As I continue to reflect on this season, I can’t help but realize that one of the biggest factors that played into making it such an amazing experience was being able to do it alongside my friend and teammate Stef Fleck.
As a little context, Stef and I have very similar ski racing paths. She was on the Canadian Team very young and has always been (and still is) one of their fastest racers, she attended University when she got injured and continued to be one of the best in the country. She has had to deal with her fair share of national team politics, and this season she decided to fully commit to the World Cup Speed circuit for the first time as an independent athlete on ISRA with me.
We have always been really good friends but there is something very special about having a friend who is also a teammate. They not only understand you, but they understand everything you’re working for, because they are right by your side putting in the same work, striving for the same things, struggling with the same problems, and feeling the same emotions.
Ski racing and life on the road can feel extremely lonely and a little bit misunderstood (as I’ve talked about a lot in this blog :)). So having a friend be there to experience it and support you makes the whole process indescribably more enjoyable.
But something I didn’t anticipate was how much Stef’s friendship would also affect my attitude towards skiing.
The first thing I realized, as we spent more and more time together, was how much Stef helped me find joy and silliness in the little moments of life on the road. Stef is super outgoing and friendly and generally a lot more optimistic than I am. This started to rub off on me instantly.
But it wasn’t until January, right after Christmas break when we were in Zauchensee that I realized how much having Stef as a teammate really affected me. Zauchensee was a very challenging time for me. I was extremely in my head and discouraged and disappointed in myself. Stef and I are very transparent with each other and very good at communicating, but I didn’t want to bring her down with my negativity during the race weekend, so I tried to put on a strong face. She saw right through it and tried to encourage me. But, when I’m really down, there’s not much anyone can say to help me out of it and I didn’t want to listen.
Fast forward to a couple days later when Stef was having a rough day. I remember so clearly thinking and then saying to her “Stef I have no doubt in my mind that you are going to make it.” And I believed it 100%. I still believe it. I have seen the work she puts in, the potential she has, how close she has been, and I full hearted believe she can compete with the best.
And then I realized that this was exactly what she was trying to tell me when I was down. It was almost like she was a mirror for my own journey that I was looking at with so much more compassion. And suddenly it became a lot easier to start believing in myself as well.
I think it’s easy to be hard on yourself and doubt yourself when you’re discouraged or things aren’t going your way. Ironically, it’s in these moments that you need to be kinder to yourself. It can be really hard to have the perspective to see this, but it is a whole lot easier when you surround yourself with friends who support you. Friends who go through everything with you. Friends who truly understand.
I am so grateful to be taking on this journey with Stef and I cannot wait for the year to come!
Thanks Stef :)
Such an important lesson. Yesterday the pro golfer Max Homa won his 4th tournament. He spoke of a change in his game when his caddie asked him to stop saying "You suck" after bad shots. His reasoning, negativity becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Go Tricia go!
Lovely post Trish.