This week’s Word of the Week is Process, chosen by Olympian and Freestyle Director Bobby Aldighieri. “Process” is a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end, and has to do with working on what you’re not good at yet and challenging yourself to be more comfortable being uncomfortable. In the Alpine skiing world, Mikaela Shiffrin is well known for her dedication to the process and not to the results. It is this factor that is often overlooked in competitive sports, and one of the highest contributors to favorable results. If the process is tried and true, the results become reliable. Mikaela’s junior coach said, “Everybody wants to race like they practice, but how many do? Mikaela can because she’s not thinking about trying to win. She’s thinking about getting better.”



Focusing on the process allows the little things to add up to the bigger picture. Within the SSWSC, 20 year old Maggie Ryan embodies the hard work that comes with focusing on the process. “Focusing on the process, and not solely on the outcome, keeps me grounded and working hard all year long. I try to only focus on what I can control and make sure that I am present and in the moment with everything that I do,” Maggie said.

For the next two weeks, we are encouraging athletes to look at the processes in their lives. On the mountain; how they can focus on building their skills in order to become a better athlete? Off the mountain; how do the motions of everyday life come together to make something happen? When asked to slow down, and focus more on the details rather than the result, is the end result more desirable?