With the 2014 Olympic Winter Games less than a month away, athletes are competing in the final qualifying events on the world stage for the chance to go to the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Olympic Sport: Alpine Skiing
Hometown: Mammoth Lakes & Truckee
Resort Team: Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team
Stacey Cooke is no stranger to the Olympic Games, making her debut during 2006 in Torino, Italy, racing in both GS and downhill, and returning to the downhill course during 2010 in Vancouver. Last season was one of Cooke’s most successful starting with back-to-back second place downhill finishes in Lake Louise and ending with a 4th place overall ranking in Downhill. Cooke’s success is hardly an accident; her hard work began at a young age.
“I learned to ski at Soda Springs. I remember my dad making me carry my own equipment up the hill to get to the lodge and just thinking it was the biggest hill ever. I went back a few years ago for a Buddy Warner event and couldn’t believe how much of a hill it wasn’t,” said Cooke who grew up in Truckee.
When she was 6-years-old, Cooke joined a ski race program through the Truckee Donner Parks and Recreation District. Though her family knew little about ski racing, Cooke was naturally good at it, she said. It seems that the years of chasing her older brother on the hill had paid off.
Cooke continued to race with different programs in Tahoe through her childhood and into high school, but she struggled to find one that was a good balance for her. She sought something that kept her focused while allowing her to have fun. Finally, during her senior year in high school she found what she was looking for in Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team. She relocated to Mammoth Lakes and didn’t look back. The team encouraged her to race in speed events, and she was thrilled to go from being an unranked downhill racer to top 15 in the nation in one race. Within two years, she was a top contender winning both the NorAm downhill and overall titles.
Besides finding a team that was a good fit for her, Cooke also enjoys the small community and outdoor opportunities offered in Mammoth Lakes.
“Mammoth almost feels like what Truckee felt like growing up, size-wise. You know everyone in the grocery store and post office. Truckee grew so much from when I was a kid there, I think I’m just a small town girl,” said Cooke.
Coming from a humble background, Cooke is familiar with the support needed for young ski racers to pursue their passion. Wanting to give back to the sport she loves, Cooke partnered with Sun Valley Ski Tools to provide a scholarship to six athletes a year. The program allows her to stay in touch with youth in the sport while providing the athletes with support to continue racing.
During the off season, Cooke is just as busy as she is in the height of winter. She’s currently pursuing a degree in business, which doesn’t afford her much free time; however she enjoys travelling any chance she gets.
Cooke kicked off the World Cup season in Beaver Creek, Colo., on the new Women’s Raptor downhill course.
“It was a bit of a frustrating race for me. I won one of the training runs and had higher expectations than a 19th place finish, so it was kind of hard to swallow. If there is anything I have learned from my career though, it is that dwelling on a race doesn’t help at all, so I moved on pretty quickly,” said Cooke.
For her, preparing for the Olympics is just like preparing for any other year in her sport, however, she can’t deny that there is a bit more motivation. She’s also channeling the confidence from last season to keep her spirits high and her goals focused.
“Last year, I ended the season with a ranking that surprised myself a bit in 4th for the Downhill standings, but it also proved to me that I could be a contender for every race and that I had to start believing that,” said Cooke.
