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Riding shotgun in a van full of skiers en route to a morning workout on Saturday, I couldn’t help but notice the new addition to the traffic light on Main Street in Auburn: a giant black banner flapping in the wind, advertising the imminent arrival of 148 of the best collegiate skiers in the country. The black banner, bearing the NCAA logo and announcing the dates and venues of the upcoming championship races, is reproduced small-scale all over campus: pinned to bulletin boards, taped to classroom doors, adorning dorm windows and decorating the napkin dispensers in Commons. Though the banner comes untied and blows down day after day, it is always re-hung. If you haven’t gotten the message yet, Bates is hosting NCAAs.
Not only are we hosting, we are seriously representing. This year, Bates is sending three Nordic skiers and two alpine skiers – the biggest contingent in several years. Senior Captain Sylvan Ellefson, fellow senior Sam Evans-Brown and sophomore Natalie Ruppertsberger will be competing in the Nordic races while senior Co-Captain Liz Thompson and sophomore Micaela Holland will be racing on the alpine side.
Competing at NCAAs means something different to each individual. For Ellefson, this is his fourth trip to Nationals and it means “an opportunity to capitalize on four years of collegiate racing and go out in fashion on [his] home course.”
Evans-Brown, a first-time qualifier, describes his qualification for the championships as “the best possible culmination to four years of collegiate skiing.”
In contrast to her male teammates, sophomore Natalie Ruppertsberger did not set competing at NCAAs as a goal at the beginning of the season. In fact, the possibility of qualifying never crossed her mind until a friend showed her the points standings online, showing Ruppertsberger ranked 12th in the East. Nonetheless, Ruppertsberger characteristically refused to settle for the 12th position, and with two top-six performances in the last three carnivals, she secured the ninth-place ranking.
“I was psyched when I found out that I was on the edge,” said Ruppertsberger. “I realized I had to work even harder.”
Ruppertsberger certainly wasn’t thinking about NCAAs when she decided skiing would be the best way to stay in shape during her freshman year of high school. After two years of racing the New Hampshire high school circuit, she joined her local club team for an opportunity to check out the more competitive New England scene.
“I knew I wanted to ski in college, but I didn’t even really know what that meant,” said Ruppertsberger of her decision to take her skiing to a higher level.
Similarly, Evans-Brown reluctantly joined the ski team at the request of his brother – his ploy to have enough people for a full high school squad.
“I never really took it seriously,” he admitted, “until senior year when I had a crush on a girl who was a good skier. That’s when I really got into it.”
Regardless of their mindsets at the outset of their skiing careers, all five skiers put an incredible amount of energy and effort into their sport. Each athlete took a different route to get where they stand now. Ellefson attributes his success to “patience, rest and hours of training with some of my best friends.” Ruppertsberger, on the other hand, took some time off this summer. For her, positive thoughts are the key to racing well.
Ellefson’s hours of training this summer not only positioned him as of one of the top-ranked skiers in the East but also put some hair on his chest. Literally. “I just started growing chest hair this summer,” he said proudly. Christened “The Phoenix,” Ellefson’s chest hair appears to be one of his most cherished accomplishments. Evidently, he sets high goals for himself. In fact, though not all will admit to it, the five athletes have high aspirations for themselves, both in general and for the coming championships.
“If I could put in two top-10 races I would be satisfied…but satisfaction only goes so far,” said Ellefson cryptically.
Evans-Brown, always the team player, is hoping to win back some NCAA qualifier slots for the East. The number of skiers allowed to compete from each region is decided each year based on their performance over the past several years, and despite some standout performances in these years, the lower ranked Eastern skiers have caused their region to lose valuable spots.
“I want to do my part,” said Evans-Brown.
Not sure what to expect, Ruppertsberger isn’t worrying about results.
“I know NCAAs is incredibly competitive and as a newcomer to it, I don’t really have a concept of where I fall. I just want to race best for me,” she said.
Both Nordic and alpine skiers are looking forward to competing on their home courses. Having had a rough few weeks, the alpiners are hoping a course that they know well will give them the edge they need to get out there and tear it up. Ellefson and Evans-Brown were enthusiastic about their home turf.
“I can’t wait,” said Ellefson.
“I’ve never had a bad race at Rumford,” agreed Evans-Brown.
For Ellefson, Evans-Brown and Thompson, this is their last NCAAs. Despite the end of three magnificent careers, “my life will always involve skiing,” says Evans-Brown.
Ellefson, in turn, is planning to continue skiing professionally with the U.S. Ski Team and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Socchi, Russia as the ultimate goals.
In the meantime, the skiers plan to spend the next week at the Grand Summit Hotel in Bethel, previewing the race courses, resting, hydrating and getting psyched. At this point, the training is behind them. Their job for the next week, as Ellefson puts it, is to “rest the body before the big show.”
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