THESE ARE NOTES FROM CALLING – couldn’t record the phone call

Q: What sports do you do and how long have you done each?
A: Throughout life, Lisa has done cross country skiing, soccer, squash, tennis, and any neighborhood rec programs. In 8th grade she started skiing due to Bush’s wilderness program and immediately fell in love with it. Lisa raced all throughout high school and college – defined racing as the highlight of her college experience. In college she raced both nordic and alpine, and both were coed. They race separately, though the teams get scored all together. Lisa loved skiing because it was just a huge group of friends that you travelled with!

Q: What was the transition like between racing at Bush and racing in college?
A: Bush didn’t compete against other schools in the area. They were a traveling team with USSA. Their team went to Junior Nationals, California, Alaska, and Wyoming if they qualified. Lisa raced at a national level and eventually got recruited to Dartmouth for XC skiing.

Q: What was it like racing as a woman?
A: In high school it felt absolutely equal. She didn’t see any issues. Yet at Dartmouth, there was a 3:1 ratio of men to women. The men had a beautiful locker room with a shower and sauna, while the women didn’t have a locker room. They changed back at their dorms. Men and women were given the same coaching resources. Now, she says, the players are pretty equalled out – they both have locker rooms – but not so much the opportunities in general. As an example, Lisa tells of a combined racing camp in Switzerland that Harvard is sending 20 players to (her daughter races at Harvard). There are 20 spots. Yet 12 of them are for men, and 8 are for women. There is no reason why they shouldn’t be equal ratios – the girls’ skiing coach is fighting for the balanced ratio.

Q: Did you have any athletic role models?
A: Lisa didn’t have any female athlete role models growing up. She loved her Bush coach, who was a man, and was super encouraging towards her and gave her plenty of opportunities. At Dartmouth, her coach was a female Olympian: Martha Rockwell. Rockwell became one of Lisa’s role models because she was single-minded, focused, and an outstanding athlete.

Q: What were some obstacles you faced?
A: Didn’t face very many obstacles.

Q: What was it about skiing that kept you racing for so long?
A: Lisa says that the Bush team really solidified her passion for skiing. It was really the people and the friends you make through the program that kept her racing for so long. She had about 15 people on her team and it became a sort of family for her. College was the same way – a mix of exercise, being outside, and making friends. Lots of her best friends now were on her teams with her! As well, Dartmouth now has lots of leadership programs and career networking for athletes, so it really helps.

Q: Are you still involved in athletics?
A: Lisa’s joined an adult women’s hockey league and a soccer league in Minnesota! She also does a lot of personal exercise. Every year she makes it a goal to run one half-marathon and one 10k race. As well, she hikes and bikes a lot.

Q: I’m presenting to young kids at the end of my project in order to educate them on what it’s like being a woman in sports but also to empower them to get them excited about being an athlete! Is there anything you’d like to tell them?
A: Try anything and everything that you can – keep active!