PS to "Where best to train and study?" Thanks for help

This is a postscript to an old thread. Apologies in advance for the
length of this post.

I posted on this board as a "newbie" about one year ago, with a
request for advice for my son, an aspiring ski-racer, who was starting
his final year at high school. I thought those took so much time to
help might like an update on where my boy is at now. We are both very
grateful that complete strangers should make so much effort to write.
It was also kind not to be dismissive of his ambitions. I have tried
to pass the help on, when I have felt able to make a useful
contribution.

Being a typical teenager, he hasn't as yet taken much of the advice,
although he was amused by BT's instructions that I should pound the
advantages of academic education into his head. I did pound, but it is
like water off a duck's back.

The advice has been a useful reality check for him. It was a wake-up
call as to just how good he has to become to be a serious contender. It
also made him realise that the aim of university is to do at least some
study, and not just to catch up on your sleep before the next ski
session!

Through this board, we have been put in touch with another British
skier who went to a Scandinavian college and then on to a US
university. Another member of the junior squad is now off to Grenoble
on an academic exchange (with a bit of ski-ing on the side ;-)

The kid found it very hard to combine high school and training last
year. He keeps getting told about top athletes who are also grade 'A'
scholars, but he has too much of a one-track mind. As a result, he has
organised himself a year out, to focus on ski-ing (and also ski-related
employment to cover the cost). His intention is to find out if he has
what it takes to compete at elite level. If it turns out that he has
not, he has at least tried, and can get on with the rest of his life.
If the ski-ing goes well, then he may well be applying to universities
based on the ski-training available, rather than the academics, unless
of course he manages to turn professional....

Whatever the outcome, the advice has been really useful. With thanks
again for all your help.

Alex

Alex wrote:
This is a postscript to an old thread. Apologies in advance for the
length of this post.

I posted on this board as a "newbie" about one year ago, with a
request for advice for my son, an aspiring ski-racer, who was starting
his final year at high school. I thought those took so much time to
help might like an update on where my boy is at now. We are both very
grateful that complete strangers should make so much effort to write.
It was also kind not to be dismissive of his ambitions. I have tried
to pass the help on, when I have felt able to make a useful
contribution.

Being a typical teenager, he hasn't as yet taken much of the advice,
although he was amused by BT's instructions that I should pound the
advantages of academic education into his head. I did pound, but it
is like water off a duck's back.

The advice has been a useful reality check for him. It was a wake-up
call as to just how good he has to become to be a serious contender.
It also made him realise that the aim of university is to do at least
some study, and not just to catch up on your sleep before the next ski
session!

Through this board, we have been put in touch with another British
skier who went to a Scandinavian college and then on to a US
university. Another member of the junior squad is now off to
Grenoble on an academic exchange (with a bit of ski-ing on the side
;-)

The kid found it very hard to combine high school and training last
year. He keeps getting told about top athletes who are also grade 'A'
scholars, but he has too much of a one-track mind. As a result, he
has organised himself a year out, to focus on ski-ing (and also
ski-related employment to cover the cost). His intention is to find
out if he has what it takes to compete at elite level. If it turns
out that he has not, he has at least tried, and can get on with the
rest of his life. If the ski-ing goes well, then he may well be
applying to universities based on the ski-training available, rather
than the academics, unless of course he manages to turn
professional....

I think the solution is to transform transport to and from the school or
university into training.

--
Terje Henriksen
Kirkenes

I don't think that one year is enough. (Ha---this makes me laugh.)

I think that a good school in a nice natural setting should do the
trick. Even if he doesn't indicate the material of a pro in his one
year off (again smiles) by spending a few years in a setting that's
conducive to both activities his chances both for ski and school will
keep popping up. Maybe he'll find himself able to multitask a bit
better as time goes by. Who knows.

Anyway, here's my tip: man, I sure wish I had gone to NMU, in
Marquette, MI, when I was in college!

They have a library, snow and girls...what more do you need? Oh yeah, a
few old farts to do the teaching and impress you that you don't know
nuttin' yet but if you sweat enough you may earn the respect of both
books and boards. : )

---JP

Proud to say I been dere done dat.

That's yooper for "I went to NMU."

JK