Regional Team Selection - Taos, NM
This was my first time being on this side of the selection process for the regional endorsement. As an incumbent team member, I will receive an endorsement from the region to vie for a shot at the National Team selection in April 2024. I wanted to go through the regional team selection for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted to support others going through the process. Second, I wanted to see what it was like to be a current team member going through the process. Finally, I wanted or I needed the practice!
Taos was cold the first day. We did skiing tasks like basic parallel and lane changes. Then we skied some medium radius and short radius turns. Then we did some outside ski turns and moguls. In the afternoon, we skied together as a large group in Stauffenberg’s. It was steep and long. It was very fun, tiring, and still cold. On Day 2, we did clinic leading. I went first and had to improve the group’s ability to shape the top of the turn.
Taos was a great venue for this regional process. It has the steeps and the snow. It is about a 6 hour drive from home and I carpooled with a friend also going for the regional endorsement. We had a fun car trip. We even did a podcast with George Thomas.
The experience was great. In every selection process, it has always mattered. This doesn’t mean that it didn’t matter this time, but I knew the outcome. I knew I would receive the regional endorsement. However, I still wanted to show up, perform, and do my best.
I was happy with my scores and there is always room for improvement. My skiing scores were more consistent. My clinic leading was an area where I could make some improvements. I went first and I was a little nervous. Plus, I wanted to get the group down to the bottom in one or more runs and I wanted to keep them moving. In an effort to do that, I may have rushed through things a little too fast. That was worth the price of admission.
Thank you to all the selectors and other candidates. Every selection process has been different. There is no right or wrong. The name of the game is consistency. Can you be consistently good throughout the process? That is my key learning from my experience in Taos.