June 18, 2001
Lake Placid, N.Y.

I had an event in my personal life this weekend that really changed the way in which I look at life. One of my friends who started freestyle skiing with me unexpectedly passed away. He was, without a doubt, one of the most talented athletes I've ever known. It really helped me realize a thing or two about life.

Often people are amazed at what my lifestyle consists of. They see someone who has the opportunity to travel around the world, meet friends from various countries, and spend everyday of their life doing something they are truly passionate about. Often I don't see this. I see myself as ordinary and sometimes not very fortunate. I have days when I hate what I am doing, days in which I don't think I can go on, days where my body aches in places where I didn't know I had muscles.

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This morning I started camp No. 2 of seven. We break training into three weeks of intense conditioning followed by one week off. This enables us to get away, so instead of looking toward five months of training; our schedule is broken up in manageable parts. We can set more realistic goals, and give our bodies much-needed breaks. Last camp, I was stuck in the mode of repetition, repetition, repetition. After performing the same basic jumps 25 times a day, 125 times a week and 375 times throughout the camp, I started to lose some of the passion I need to bring to my training. Passion is what drives an athlete to continue when things are going well, but more importantly when things aren't going as well as planned.

Today I went out and I had a great time training. I felt really lucky to be outside doing what I love, striving to achieve my lifelong dream. It took a real tragedy for me to realize just how fortunate I am. Although there are days when I think that my body can't go any further, the reality is that I have the opportunity to wake up in the morning and start all over again. To start a new day in which I can take those small steps closer to my goals, those small steps that eventually lead to the Olympic gold.

-- Deidra

Answers to some of your questions:

What is the toughest jump you perform now (level of difficulty) and what do hope it will be by the end of the summer?
-- Rob & Christa, Toronto

Currently I have competed a single twisting (lay-full) and a double twisting double flip (full-full) on snow. Our competition calls for the athletes to perform two different jumps, and the total score of the two jumps count as your final score. Next year I am hoping to increase my degree of difficulty and compete either one triple twisting double flip (full double-full) and a double twisting double flip (full-full) or two different triple twisting double flips (full double-full and double-full full).

I was raised in the town that you now train in and therefore I have come across many athletes of your nature. My question is to how well you believe the Olympic Authority caters towards athletes such as yourself. I am the same age as you and am now off at university; therefore, I know that there isn't much for 19-year-olds to do in Lake Placid. I was just wondering how you rate your training experience there.
-- Tim, Lake Placid, N.Y.

A very positive experience. The community is very sport minded and they really care for their athletes. As for what I do for fun here, between water ramp training, trampoline training, lifting weights and fitness training, there isn't that much time for leisure activities. I normally unwind by catching a movie at the local cinema, or sometimes we go glow in the dark bowling and we have been known to attend Saturday night bingo. (I once won $50!)

Do you have to rent apartments while training or do you stay at someone's house?
-- Cathy Tendler, Verwood, Sask.

I live on my own in a studio apartment I rent myself. This is my first year all by myself. In the past I have lived in houses, which my teammates and I have rented. At one point I lived with eight of my teammates in a three-bedroom house! As you can imagine it is really nice to have my own space this year.

 

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