in 2015, Lex earned a silver medal in the U.S. Nationals 30-K classic. He is also an accomplished runner who holds the third-fastest time ever at the Bird Ridge mountain race.
Liam grew up skating in Fairbanks in sub-zero temperatures and eventually became a U.S. national champion speedskater with Olympic aspirations. In 2009, a terrifying on-ice crash left him in a coma and on life support for a week, but he recovered and made a bid for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. Now retired from competitive skating, instead of zipping around the oval at 40 mph he devotes energy to the the non-profit organization he founded, Driven to Move, and its mission of promoting healthy lifestyles for youth.
In 1985, Libby was virtually unknown and living in tiny Teller when she mushed through a fierce storm and into history as the first woman to win the Iditarod. She had moved to Alaska at age 16 from Minnesota and took up mushing after watching a sprint race. Libby garnered considerable fame after her Iditarod victory, wrote three books about her adventures and became a motivational speaker. In 2007, her Iditarod victory was inducted as a "Moment" into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. These days, she lives in Homer with 28 sled dogs and promotes mushing through Princess Cruises.
A former football and basketball star, Ma'o Tosi is a community leader who works with at-risk youth in Anchorage. After moving to Anchorage from San Diego in 1989, Ma'o was in and out of trouble as a youth before he discovered sports. He was a multi-sport star at East High School and went on to play professional football for the Arizona Cardinals. After his football career ended he returned to Anchorage. Frustrated with the increasing problems among teenagers with gun violence and gangs, Ma'o decided to do something about it. He is the founder and director of AK Pride (which provides Anchorage teens a place to focus on academics and activities such as dancing and sports), ran for the 2014 Anchorage Asssembly and helped start the community action group We Are Anchorage.
Mario is the most successful basketball player to grow up in Alaska, having won championships at every level while hitting big shots every step of the way. At Bartlett High School in Anchorage, Mario was a three-time Alaska Player of the Year. At the University of Kansas, he was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 NCAA Final Four after he drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with 2 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in the championship game. In the NBA, Mario has won two championships with sidekicks LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. He is also a winner off the court, creating the Mario V. Chalmers Foundation, which provides funding for a wide range of community organizations from inspiring youth activities to helping women with breast cancer.
Marko inspired many through his record-setting performances as a runner for the University of Alaska Anchorage. But the Kenyan inspired even more people by what he’s done after disappearing into the winter woods for 55 hours in late-2011, an ordeal that resulted in the amputation of both his feet. Thrust into the limelight, he thereafter worked to overcome depression and spoke openly about the topic. Cheseto earned a degree in nutrition, entered graduate school and became a graduate assistant coach for the UAA cross country team. Wearing special prostheses, he also returned to running competitions and aspires to compete in the 2016 Paralympics.
Martin is widely regarded as one of the top dog sled racers in the world. A native of Switzerland, he moved to Alaska in 1979 and has won the Iditarod Sled Dog Race four times. In 2002, after setting a race record of 8 days and 22 hours that lasted nine years, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Martin has also won the coveted Leonard Seppala Award for humanitarian treatment of dogs an unprecedented five times, and is widely respected for the way that he treats his dogs. “They are the true heroes of the trail,” Martin says of his canines. The Iditarod Hall of Fame candidate formerly worked as a youth counselor and still speaks to youth about the human care of animals. He resides in Big Lake, the site of his Happy Trails Kennels.
In 2006, Matt won college hockey’s top individual award, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, while at the University of Denver. He was picked 47th overall in the 2003 NHL draft, made the All-Rookie Team and has been in the league nearly continuously since 2005. The Anchorage native has played for San Jose, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay and is regarded as one of the league's top defensemen, having scored more than 270 points in the NHL.
Col. Norman Vaughan embodied the spirit of the north. Always upbeat, always energetic, always dreaming, Norman moved to Alaska after traveling to Antarctica to handle dogs for explorer Admiral Richard Byrd in 1928. Later he fought in World War II. At an age when most men retire, Norman embarked on new adventures. He competed in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in his 70s, and in 1994, to commemorate his 89th birthday, Vaughan scaled 10,302-foot Mount Vaughan, the mountain Byrd named for him in Antarctica. Norman died in Anchorage in 2005, only days after his 100th birthday. At the time he was still dreaming, trying to coax one more grand adventure out of a life.
Pam Dreyer was the first Alaskan named to the U.S. Olympic women's hockey team and won a bronze medal at the 2006 games. She also won a silver medal at the 2004 World Championships after making 25 of 27 saves against Canada in the championship game.
Her path to the Olympics as a goaltender included two surgeries and intense rehabilitation after tearing her rotator cuff in November, 2004, while diving to make a save.
"For me to be able to come back from my injury and be able to compete was something I'll always remember," Pam told the Alaska Star in 2006.
A graduate of Chugiak High School, Pam attended Brown University of the Ivy League, where she earned a degree in human biology and led the nation with save percentage as a sophomore.
Dreyer now lives in Anchorage and works as a safety and wellness advisor for BP.
Rachel is among the top American female performers ever in biathlon, which combines nordic ski racing with shooting skills. After gravitating to biathlon while attending Service High School in 1992, Rachel became a nine-time national champion. She also finished as high as 12th in a World Cup race and competed at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics. Growing up in Anchorage she competed in swimming, cross country skiing, track and triathlons. Her hobbies include hunting, fishing, sailing and adventure sports — and now motherhood.
Sadie is an Olympic cross country skier from Washington state who lives in Anchorage and trains with the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Club. Sadie made her Olympic debut in 2014 and placed 18th in the 10-kilometer classic. She scored her highest individual World Cup finish in 2014, taking seventh in the 10k classic. Sadie also won a silver medal in a World Cup team sprint event in 2012 and was a member of the fourth-place relay team at the 2013 World Championships. When she's not training, Bjornsen enjoys spending time in the mountains on skis, foot, on a bike or in climbing gear. She also loves listening to techno music and dancing. Despite her busy athletic life, in 2015 Sadie earned dual-diplomas — while graduating Summa Cum Laude — from APU in accounting and nonprofit business management; she next plans to pursue an MBA. Sadie frequently helps organizations such as Healthy Futures and Fast and Female.
Scooter was a prolific talent as a high school athlete at Monroe Catholic in Fairbanks. In basketball, he was named Alaska Player of the Year and helped his team win multiple state championships. In football he was named All-State at multiple positions. But baseball is Scooter's first love. He was drafted by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds in 2014 and now plays collegiately for Arizona Western.
Stan Justice is a 6-time champion of Fairbanks' Equinox Marathon whose record run of 2:41:30 from 1984 still stands. He grew up near Denver, Colorado, and raced up high peaks in the Rockies before moving to Alaska in the 1970s and becoming an environmental engineer. Though no longer a competitive runner, Justice stays busy as a climber, mountaineer, hiker, ballroom dancer and community activist.
Tommy will always be Alaska’s Golden Boy. He sent Alaska into a happy frenzy — and the rest of the world into shock — by winning the downhill at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. Four days later, he claimed the silver medal in the super-G, becoming the first American skier to win two medals at the same Olympics. Injuries hampered him in subsequent seasons, and he retired following the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, where he finished eighth in the super-G and 12th in the downhill. Tommy, who now lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, spent part of his childhood in Girdwood and returns to Alaska as a founder and partner in the Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, where he leads skiing, fishing and rafting outings.
Trajan is the first Alaskan to play in the NBA after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1999. Trajan led his East High School team in Anchorage to three consecutive Alaska large-school state championships. Trajan then had an All-American career at Duke University, where he set records for 3-point shooting, and played in the NCAA championship game. After three seasons in the NBA, Trajan played in Europe for more than a decade, winning multiple Euroleague Championships and being named to the Euroleague All-Decade team. For all the accolades he earned over his basketball career, Trajan was equally regarded for his quality of character on and off the court. The Alaska Sports Hall of Fame named its annual award to a person for integrity and leadership the "Trajan Langdon Award" in his honor.
Tyler was born and raised in Anchorage, attended Service High School and graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a mechanical engineering degree in 2013. In 2010 at Anchorage's Kincaid Park, he became the youngest U.S. National Nordic Ski Champion in history by winning the classic sprint at age 18. Two years later, he won the same title in Rumford, Maine. Now a member of the APU elite team, he competed at the 2014 Under-23 World Championships in Italy and finished that season with a sprint bronze at U.S. Spring Nationals in Anchorage.
There’s something to admire in just about everyone I meet, but there’s nobody that I admire more than my Mom.
My brother Laauli and his wife Tee. Laauli and Tee, supported me through high school. My brother told me “if I was going to school and playing sports, that I would not have to work”. He and his wife worked long hours to make sure I would play sports. They rarely missed any of my games and were usually the loudest ones there. If it wasn’t for them, I would not be here.
People who love what they do, and are passionate about doing their best at whatever they choose. That is contagious and inspires others to be their best and to find a passion.
My wife Megan. She went back to college after her ski career and achieved straight A’s and is now a school teacher
Brian Randazzo, Nicole Johnston, ‘Big Bob’ Aiken, Jesse Frankson and David Thomas are my hero’s because they embody the positive intrinsic values of Alaska Native Games. These all-star, record-holders achieve excellence, with the up-most humility and respect. Brian Randazzo though, has undoubtedly been my inspiration as long as I’ve heard about him and is a hero to me and many.
I don't have one true hero, but I always have a lot of respect for people who made the most of their ability and still take the time to give back to others. I love helping and giving tips to people who want to become better athletes.
My sister has always been a role model and a hero of mine. She is smart and a successful skier, two characteristics I've always admired. I just try to follow in her footsteps.
My parents are the most influential people in my life and both my mom and dad I would call my heroes. Raising my siblings and I and keeping our family so close, even when we live so far away is something I'm proud of and hope I can do when I start a family of my own.
I really don't have any individual hero. But heroes are anyone who has gone out of their way to help another. Someone who has been through something amazingly difficult and turned it into something positive. Those are my heroes.
I have so very many amazing Alaskan heroes. Nancy Pease may be my biggest hero, as she is equally as strong as most men. She holds records in brutally difficult mountain runs, and has numerous accomplishments in her resume. Bill Spencer for many of the same reasons, a strong skier and mountain runner and orienteer. Both these two are among the most modest athletes I know. But I would be remiss not to mention so many others, Dick Mize, Marcie Trent, Kikkan Randall, Holly Brooks, Eric Strabel, Harlow Robinson, Brad Precosky, Christy Marvin, Louis Mass, Billy Crumm, and I could go on and on. I would not be the athlete I am, were I not know these people.
My parents led by example the value of a strong work ethic. They always believed in me and have been there to support and encourage me. They taught me to dream big…”somebody’s got to be the fast girl! Why not you?!”
Almost everyone I meet has something I admire. I try to figure out how I can become better by learning from what he does well.
My hero is my neighbor, Dick Griffith. Dick is an 87-year-old adventurer who has walked and skied the entire perimeter of the Arctic coast. He took me on hikes when I was a kid and showed me the wonders of being in the Chugach Mountains. Dick has volunteered countless hours on trail projects and for the Eagle River Nature Center. He inspires me to be adventurous, reach for difficult challenges and share my knowledge with others to encourage their participation. His advice to me: Never stop racing! Dick did his last Wilderness Classic at 81 years of age.
I most admire people who are genuinely tough. Tough to their core. I think that are a lot of "no name" people in the world who fit that bill. These people generally aren't the 'big names' that you see on bulletin boards or million dollar sponsorship contracts. There was a Russian sailor, Valdamir Albonav, who survived an amazing journey in the early 1900's. He kept a journal during this journey and it was published with the title "In the Land of White Death".
All of the masters athletes who are very competitive and still enjoy their sports. They give us younger guys something to chase and show us a future we can look forward to. Having graduated from Colony High Eric Strabel has been a sports figure of legendary proportion for me since middle school. As an adult I have realized that it is his focus and planning that leads to success.
I wouldn't say I have one but I really look up to Kevin Garnett because of the way he brings it every single day. I've heard is work ethic is one of the best in the league. I have a handful of coaches and mentors I really respect and I am thankful for too.
Ken Griffey Jr. because he had the purest lefty bat of all time. Also he will be a hall of famer without using any performance enhancing drugs.
My parents. They were hugely supportive and encouraging for my brother and I to try many sports and helped us become so devoted when we were older. It would have been a lot easier for them to let barriers stand in the way, but they broke them down. My Dad, for example, went out and created trails and built teams that we needed to participate in running and skiing.
If I had to pick only one, I might say the pro cyclist Taylor Phinney. He is pretty young, around my age, and he is a good example of what an American with a serious work ethic can do in a sport that has been dominated by Europeans. He is known for keeping it fun in a sport that’s really, really difficult, like training and racing as a pro cyclist
My family - they always have supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams. Work Hard, and believe!
My parents have had a huge influence in my life and I know I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today without them. They allowed me to pursue my dream from day 1 and never pushed me to do something that I didn't want to do, and I think my love for hockey came naturally because of that. Another person I really look up to and owe a lot to is Scott Gomez, without him paving the way for myself and other hockey players, Alaskan hockey wouldn't be where it is today.
I wouldn't necessary say that I have a "hero" as I have always found the hidden gems of people's characteristics whether athletically or not and try to duplicate these.
Steve Prefontaine has always been a hero of mine because he always wanted to get the best possible effort he could out of himself, not just what it took to win. He ran with guts and pushed his own limits and that is the way I like to race!
My husband is one of my biggest heros and role models I admire. He always tries to do the right thing and is very kind. He is also really, really smart. I admire people who chase their dreams and work hard for them, and inspire others to do the same. I like it best when those people are kind to others and share their success with other people.
My mother, she confronts her own fears, doubts, and tackling "Denali-size" challenges like moving to Alaska as a single mother, with a smile. Her work ethic and unconditional love, instilled a deep sense of belief in myself that I can take on any goal or challenge....so long as my will and work are my absolute best.
In 2005, I entered my first national fitness competition in New York City, and came in LAST place. Coming home, I tried to figure out what went wrong. My first inclination was to make excuses and blame the judges. Then I realized that I wouldn’t be able to grow from the experience and move on to become a better athlete unless I accepted the loss. So I did, and it wasn’t too bad. I learned a lot from the experience, more than I had learned from any win, and feel I’ve become a better competitor for it. I’ve learned that there’s satisfaction in knowing that I worked hard and that I don’t need a trophy to have a sense of achievement. I’ve learned that my children love me even when I don’t win, and they probably love me just a little bit more for showing them how to lose with grace and dignity. I’ve learned that humility and determination combine to make the greatest motivator, and with a touch of stubborn pride thrown in, it’s a recipe for success. I turned failure into success because I did not quit. I took something far more valuable than a trophy away from the experience. I was able to come back in 2006 to the same competition, and this time, I won.
I don’t have just one big disappointment in sports. However, I do have many smaller ones that helped motivate me as an athlete.
I blew out my ACL on a trial run a couple of years ago. I hit a jump out on the trail, I missed my landing, and I felt something give. I dedicated myself to rehab, I never missed a day, and I came back more prepared than before.
It doesn’t matter how long you exercise or what activity you choose for your exercise. It matters that you get out and do it every day!
I was cut by the Arizona Cardinals in 2003. I was very depressed and thought that my life was over. I ended up moving back to Anchorage, getting married and starting a family. I started a program called the Ma’o Tosi’s PRIDE PROGRAM with Communities In Schools. I had to pick myself up and get moving with my life.
He ran everywhere. If you served under his command in the military, the only time that you were permitted to walk was if you were with a higher ranking officer who was walking. – Norman Vaughan’s wife Carolyn on Norman
In 2001 I had a horrible (Iditarod) race. But I took it as a motivator. I coined the phrase “worst to first” that year. That was my motto and then in 2002 I set a speed record.
Make sure the activities or sports you choose are fun and enjoyable. Make daily activity a part of your healthy lifestyle.
I try to go to the gym 5 days a week. I lift weights and either ride the bike or run for 40 minutes.
I started forming good habits early on, so now it’s no problem for me to work out three times a week from 5:30 AM to 7:00 AM.
I lived a remote part of Interior Alaska with my family until I was around 8 years old when I contracted tuberculosis in my knee and was sent away to a hospital. At that time the only known way to keep use of my leg was to be put in traction so I was forced to stay in bed and be totally constricted for over a month. My body became very weak from the inactivity. While stuck in a hospital bed I was pestered by many kids so when I was finally allowed to get up, I was mad and went after the biggest kid. I was shocked that I was so easily beat up. From that time on, I vowed never to let myself get out of shape so started working to strengthen my upper body by doing pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups. After this first attempt to straighten my leg, I went back to the bush and swung a 10 lb birch hammer every morning. In helping my family live off the land, I did many necessary chores like packing wood. By the next year my leg was bent again so I went back in the hospital for more traction and this time I made friends with a janitor, who I saw was in tremendous shape by using a spring bar and weights. Once again confined to bed but to stay in shape I used his bar and weights daily, plus I continued to do pulls-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups. At 15 years old after an operation to permanently fuse my knee, I got out of the hospital but stayed in a boarding school for two years where I learned how to box and play basketball to stay fit. I then went back home and kept in shape all winter by setting beaver traps entailed cutting & chopping ice and snow shoeing plus I ran a trap-line and hauled wood using dogs. By spring I felt in such good shape that I thought I could whip the world. In summer, I hauled fish nets, cut 400-500 salmon a day, rowed boats, and used a sledge hammers to pound stakes.
Now, I carry 20 gallons of water everyday to feed my dogs 3 times a day plus I pick up after them. In winter I cut and haul all my firewood, shovel snow, travel by snow machine and trap beaver under the ice (pick ice). In summer I set nets to catch salmon. Basically I move all day, everyday.
When you have a spare hour and can either choose to watch tv or get in a workout, make the decision that will benefit you the most.
You don’t have to run marathons. Just walking – something almost all of us can do -- is great exercise and a great way to start down the path of being active every day
Alaskans have an advantage in that the wilderness is usually just out our back door, inviting us out. It is easy to stay healthy when hiking, fishing, berry picking and snow shoveling are part of everyday life.
I try to make up for my bad eating habits by being very active. Basketball is my favorite sport, I try to play basketball at least 2 to 5 times per week
Everybody uses a car, but I used to run, ski, or bike seven miles to work. . I wasn’t the best dressed person in the office, but I kept a change of clothes I could get in and out of.
I stretch, stretch, stretch, strengthening my body to do anything I want it to, which is important for all of the different type of Alaska Native Games events. I build on my core stretches, adding weights to help gravity push me even further. After all of that work, my hope is that I will continue kicking and jumping for years to come
I practice six days a week, which keeps me feeling good and ready for anything. Practice consists of sprints, plyometric drills, and weights.
I love running in the mountains and it's a great cardio workout, so I do this at least a few times a week. Specific training is most important, so I make sure to rollerski almost everyday.
In 2002 at the Olympics in Park City I crashed in my race. It was the most devastating moment in my life. I was so sure that I was going to win a metal; I was snowboarding so good at the time. I learned that you cannot define yourself through results…fame is fleeting!
I had to give up running. My body eventually gave out, and I couldn’t run anymore, it was hard to retire. But I had to move on; I forced myself to move on. I found something else, I really like ballroom dancing.
I run everyday, anywhere from 6-20 miles per day depending on the training plan for the day and the time in the season. I also do weight training about 2-3 times per week. Outside of my training I'm an avid outdoors person, some of my hobbies include hiking and playing golf.
In 1999 I lost the National Championship Game and was also my last game of my college career at Duke. I wanted to win so much and I felt we were so close. I learned to put sports in perspective. Life goes on and there will be more other good times and other bad times in life. It is only a game.
If the weather’s beautiful and it's summer time I love to spend it outside going on a bike ride or finding a lake to jump in kayak or canoe on. Then hit the gym for about 30 minutes of cardio then strength and technique training. In the winter, skiing for about 4 hours everyday, then hitting the gym for a cool down usually just row for a bit or take a dip in the swimming pool.
Nationals my junior year of college was my biggest disappointment in sports. The year before I had come in as an underdog and surprised everyone in the competition by winning nationals. The next year, I was the target, and I came out second. I wanted to win so badly, but wasn't able to pull it off. I was crushed; but losing only motivated me to work harder and get better
I like to get out and exercise every day. At least 3 mornings a week I go to Elite to start my day with an hour of either Core, Full Body workouts, or Circuits. I swim at the YMCA at least 2 days a week, and at least once a week I get out on a trail, preferably up in the beautiful mountains.
Skiing poorly at an important qualification race. Those disappointing performances are what fuel me through those hard workouts. I guess I'm one of those guys that would never succeed without failure.
Our family tries to incorporate exercise into our everyday lives. From the entertainment that we choose, to taking the stairs vs. an elevator, using self-powered modes of transportation if possible, and carving out time most days for specific workouts.
Not winning more consistently at World Cup level. I handled the disappointments by staying focused on the successes.
On an average day, I exercise twice. Once in the morning for up to two and a half hours, and again in the afternoon for an hour and a half. In total, I exercise six days a week for about four hours a day!
Not being able to compete my junior track season in NCAA due to injury. Instead of taking time off and resting for the next year. I worked hard to get in shape once I was healthy and competed unattached. I focused on the goal of breaking the four minute mile and last summer was able to accomplish that!
On an average day I head to the gym to run and lift weights and then then later in the day I spend my time skateboarding.
Most days I am out training for 3 to 5 hours. I do a lot of mountain runs and hiking. One of my favorite things is hiking up a mountain in the fall with a backpack and bucket and stopping for an hour or two to pick berries.
I train 5-6 days per week either on a road or a mountain bike. I ride for at least an hour per day, and a lot of times more depending on my goals.
In Sochi when in the training run I broke my back, after training for 4 years winning my races and finally getting there being injured the day before the competition was a huge disappointment. But I took it learned from it and kept my momentum moving forward to the next thing, recovery. After all you can guarantee I'll never make that mistake again.
I wake up and go to training every morning, which lasts anywhere from 1-2.5 hours. Then I come home, rest, eat lunch, do some school, and go out for another 1-2 hrs in the evening. This can be running, rollerskiing, biking, swimming, hiking, or working out in the gym.
Finishing dead last in a 1/2 Ironman. It was my first one, and I was not feeling well before the start, and I got hypothermic in the swim, yet continued to push myself too hard to finish, ending up with in the hospital with pulmonary edema. But I finished.
I spend a great deal of time outdoors both summer and winter. My daily job requires me to lift heavy objects, run short sprints and not sit down much. I think that my lifestyle keeps my fitness level GOOD. But, in order to keep my fitness level GREAT, I exercise in a gym setting every other day for an hour. This is when I get my heart rate racing and push my muscles to their limits.
My entire college career was a disappointment to me. I dealt with many injuries and lost a lot of training time. It was hard to compete with my, “B” game. I did not achieve any of my collegiate goals. It was humbling, but made me smarter and stronger in the long run. It gave me an even greater desire to launch a comeback afterward.
On an average day I usually go for a run in the morning then go to the gym for a basketball workout plus weights.
I had my worst race season in 2013. At the US National Sprint, I wasn’t even able to qualify for the same race I had won the year before. After the year finished, I looked back at everything I did and searched for what went wrong. I soon figured out that it wasn’t how I was training, but how my attitude was. I was very frustrated and angry, and my bad attitude ruined my season. I started being much more positive and optimistic with how I trained and raced, and in 2014, I was back where I left off!
Every day I bike to and from work. At lunch I run 5 miles. Then when I get home I will run an additional 8 to 12 miles. On the weekends I try and race and do a long run of 15 miles or more. Additionally every other day I do a 10 minute core strength routine and twice per week I do a strength workout at the gym. On top of my regular running training I try and stay as active as possible throughout the day. Biking to and from work every day helps with that.
Realizing that I was't going to be able to skateboard forever. So I started planning for the future and learning more things about myself.
My last year of college I didn't make the NCAA championships team after making it the three previous years. I was about 2 seconds from making it after 6 races. I was completely crushed, but I realized that I still enjoyed competing and that I thought I could improve. I found a motivated team to train with and the following year I was back up competing with the top skiers in the country.
I typically spend an hour in the weight room along with conditioning then I'm in the gym for 1-2 workouts daily. Skill work and those will be 1:30-2hrs of high intense game shots.
Having to quit downhill ski racing because of repeated knee injuries. Ski racing was my single focus since I was 7 years old, so removing it from my life was a difficult process. At the time I was a freshman in college with access to many other outdoor activities available through the school. So I switched my attention from skiing to learning new sports such as whitewater kayaking, windsurfing and cycling. I discovered a whole new world of participating in sports for FUN and I never looked back!
Three years ago when I was fighting with three different injuries at one time for an entire year. I struggled to find ways to train and be fit- but even more so, I struggled to stay positive. Quitting often sounded easier than conquering these challenges, but through the support of my awesome coach and teammates, I managed to make it through.
I've found that I have to make exercise a priority or there will always be other things that keep it from happening. If I start my day off with a run, no matter how short or long, I feel great the entire day. I'll run for about 90 minutes in the afternoon or evening if I didn't run much in the morning.
I have many fans who want to see me win the Iditarod and when I look into their eyes, I sometimes see their disappointment. People actually tell me how hard it was on them when I came in 2nd place. I guess I feel badly that they are so disappointed. But, even if I am disappointed with the results of a competition, if I can look inside myself and know that I tried as incredibly hard as I could, then I can't really be too disappointed.
Usually, I go to a morning training session with my APU Nordic Ski team-mates. Because we are training for cross country skiing, we will often rollerski or run in the mornings. When I don’t have team training, I like to go mountain biking or back-country skiing.
Losing the state championship my freshmen year of high school. It was tough for about a week since I was put in a situation to tie the game in regulation, but I had to realize that life keeps going and I have goals I want to achieve.
Each day has different things I do. Running for at least 4 miles in a day. Hill strides. Weights at the gym. Average time is 2 hours each day.
I have been my own biggest disappointment in sports by squandering my athletic abilities in college by not appreciating the opportunities that were available to me. Now over 5 years later I decided to return to running and to train smarter and be better than I ever had before.
Not going to State my Junior or Senior year of high school as funny as that sounds and the amount of basketball I've played since high school.
My biggest disappointment in sports was freshman year in the 3A State championship basketball game. I did nothing to help my team and we lost a close game. I handled it by putting in a tremendous amount of time in the gym. It was definitely a low point of my career.
During the off season, I lift weights three days a week and the other 2 days a week, I do plyometric and agility exercises. I also work with a power skating instructor twice a week on the ice to better my skating mechanics. During the hockey season, it's mostly just trying manage my recovery during the off days between our 82 game schedule.
It took me 12 years to win Mt. Marathon, four times finishing 2nd. But I never gave up on it. Through a lot of experience and seeing endurance sport from a coach's perspective, I lost the fear of hard training and made a jump to a new level. Then I was reminded how relatively little we have to be afraid of training after the tragic 2012 Mt. Marathon. The next year I broke a record that I had thought from a kid would stand forever. Don't be afraid of hard work!
I ensure my exercise a quite a bit of variety to keep myself interested and maintain the fun factor. Some activities that I enjoy doing are running (especially on trails), biking (cycling classes in the winter), hiking the vast array of mountains we have in our backyard as the beauty is breathtaking, walking the dog, weight training, etc.
I have had so many disappointments in athletics that it is hard to know where to begin. I would say that my biggest letdown happened this past season; I came very, very close to making the US Olympic Team. It basically came down to the coaches deciding not to fill all of the spots that they could have. I had trained for so many years to make that team, and I was ready to compete at the Olympics. Honestly, I am still in the process of learning how to deal with it, because it happened so recently. Even though I was bummed, I went on a have a really awesome season. It has really helped me to realize that I should do things, either sports or academics or anything, not for one singular goal or achievement but because I enjoy the whole process.
I honestly do not do enough exercise. But I try and do some sit ups, push ups and I walk a lot going after my daughter now that she is mobile.
The pain you endure during practice. I handle it by knowing that nothing in life is easy to do. Sleeping for example seem to be the easiest thing, but if you can’t fall asleep, it can be the most painful experience and you don’t have control over it just like you have in sports.
On an average day I wake up and get a workout in the morning at the gym for about 3 hours. After that my day is open for anything but a lot of times I choose an activity with friends that is also good physical activity like tennis, golf, or basketball.
During my Junior Year in High School- losing the State Championship at the buzzer. It was tough and I took time away from gym and game to reflect. It was my real first experience of losing an important game.
On most days during my main preparation season I train twice per day. One session in the morning, then healthy lunch, nap and back to it with another training session in the afternoon. As a cross country skier I get to ski, run, bike, hike and lift weights. Lots of variety!
Two things, the first being losing in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks. The second, finding out that my younger brother, David, would no longer be allowed to play hockey after being diagnosed with a heart condition called, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. He worked so hard up to that point in his life and was on the verge of being a special player, so it was really hard to see it all taken away from him so abruptly. Since then, I know to never take a day or game for granted because I know he'd give anything to be able to still play the game.
On a typical day, I like to go tto the gym and work out with my team. We do jiu jitsu, boxing, wrestling, cardio work outs and sparring. Sometimes I will go for a run outside or on the treadmill, or lift weights. I love to swim too. 6 days a week I just have to make sure I do SOMETHING! and one day a week I take off for a rest day to give my body a break.
Being the USA National Women Team's #1 goalie until injuring my shoulder, just over a year prior to the Olympics, requiring two shoulder surgeries. I stayed in Lake Placid to rehab for 8 months and was still not recovered enough to complete tryouts. I went from #1 to #4 goalie in the country. I dedicated myself to the recovery process every day, all day. I went through many ups and downs whether physically, emotionally, or mentally however through perserverance I was capable enough to earn my position back on the team.
I love to start my day with a morning run with a foam roll warm-up, then like to bike to class or work. Other exercise depends on the performance goals I have for myself and what my schedule permits in maintaining life balance.
When I was cut from the high school baseball team my freshman year. I was considered one of the best pitchers in Alaska for my age and I was cut because I was going to travel for a bowling event for 5 days.
Hockey has been great to me but I've had a lot of ups and downs throughout the years. I've been cut from a number of teams which is no fun at all but it's how you respond with work ethic and attitude that helps you get back to where you want to be.
My biggest disappointment came at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. I came into the skate sprint as the heavy gold medal favorite with the chance to win the first ever US women's Olympic medal in nordic skiing. I did everything I could to prepare for that race and when it came time to go after my dream, I skied as hard as I could. But instead of winning the gold medal I was knocked out in the quarterfinals to finish only 18th. When my race was finished and my opportunity was gone, it would have been really easy to just let myself melt into the snow or jump up and down and get angry. But instead I reminded myself that I had given my best effort and that was all that really mattered. I reminded myself that everything good in my life was still good, I was still strong and healthy, and I could always try to win an Olympic medal another time.
In our sport, the mushers vote on awards, and sportsmanship is one of those awards. I have received that award a couple of times because of some of the gestures I have made as a musher. For example, Charlie Boulding had a faster team than me one year, but he wore out his plastic runners and he did not have any extras. I left him some plastics even though he’d beat me. Another example is when another musher had some wet boots and I gave him my only extra pair so he’d have dry feet. Those are the kinds of gestures that I think define sportsmanship.
I think my biggest disappointment is realizing that not everyone is going to support me all the time. Some people, especially on social media, have very negative and sometimes downright mean things to say. The people I fight for might not always seem like they are looking out for me, and every once in a while I get annoyed with my team mates or other people that I am close to. It's difficult, and a little sad sometimes to realize that in the world of sports, you really have to be doing it for your own happiness and no one else's.
Sportsmanship means whether you win or lose doesn’t matter - always shake hands with your opponents.
The Olympics and not being there. To work a lifetime, making the national team, representing the USA, and overcoming a traumatic brain injury, then not achieve the pinnacle in the one race that decided it all? It's heart-breaking to say the least, but you realize that it's who you become in the process and giving your absolute best brings of perspective and strength to put that work ethic into any pursuit in life.
Sportsmanship means playing and competing in a sport as hard as possible and at the same time respecting everyone involved.
My exercise comes from practicing and constant touches on the soccer ball, even if it's for half an hour some times or just in my dorm room. I go for runs in my free time and that's just in the offseason. During season it's a daily routine of running, practice, games and weight lifting to keep in shape.
Winning the gold medal in the team sprint at the World Championships was an incredible experience. It was even more meaningful than some of my top individual performances because I reached this moment with a teammate. We were the underdogs coming into the race and didn't know what to expect. Yet we skied with confidence and ended up winning the first ever US medal in Cross Country Skiing. When I crossed the finish line, my teammate ran out to greet me and we both fell into the snow and we shared the coolest moment together as our win first sank in!
I eat a balanced three meals consisting of carbohydrates, protein and fats. That's how i maintain a strong healthy system, even though fast food may find its way every once and awhile.
Sportsmanship means an athlete that can feel truly happy for another athlete, even when that athlete out-performs him, is a good sport.
My hero is my sister, Ariela. I've seen her battle two ACL tears and I don't know how she did it, but she is the strongest and most passionate person I've ever shared a field with.
Sportsmanship means giving the best of yourself in both your performance and how you interact with your teammates, coaches and competitors.
Sports have taught me commitment, discipline, character building, time management and most of my life lessons.
My biggest disappointment was when I tore my ACL in my final SWAC game of my second year. It was completely life-changing, this being my first serious injury and unfortunately I was one of those players who never thought this could happen. It was hard at first but setting the goal to come back even stronger has never been more important to me. You can let these situations make or break you; I refuse to let it define me.
Sportsmanship means being able to give your best and not win- and congratulating the winner at the same time!!
My greatest moment was receiving the SWAC Player of the Year for a second time. It is amazing to feel like I'm not just a small fish in a big pond but actually working towards achieving my soccer goals.
When I was ten years old, I decided that I wanted to go to the Olympics. Do you know that it took seventeen years to make that dream come true?
Sportsmanship means respecting a player or a team that you may or may not care for. We all play the same sport and have a role to do, so things may get heated. But at the end of the day the respect for another player and especially their well-being is what sportsmanship means to me.
Sportsmanship means congratulating other athletes for great performances and not blaming anybody or making excuses for a bad performance.
Winning two gold medals in the International Special Olympics 2003. I was representing the United States and Alaska
Sportsmanship means a responsibility to balance, respect, honor and humility with achievement and reflect that relationship on others.
The day I was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the NHL. It was a feeling that all the hard work and blood and sweat had finally been noticed. That was a special and proud day for me.
In the spring, summer and fall, I like to get out and run, hike or bike most days depending on my work schedule. In the winter I prefer to cross country ski – it is a great workout and reduces the impact on the body that running produces.
Sportsmanship means knowing that racing and competing is everything, but at the same time were just out there in the woods sliding around on the snow as fast as we can, its a game. There is no excuse for cheating! Were all out there for the same reason, to have fun!
I try to eat a fairly healthy and balanced diet most days, and limit the amount of sugar and extra treats. A typical dinner would be chicken/fish/steak with some rice and a dark green vegetable. Right now I am slightly addicted to Brussels sprouts and broccoli! However, I do indulge in burgers and chocolate chip cookies frequently!
My father, who was an accomplished runner and suffered a spinal injury when I was 11 years old. He was told he would never walk again. Against the odds and through years of hard work, he persevered and proved the doctors wrong and walked/ran again.
To be chosen as part of the class that was inducted into the first Alaska Sports Hall of Fame was a great moment.
My running career has taught me discipline, how to deal with failures and adversity, how to make sacrifices and how to work as a team. My college coach taught his athletes that our job as a student-athlete was to first be a good person; second to be a good student; and third to be a good athlete. Achieving athletic success is fleeting; your peers will remember your reputation as a good person forever.
Sportsmanship is everything. Sports are fun and competition is important but being respectful before, during, and after an event is the most important because this is how you will be remembered. There is more to sports than just results and the way you get the results should be as important as the result itself.
Winning my class in the 2006 Team Universe Fitness Competition to earn my pro card. Earning professional status in fitness is a feat never before accomplished by an Alaskan athlete.
My freshman year of high school cross-country I was the 7th man on our team and was left off of the varsity team (top 7) so a senior could take my place and have the experience of running at the state championship meet. While it was devastating at the time, it fueled the fire to work harder and become a better runner so I would never find myself in that situation again.
Sportsmanship means knowing I tried my hardest and being happy I tried my hardest. Win loose or draw, I'm happy for everyone because next time, you know I'll try even harder.
Winning the bronze medal in Torino. My family was there to witness the best day of my life thus far. The moment I was able to snowboard as I do in my dreams. They have seen the whole road; the bumps, hills, and valleys. It was the most fulfilling moment to win an Olympic medal. I was able to give everything I had.
(My greatest moment in sports was) winning the 1999 NCAA D-2 cross-country team championship. Our cross-country team that year was the model of teamwork and believing in one another. Most of our team made sacrifices to stay in Colorado so we could train together over the summer with the goal of winning that championship. It was a rewarding experience to have a goal, put in the hard work (even on the days when you didn’t want to train), and ultimately achieve the goal. We won the title and all 7 of our men achieved All-American status and finished in the top-25 individuals in the nation.
Sportsmanship means inspiring others to do things they never thought they could do. It means always being polite to other athletes and spectators, always grateful to race directors and race volunteers, and willing to help people new to the sport learn tips, and how to be the best athlete they can be. It’s reminding athletes that anything is possible with hard work.
Breaking the Equinox (Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks) record is easily my greatest moment in sports. I was really proud of that accomplishment.
I think sportsmanship means respecting your teammates and opponents, playing by the rules, and being gracious and humble in victory and in defeat.
Sportsmanship means winning and losing with grace. It is helping to bring out the best in every athlete, both in and out of races
Winning the Olympic Downhill in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994. I followed up with a Silver Medal in the Super giant Slalom. I proved to myself and others that I was one of the best in the world that season!
Sportsmanship means after every race, whether I am happy or disappointed in my result, I make sure to keep a positive attitude. I make sure to congratulate my competitors and teammates
Pan American Games 2011 was my greatest moment; I took second in the long jump and earned a silver medal for the Caribbean country Dominica. The feeling of holding up a flag, knowing that I won for a country, and not just myself, was truly unforgettable.
My minute of glory when I was leading the Olympics... I guess it was more like 10 seconds but every time I play it back in my head it gets a little longer.
An average day of exercise can vary quite a bit depending on the event I was training for or the season I was in. However, one thing that has been consistent over the past 35 years is I get a workout done in the morning. I usually get up, have a cup of coffee and head out the door for some exercise endeavor. It's not always easy but 5 a.m. is the one time of day that I know I can work out without any scheduling conflict. Many times I will get in a second workout later in the day but the morning one was guaranteed. It’s a habit that I don’t plan on ever giving up.
I learned so many life lessons by competing. I learned the true meaning of dedication, determination and hard work. I learned what it means to not give up. I learned the value of true friendships and what it means to work together. I got to run in places and meet people that I would have never gotten to had I not competed. The lessons I learned from sports are priceless.
Competition was the one thing I did not like; my favorite part was the training. Winning a race was definitely fun but it was not my favorite part. I hated the pressure in competition but had to learn to adjust to it and excel at it. In training, I could just work hard and see how far I could push my body. As crazy as that may sound, I loved it. I think it was because if I didn’t get it right I could try again and if I did get it right I wanted to see if I could repeat it.
The weekend of NCAA championships this June where I was able to help University of Oregon win the Track and Field National Championship. I finished 5th in the 10k and 3rd in the 5k in both new personal bests, but what meant the most to me was that I scored 10 points to help my team.
I have never had any one particular hero except for the good Lord above. Being a Christian has played a huge role in my life and in my sports career. I truly believe it's been a gift from God that I have been able to compete successfully for 30+ years.
Despite not having one particular hero, I have always admired and had the utmost respect for the athletes who refuse to quit. No matter if they won or lost they had a positive attitude that was encouraging, infectious and priceless. They are not always in the record books or highlighted in Sunday’s newspaper. These are the athletes who are out there day in and day out because they truly love what they are doing and give it all they have. They are the ones who have helped pick me up when I was down and encouraged me when they were struggling themselves.
Sportsmanship means being humble when you win and being gracious when you don’t win. When you win, never forget that there are many people who helped you to get where you are, and there are many other competitors that worked as hard as you did. Winning doesn’t make you a better person, it just means that your hard work came together on that day. Congratulate your fellow competitors for their accomplishments.
My greatest moment wasn't the World Cup wins or the X-Games competitions but when I was able to teach another new mono skier how to find speed and he won. That was my greatest moment as a skier.
I feel like I have been blessed with many (greatest moments in sports). Getting the bronze medal in the World University games for the marathon in Fukuoka, Japan, was definitely a highlight. However, despite the incredible opportunities my absolute favorite accomplishment was finding the man of my dreams and literally running out to a place at Kincaid Park to say our “I do’s” and then having two wonderful kids 10 years later.
Sportsmanship means competing clean, competing fair, and being the very best person you can be. It means celebrating your own achievements, but also celebrating the achievements of your competitors.
Finishing my first full Ironman, the world championships in Kona. I never dreamed that I could be an Ironman. Another great moment was coaching and seeing inmates in prison complete their first 5K race.
In competition you are bound to have ups and downs. One of the things I learned was to get over a bad performance quickly and move on. One of my really good training buddies and I made a pact that if we had a bad race we would get all our frustrations out by 5 p.m. and then we had to let it go — sometimes it took until midnight but we tried to hold true to our pact. Holding on to the disappointment until the next race or practice did us no good.
If I could start all over again I would have definitely trained a lot smarter instead of harder. I can’t say I was a “smart” runner. My motto was always “give it all I got with all I can”. I ignored most of my aches and pains and pushed on. I do not think I was blessed with a lot of talent but rather I was blessed with the willingness to not give up and fortunate to be able to work hard without many injuries.
Sportsmanship means there is a greater good in the world than just crowning the winner. Winning is the ultimate goal, of course. But, if I won a race to the detriment of my friends, my family or the community then it certainly wouldn't be worth it. Winning means that you won and you are proud of your performance… not that you just crossed the finish line first.
Every day that God gives me the health and ability to climb another mountain, I feel blessed. I do not take for granted the beautiful state that we live in, nor the fitness required to truly enjoy it.
Sportsmanship means respecting the game you play, the people you play against and all the people you represent when you put your jersey on.
My greatest moment was when I was 18 at US Nationals in Anchorage. Since we were racing in my hometown, I had a lot of supporters, but not too many people knew who I was outside of Alaska. In the first race, I shocked everyone and myself by finishing fourth. In the last race, I won my first national championship, which qualified me for my first world cups. It was one of those moments an athlete dreams about.
In your quest for excellence remember to share your successes with your competitors and to always elevate your sport
My greatest moment in sports I would have to say would be launching my own skateboard company called Preston Pollard Skateboards.
I train twice a day, six days a week. I attend team training in the morning and work out on my own or with family and friends every afternoon. I ski and run a ton but I also love to bike, hike, paddle, lift weights, do Pilates. Basically anything outside that gets my heart beating!
We always have our best results--and maybe that is what people remember us for--but the greatest moments are always outside of racing: watching kids' faces light up when you teach them to ski a downhill at a volunteer camp; working as a team to get an injured teammate out of the backcountry; and chatting with interesting people after the finish of a 50 kilometer ski race.
Toast with avocado and eggs for breakfast, sweet potatoes for lunch, and salad, Alaska salmon & quinoa for dinner.
I have two greatest moments: standing on the podium at Alpine Junior Nationals; and at the 24 Hour World Championship Mountain Bike Race.
My dad is my hero. He taught me to love the outdoors and I've never heard him complain a day in his life. He's thankful for every experience, even if it's raining sideways and miserable out!
Sportsmanship means to give our best efforts--not out of our own ego--but in consideration to others. We honor them (even competitors) when we give them the best of ourselves.
Standing on the start line for my very first Olympic race. As I stood on that line in my USA suit; all the emotions came flooding down. The honor, the hard work, the challenges, the support I was given... it all came flooding in as the most exciting thing I had every achieved.
(Sports has taught me) how to set and work towards accomplishing a goal. Sometimes you achieve it and sometimes you don't — if it's the latter then it's important to be able to go back to the drawing board!
Sportsmanship means to conduct yourself in a way that you would be proud of even outside of sports. For some people this might means different things. I try to remember that athletics are just another avenue by which you set yourself up to let the person who you really are show through. I think the choices you make about situations in sports, school, your job, or even at home help to define you as a person. I just try to make that definition of myself something that I can be proud of.
Being able to reach the Safety Checkpoint during the Iditarod in the year 2014. The white out blizzard conditions and gale force winds should have made it physically impossible for me to continue, but my team and I never gave up. The strength that we came up with to endure and succeed was amazing. I didn't know what we had that much in us.
(My greatest moment in sports was) being part of the first-ever women's cross country relay team to medal on the World Cup in Gallivare, Sweden. It was incredible to be a part of history with my teammates.
Sportsmanship means discipline and responsible. Resilience and ability to endure the test of human endurance.
Sportsmanship to me means competing clean (no doping). It also means the ability to be gracious and humble regardless of the outcome (whether you win or lose).
Sportsmanship means respecting what each player brings to the game, while still playing hard n being competitive.
Winning Crow Pass with an elite quality time on a slow year showed me that I have what it takes to compete with the best and that all of my hard work and focus is paying off.
Sportsmanship is the essence of competition. Without it, it doesn't really make playing all that fun. There's nothing better than competing your heart out against an opponent and then looking them in the eye and shaking their hand afterwards knowing there is an unspoken level of respect because you know you played the game the right way.
The first pre season NBA game I played in. I put on an NBA jersey and ran out in one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. That was amazing for me and has only made me hungrier.
Sportsmanship means treating the people you play with and against with the highest sense of respect.
My greatest moment so far was the 3rd quarter of the 2014 3a state championship. We were down by 8 when coach called a timed out and said “calm down you have been here before, it starts on D”. We came out took the lead and won are third straight state championship, it was a dream come true.
Sportsmanship means being the best person possible on and off the playing field. Also, you do not have to win every time to be successful in your sport.
It took me 12 years to win Mt. Marathon, four times finishing 2nd. But I never gave up on it. Through a lot of experience and seeing endurance sport from a coach's perspective, I lost the fear of hard training and made a jump to a new level. Then I was reminded how relatively little we have to be afraid of training after the tragic 2012 Mt. Marathon. The next year I broke a record that I had thought from a kid would stand forever. Don't be afraid of hard work!
Sportsmanship means giving everything you have to be your best all while having fun, working together with your teammates, and respecting your opponents.
My greatest moment so far has probably been winning the 2014 US National Championships. It was a sprint race and it was really the first time I had the courage to attack right from the gun. The course was extremely difficult, but I committed one hundred percent and went as hard as I possibly could right from the start. I was able to break away and skied to my first National Championship! Having my family and my coach there to celebrate with me made it perfect.
Sportsmanship means handling victory or defeat with dignity and grace. It means acting with kindness and humility, even when I don't feel like it.
The greatest competitors I've met over the years have also become some of my closest friends, there is a respect you gain for someone who also does their absolute best against you going head to head and for themselves, they make me better and I thank them for it.
Hitting the big shot in '08 NCAA finals which lead to overtime and the championship! Often referred to as "The Shoot Heard Around the World!"
My greatest moment in sports I like to think is still ahead of me since I haven't had the opportunity to lift the Stanley Cup. Playing in the NHL for the past 8 years has been a blessing and a dream come true, but I hope the ultimate prize is coming down the road and that's what motivates me every day in the gym and on the ice.
Every time I would pull over a Team USA sweater I would get a huge sense of pride. There is so much the United States of America represents historically and now. It didn't matter whether this was a game jersey or a practice jersey. The feeling of representing your country is second to none and I cherished every moment.
Winning with my family in the crowd. No better feeling than turning around and seeing them smile and celebrate with you on your triumph.
I started speed skating at 17, then four years later I made the US national team. That was awesome. Though it was in my comeback after a traumatic brain injury in '08 and winning the America's cup series 2011, that I appreciated the success from the struggle I had to overcome.
During my years of competition, from grade school and high school basketball, through college and Olympic races, I found that making healthy choices in fueling the body for competition as well as everyday living is extremely important. Proper nutrition is essential if you want your body to perform to its optimal level. “Junk food” doesn’t supply the nutrients or energy necessary for healthy living. You have to determine your beneficial foods and those that are unhealthy or just empty calories. You should also determine the amount of food (calories) necessary for all your activities. Calories taken in should equal the calories expended otherwise a weight gain or loss will occur and the performance and energy level will begin to deteriorate. No diets, just appropriate choices of healthy foods that you will enjoy for a lifetime.
I find that I have better energy if I drink enough water and limit the simple sugars in my diet. Drinking enough water is very important for everyone, but especially for athletes.
I have always enjoyed eating healthy with the help of my parents. My mother who was born in Korea always watched what I ate and most always made sure rice was at the table along with fresh vegetables. My dad always makes sure that I go to the gym and gives me a banana smoothie almost every night.
In the past few years we were on a very heart healthy diet. If it wasn’t fresh, we didn’t eat it. – Norman Vaughan’s wife Carolyn on Norman
I eat cereal and yogurt for breakfast. I usually eat a sandwich for lunch with some fruit. For supper I eat chicken, meat, pasta or seafood with some veggies.
In the 9th grade I left to go to a ski academy after my mom died. It was then that I decided to get serious about my ski training, so I stopped eating chips and drinking soda.
I eat a lot of wild game including moose, caribou, bear, salmon, whitefish, geese, ducks & beaver. I eat potatoes, onions, carrots, macaroni, rice, bread and fruit.
Being healthy doesn’t mean that you only eat steamed broccoli and brown rice; you can eat healthy while enjoying lots of different kinds of foods so long as you keep an eye on your portions and don’t overindulge too often.
I focus on whole foods that are from quality sources. I try to give myself time to enjoy the meals and not rush through the meal. The foundation of my diet is whole grains such as fresh bread and oatmeal, potatoes, rice, pasta, a variety of meat, and fruit and vegetables.
I try to eat as much “real” food as possible. No preservatives or chemicals for me! Fruit, veggies, water, nuts, grains, turkey, and one of my favorite, salmon!
I try to make sure I eat three meals everyday and the most important for me is breakfast. I try to eat cereal and yogurt because they have protein and help me get my day started. For my other two meals I try to have some pasta or rice, vegetables, fruit and some type of meat.
I eat a little bit of everything, cereal and fruit for breakfast, sometimes pancakes, eggs or waffles. Tonight I had salad and pasta for dinner. I try to drink lots of water during the day when I’m thirsty.
Food is very important to me, especially when I’m training. My body craves high proteins and I try to stay away from too much wheat and dairy. When my supply of fresh caribou or whale is low, I substitute it for Thai food! Those spices sure get me fired up.
Food is a source of fuel, and if you don't eat well, you can't train well. Chicken and spaghetti are my favorite foods to eat so those two alone make up a majority of my diet. After practice I always try to eat a banana to get back some of the energy I just expended. Also, “replenish your fluids.”
I eat pretty much whatever I crave, and more. In the summer I train four hours a day and the only way to keep the tank fueled is to eat a ton! Potatoes are good!
I usually start my day with a small breakfast, toast a banana and always a cup of coffee. I workout in the morning most days so I don't want a lot in my stomach, but I need something. When I get home I'll make a bigger lunch, a sandwich and some fruit perhaps, and another cup of coffee. For dinner I will eat almost anything and I usually eat a lot during this meal. The most important thing I've learned about nutrition though is whatever you eat or drink, still be sure to drink a lot of water!
Eggs and spinach for breakfast then usually a protein shake for lunch and salmon or moose for dinner. That's the beauty of being Alaskan! I love it!
After my morning workout I always have a latte with a biscotti, because I like to eat dessert first. Later on I’ll have a fruit smoothie with a bit of vegetable in it. For lunch I might have some kind of eggs and vegetables. Dinner is mostly salad with usually something from the ocean, salmon, halibut, oysters, and a vegetable. In the winter I might occasionally have some meat, but not a lot. I don’t eat dessert at night, and I seldom eat after 8:00 PM.
I eat ¾ of my calories from healthy lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Daily exercise affords me the ability to eat home baked goodies for the other ¼ of my intake
My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. I usually eat two eggs, two pieces of whole-wheat toast with jam, a bowl of oatmeal, and a glass of orange juice. I avoid sugary drinks and fast foods.
I try to eat as many Alaskan foods as I can--they're just healthier and they taste better. Any salmon, moose, blueberries, eggs from our backyard chickens, and garden-grown vegetables.
I try to eat balanced meals with fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats such as fish and chicken. I eat whole grain foods for carbohydrates to fuel my workouts. I try to stay away from processed foods (junk food, sugar, white bread, bagels, chips, etc.) because they have very little nutritional value.
I usually try to make sure I hydrate myself and try to make sure to eat fruits or vegetables with every meal.
I eat a collection of colorful fruits and veggies, protein, carbs, and a treat every now and then. My favorite thing to eat is apples and peanut butter.
My diet is centered around more protein and less carbohydrates. My meals often have eggs, moose meat, beans, nuts, cheese and veggies. I try not to eat sugar. I still eat foods that I love like peanut butter, coconut and pudding. If I exercise more then I'll eat more, but if I exercise less, then I eat less.
I focus on adding healthy foods to my diet rather than strictly avoiding junk food. Specifically I eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts and wild Alaskan fish, berries and caribou that we harvest throughout the summer.
I try to maintain a healthy diet. I rarely drink soda and eat candy because those slow you down. The better I eat, the longer my career should last.
I eat normal college cafeteria food but I try to stick to the healthier options when I can which means NO SODA AT ALL.
I try to get good carbohydrates, some fat and protein in every meal. I start everyday with two eggs and 3 slices of toast with jam or peanut butter. Turkey sandwiches for lunch, a hearty dinner, and good snacks in between. When I substituted healthier calories instead of reducing calories, I was able to train better and more, which improved my results greatly and I naturally lost the excess body fat without going hungry. Eat for fast recovery to train for higher fitness and you'll find your ideal body weight!
Ever since I was a kid, I have liked starting my day with cereal; the cold milk is refreshing and it’s a quick way to get a really solid breakfast. For lunch I usually go with something hot and savory; a warm sandwich with some veggies, or maybe an egg scramble. For dinner I will often have some sort of Alaskan game of fish, with any good sides like potatoes or rice, and a salad. I also love making any sort of tacos or burritos; you can fill them with anything.
Breakfast I take tea and bread or fried egg, fruits and vegetable. Yogurt. Sandwich for lunch/rice with chicken, fish, beef. Dinner - corn meal with kale/beef/chicken/ fish/Potatoes.
My diet is obviously very important to me, all the time and work in the gym would be worthless if I didn't refuel properly. I usually make a smoothie in the morning for breakfast, followed by lunch in the afternoon and for dinner every night I try to stay away from heavy carbs and have a big intake of protein, my favorite being bison meat. In saying that, I do like to indulge every once in awhile, and when I do, my favorite thing to eat is probably pizza (from Moose's Tooth!).
I LOVE food! Typically I go with oatmeal with nuts and a banana in the morning, sandwich and fruit for lunch, and a salad and some meat for dinner.
I eat all 3 meals a day and try to get something healthy either at lunch or dinner. But its tough because of my travel schedule.
Every morning I get up and make a big smoothie packed with fruit, oatmeal, spinach, peanut butter, and lots of other healthy stuff. For lunch it's usually a soup and sandwich and some chocolate milk. For dinner I eat steak and chicken for a lot of my meals with a salad, veggies, and some sort of carbohydrate like rice or potatoes.
For breakfast I like a Canadian bacon and veggie omelet together with whole wheat toast and some coffee. For lunch a loaded turkey and swiss cheese sandwich on wheat bread with avocado, tomato and red onion, some roasted red pepper soup and apple slices. For dinner one of my Alaskan favorites is fresh salmon fillets on the grill with cajun seasoning on top, veggie shish-kabobs and baked sweet potato!
For breakfast, I eat a bowl of oatmeal with some peanut butter on it, or sometimes if I have a very hard day in front of me, I will actually eat some leftovers from dinner the night before for my breakfast. I like to eat a pretty big breakfast and lunch to keep me going through my practices, and then have a lighter dinner. I usually eat (just about) whatever I want, I don't limit carbs or anything like that, i just make sure to follow a few simple little guidlines: I make sure I eat a pretty balanced meal, with a big serving of fruits or vegetables on the side, protein and carbohydrates and some fat. If I eat very heavy at one meal, I lighten up the next meal, and I try to keep my breakfasts big and dinners small. I eat whenever I am hungry and stop just before I feel full. That's really about it, unless I am training for a fight, and then I start dieting a little differently.
Wake up and chug 24oz of water to rehydrate after a great night's sleep. I eat often (every 3-4hours), typically smaller portions to not feel bogged down during the day, and my largest meal midday. I always have apples and almonds in my pack for a snack and my water bottle. For meals I keep simple, focusing on unprocessed foods and always veggies and fruits with a good source of protein every meal (eggs, SALMON, chicken, beef, nuts, or beans). And a good dark chocolate somewhere within reach.
My goals in life were to play college hockey and to play professional hockey. I had to stay focused if I wanted to reach my goals. I realized that the things I did off the ice impacted my performance on the ice. I needed to stay out of trouble and made sacrifices. In high school when most of my friends were out at school dances and parties I was at home getting ready for the weekend games. I began eating healthier foods knowing this was my fuel to compete with. I did my homework and kept good grades hoping one day to be accepted into college and to play NCAA college hockey.
Having a written goal is very motivating. It’s like having a road map. Each day I can plan to do things to help me reach my goals.
Because of sports I started making the right decisions and stopped surrounding myself with people that were going to prevent me from moving farther in my career. The best athletes, to me, are the ones who are able to overcome setbacks and not let that prevent them from advancing their career.
Racing has helped me better control my emotions. Also, it has helped me to understand and work with all my strengths and weaknesses as they apply to all of my life.
It’s simple - the more effort you put into being successful, the better chances you have of being successful. So always try your hardest.
Sports are not just about winning and losing, there are many lessons you can learn about yourself when you set goals and work toward achieving them.
The values of hard work, determination, and appreciation for what I have been blessed with in this life.
Sports have helped me develop a genuine hard work ethic. If you want something you have to work for it, nothing is really ever given to you. You have to believe in yourself to achieve goals you want to accomplish.
Through the Alaska Native Games my awareness and appreciation develops of how to be more respectful to my environment, including: other people, time and my surroundings.
Anything is possible; no matter who you're going against or at what level you are competing. Anything can change on any given day so always give the best of your ability. Don't worry about things you can't control.
Sports has taught me a lot, the list is too long. Lets just say I wouldn't be who I am.... or anywhere close, without sports.
Pretty much everything I know about process, patience, determination, perspective, balance, being proactive, goal setting, test taking, handling pressure, working with other people, planning, and living in the moment!
Patience, hard work, and dedication, and above all an ability to compete. In order to reach my highest goals I need to plan ahead and execute the plan across a long period of time some controlling my emotions on a day-to-day basis. Staying calm while in competition or any difficult situation is learned through sports and is such a benefit to performance.
Self discipline, no one else can work for me I have to do what it takes myself if I ever plan on winning or getting better.
Never give up, and to never stop dreaming. I never dreamed I could balance on a Swiss ball on my knees and at the same time juggle. I never dreamed I’d be able to climb a 30 foot rope. There is always something more to accomplish. Sports have made me a more confident person, both athletically and as a teacher. It’s taught me to have high expectations both of myself, and of those I help coach.
Competition brings out the best or worst in a person. It reveals your true depth of character. It has taught me about discipline, perseverance, patience, self-control, humility and courage. Those lessons have helped me in all walks of life.
There is more than one way to meet a set goal. I try to be creative when I train. I still do everything my coach tells me to, but when I get home, I do as much as I can on my own to get that extra edge.
Patience, Calmness, Focus, Concentration, Over coming fear, Creativity, Freedom, Traveling the world and meeting new people.
My sport has taught me what it means to set goals, and how to work towards achieving them. It has taught me to embrace setbacks, and come away stronger. It has taught me how to approach every day as its own- trying to never miss an opportunity. It has taught me that being active and healthy helps keep me happy.
There are no substitutes for hard work. When you get to the start line it doesn't matter what you did to impress your coach or how much you told your grandma about how good you are, all that matters is the effort you put in.
Set goals and to persevere to accomplish them no matter what obstacles come my way. Sports teach work ethic and promote self-confidence that carries over to other challenges in life. Nothing worth doing is ever easy!
I have competed in sports my entire life: basketball, volleyball, track. Being a competitive dog musher is just another competitive option. Sports have given me pride in my strengths and made me contemplate my weaknesses. As an honest person, this makes me work harder on my weaknesses which makes me a fuller person
I've learned how to achieve. Finding the passion, believing in the achievement, then taking responsibility for every small step along the way. Some steps are paved by others but some are unknown and can only be taken with creativity and determination.
If you work hard in something you enjoy, that you will find success. When you combine hard work and passion, it is a very potent combo.
The difference between success and failure is that success is all about trying to do and failure is thinking about it without doing.
In time of adversity, perform and let the pass successes or failures stay in the past as I refocus and move forward.
There are so many things in any sport that can translate to every day life, one of the most important being teamwork. In hockey, every player knows that no one is bigger than the team itself because everyone needs the guy next to him in order for the team to be successful.
Playing sports prepare people for all life's obstacles. How to interact with teammates who have differing personalities, how to handle triumphs and pitfalls, self-discipline, pushing beyond what you once thought was impossible, learning to have a voice and stand up for what you believe, the ability of people from various backgrounds coming together to achieve a goal together, expecting the unexpected, etc. The list goes on and on!!!
Sports has taught me so many things!! Self-confidence, how to overcome adversity, how to be a gracious winner and loser, how to set goals and make a plan to reach them, how good it feels to be strong and healthy, how to focus, how to handle pressure, etc.
It has taught me how to work hard and not give up. It's easy to give up on an activity if you are not good at it, or the first time you lose, or when things don't go your way. It's easy to say, "I am not going to practice today, I will go tomorrow", or to lose once and say, "that didn't feel good, I want to quit", or to give in to social pressure and give up on something that you may really love and be good at, if other people around you are telling you to quit. It's hard to look deep inside yourself and persevere through tough times at any point in life. It's hard to work hard, and many people don't have a good work ethic. It's hard to fail and keep trying. However, even though it's difficult, those are character traits of champions, they're the ones who work hard when they don't feel like it, and who try again when they fail, and persevere through tough spots both mentally and physically.
Do MY best, always, on any given day you can have the perfect race and also your worst. Where the satisfaction lies is doing your best, in any task in life, a victory isn't as sweet without it and I won't settle for anything less than going all out.
When I was ten years old, I saw Mary Lou Retton win a gold medal (gymnastics) in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. I was so excited for her that I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept replaying her perfect performance in my head, seeing her arms shoot up into the air in victory. She had to score a perfect 10 to win the gold medal. She did it! She scored a perfect 10. Can you imagine the accomplishment she felt? I wanted to feel that sort of accomplishment. That summer, miles and miles away from Los Angeles, in the town of Unalakleet, I decided that I wanted to go to the Olympics. Seventeen years and many wonderful journeys later, my Olympic dream came true.
NFL quarterback Donavon McNabb - Got a chance to meet him on their team bus and he was such a great person and thoughtful.
The great polar explorers Amundsen & Shackleton were his heroes. It was the adventure into the unknown and enduring the hardships that attracted him. - Norman Vaughan's wife Carolyn on Norman