Climbing Steps

Photo Credit- Kelly Vanderbeek

RECIPE-

Twenty-four years on skis, 
Ten years on the US Ski Team,
Two Olympic Teams, 
Three World Championships 
One Hundred Forty-Nine World Cup races. 
One Million Smiles
One Thousand frustrations
An Ounce of belief
A Dash of Magic

That is precisely the recipe it took for me to achieve a World Cup podium, twice actually! WOW. WoW, Wow, Wow. What a journey.  And the best part is that my feeling right now is that the journey is just beginning! 

I look at those numbers and realize some people would think I am crazy for holding on so long. Skiing isn't an incredibly popular sport and the payoff sure doesn't compare to many other professional sports these days. But I know I was bound to face this journey in some face of life and I am grateful learn so much about the world and myself while doing something I absolutely love. 

I have doubted that I would ever reach some of my highest goals, but I have never stopped working hard at them no matter how big that doubt was. Maybe my belief was stronger than my doubt even though I didn't always realize it. Maybe I was just always blessed with the right surroundings at the right times that kept me going. As much as I think this is my own journey, I know it hasn't been a journey on my own. If I tried to thank everyone who has helped me in any shape or form along the way, I would (1) forget a ton of people because I have hit my head too many times along the way and (2) I would eat up all my website space because the list would go on and on and on. You all know who you are, and I am forever grateful to you. 

Thanks so much to my sponsors for your endless support and belief in me. I ask my friends and fans to support my sponsors as well as it is always good to support companies that have kind hearts. Thanks to my parents for never asking when they are going to have grandkids, among the other things I am grateful to you for, my family for being just plain AWESOME, my friends for making me realize skiing isn't the world when I get too narrow minded, and to all my fans, old and new, for showing so much love! 

I have more conquering of the world to do, so I will write more later... in April probably! 

Stacey

In summary-
I have had successes, I have struggled, I have nearly given-up, I have learned, I have changed, I have struggled some more, I have learned some more, I have always loved skiing, I have been blessed with some incredible people in my life.