"When I first came on, I was a little nervous about how it was going to be, but everyone was super welcoming especially the older girls, says Sunshine, 23, who has been on the team since 2022. It was very, let's lift up these rookies.' Veteran racer Nina O'Brien even wrote welcoming notes to all the newcomers. That was super nice, Sunshine says."
"We have a mentor-mentee program. It's less getting advice and more like having an automatic friend. This collection of U.S. ski racers has become a close-knit group, bonded by traveling together, playing pool, working out and the constant desire to get faster on skis. The closer they become, the more they want to inspire each other. That's the feeling for Lauren Macuga, out for the season after recently tearing her ACL."
"One person does well one week and then everyone comes along with them, Macuga says. It's so cool to see. I think we have this really healthy relationship of wanting each other to do well. We just keep building all together. Lindsey Vonn, 41, the legendary racer who came out of retirement last season and will compete at her fifth Olympic Games in Italy, may have instant name recognition, but on the U.S. Women's Ski Team she is also just part of the crew."
Members of the U.S. women's ski team train and bond at Copper Mountain, working out together in a condo converted to a gym. Mary Bocock and Keely Cashman train with exercise bands while Ava Sunshine cycles through heavy barbell sets. Sunshine describes feeling welcomed by veteran teammates and notes a mentor-mentee program that creates automatic friendships. Veteran Nina O'Brien wrote welcoming notes for newcomers. The group bonds through travel, pool games, workouts and a shared drive to improve on skis. Injured racer Lauren Macuga praises the team's supportive culture. Lindsey Vonn mixes in with the crew, signs autographs and offers advice while preparing for another Olympic run.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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