Ski Racing - October 31, 2011

2012 U.S Ski Team Preview

[Cook] likes to laugh at me.

My summer event would be either gymnastics or ping-pong. I did competitive gymnastics for 10 years, but I’m kind of too tall for that, so I would probably lean toward harnessing my ping-pong skills and competing in that.

Equipment: Völkl, Full tilt, Bolle, Bern

Credentials: 2011 U.S. national champion; four-time World Cup top- 10 finisher; six-time NorAm podium finisher, including two victories; silver medalist at the 2007 Junior World Championships.

Emily Cook Hometown: Belmont, Mass.

Age: 32

Years on Team: 14

Club: Fly Freestyle

Equipment: Völkl, Full Tilt, Bolle, Salomon

Sponsors: Visa

Credentials: Two World Cup victories in Moscow in 2008 and 2011; six Career World Cup podiums; 36 World Cup top- 10 finishes since 1999; ranked fifth in the World Cup overall aerials standings in 2006 and 2011; four U.S. national championships victories (2001, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011).

My POV: I loved the 2011 season. With it being a post-Olympic season, I took a different approach to training and competition than I have in the past, emphasizing having fun and taking the opportunity to make some significant changes to my jumping, technically. On some days, these changes made the season a challenge as it takes time for change to become routine. However, by the end of the season these changes became natural, and I found myself landing more and more sweet jumps and being rewarded for the work. Making progress and initiating change is what makes sport so much fun,

and the reward of being on the top of a World Cup podium
again in Moscow made it even more exciting. That win in Moscow
was certainly the highlight of the season.
In every season, each event is very important, but especially in
a season with no major events like Worlds or the Olympics. The
focus this season will be consistency and continuing to make tech-
nical improvements and changes natural and routine. My goals for
the season include consistently going into each event to win,
with the Grand Prix being a priority.
I started skiing in the backcountry last season, so that has become
my favorite way to ski. The Wasatch Range has so many amazing
opportunities for incredible skiing and I hope to find the time to take
more courses in the fall and learn more about being safe outside
the resorts. When in bounds, Deer Valley is my favorite because of
its secret stashes of powder after a Utah storm; it’s also, of course,
my favorite place to compete.
Luck is a result of preparation, not chance. I do have a pretty struc-
tured warm-up, but nothing that would be disrupted by changes, as
there are often things that are out of our control when traveling and
competing in new places. I always do some yoga and a dynamic
warm-up before training and competition to get my mind and body
prepared for the day.
My summer event would be gymnastics or diving for sure. I love
watching the combination of grace and strength of these athletes;
it’s beautiful and is the closest in comparison to aerials.

Aerials C Team Alex Bowen, Springville, N.Y. Nevin Brown, Streetsboro, Ohio Alexa Devereaux, Park City Hans Gardner, Orchard Park, N.Y. Allison Lee, Manchester, Conn. Jonathon Lillis, Rochester, N.Y. Mike Rossi, Long Valley, N.J.