{"id":66530,"date":"2013-06-27T10:49:41","date_gmt":"2013-06-27T14:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=66530"},"modified":"2018-10-26T13:26:36","modified_gmt":"2018-10-26T17:26:36","slug":"nordic-coach-beckie-woods-89-interviewed-on-fasterskier-by-fiddler-79","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2013\/06\/27\/nordic-coach-beckie-woods-89-interviewed-on-fasterskier-by-fiddler-79\/","title":{"rendered":"Nordic coach Becky Flynn Woods ’89 interviewed on Fasterskier by Fiddler ’78"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a series of profiles of female college Nordic coaches for FasterSkier,<\/em> former Olympian Nancy Ingersoll Fiddler ’78 checks in with Becky Flynn Woods ’89.<\/p>\n

Woods tells Fiddler that a big part of her job is to help her Nordic skiers meet the rigorous dual challenge of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½-caliber academics and Division I-caliber skiing competition.<\/p>\n

\"Becky<\/a>

Becky Flynn Woods ’89 and her father Bob Flynn (second from right) accept the Chummy Broomhall Cup as the top Maine college ski team from then-Maine Gov. John Baldacci in 2007. The award’s namesake, Chummy Broomhall, is at left. Photo courtesy of Kris Dobie.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cBalancing their workloads is a challenge,\u201d she says. \u201cAcademic schedules combined with daily, consistent training and racing is a tough combination but something that is so worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among her former skiiers are four All-Americans \u2013 Sylvan Ellefson ’09, Justin Easter ’03, David Chamberlain ’98, and Justin Freeman ’98. Freeman is a former Olympian, and Ellefson ’09 has his sights set on Sochi, Russia, for 2014. \u201cWhen skiers from ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ are skiing on the World Cup and at the Olympics, it certainly feels like we are having an influence at a level larger than just collegiate skiing,\u201d Woods says.<\/p>\n

Still, most ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ skiers will not continue racing after ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, so Woods’ overall goal as a coach is to prepare all her athletes for “what is to come” in life, she says, “physically, mentally and emotionally.”<\/p>\n