The Ski Journal Straight Line Column. September 2008.

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“Dad, to me on the first chair of the day: ‘Are you feeling it? Do you think today is the day?’
Me: ‘I don’t know.’
Dad: ‘Come on now, pretend you’re 12 again.’

This is a typical exchange between my 66-year old father and me before we sprint off the chair and down the back bowl. He usually waits for me halfway down the run and then proceeds to follow me the rest of the way shouting instructions that always start with the same word. “Relax!” he says. “Lean forward more. Relax! Don’t turn. Relax! Set your edge.” When your glory days were at age 12, there is not much left to look forward to in life, or at least your skiing life. Back in the day, my dad and I were the Polish father-daughter dream ski team…”