Letter: Being good at everything

“It’s Not About Tech VS Speed” got my attention and made me compare what I was reading to my own experience as a full-time ski teacher for 40+ years. To summarize, I think the author is right on! I don’t consider myself a ski racer but as a ski professional, you are worth more to the school the more you can do, and as a result of that, coaching recreational racing was one of my duties. It is from that limited racing background that I would assert that doing all things well is rare and hard to do…but to watch a racer or new ski instructor exhibit this well rounded ability is truly inspiring. I always felt that a well balanced set of highly developed skills was the foundation. With time and experience, the skier would likely gravitate to slalom, moguls, half pipe…whatever. I would hope this reality would already be embraced by the powers that be. I don’t know how to develop a successful World Cup ski racer, but I’ve seen a lot of incredible talent over the years, and they all had one thing in common, Being good at everything.

— Val Stephens
Park City, Utah

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