Into Fall We Go! — Jacqueline Wiles | U.S. Women's Alpine Ski Team

Hello family, friends, and encouraging supporters. Life has been wickedly fun and crazy since the season ended. Being home for a little bit after the season is always a must. Decompressing and relaxing after a long winter on the road is stupendous! Mid-April my teammates Stacey, Alice, and I took a PSIA clinic at Snowbird in Utah. PSIA stands for Professional Ski Instructors of America. I am now a fully certified level 300 ski instructor (never thought I’d say that, haha). This was a great opportunity for us athletes to look into the fundamentals from a coaching perspective. I learned a lot from this program and have seen it pay off in my own self-reflection.

Our team spent a good amount of time training together in Utah with our strength & conditioning coach Eirik in May and June. I was fortunate to have some quality time at home in July.

BIG NEWS: During my time at home, I finally signed my contract with Nike. Being from Oregon this has been a dream of mine ever since I can remember. I am proud to be a local athlete of this powerful company and love the opportunity to showcase their products. I believe it is important to empower women through sport and I intend to advocate that. #nikewomen #justdoit !!!

My trainer Troy whom I workout with while home. He has been with me since day 1! Such an amazing guy. Check him out at Clubsport Oregon.

While being home in July, I coached for my old program, The White Pass Ski Club at Mt. Hood for a week. It’s always fun to go up to the mountain I grew up on, and I coached alongside the coaches who helped get me to where I am today. It’s fun to hang out and goof around with the young girls. It feels nostalgic and I see a lot of myself in them. I feel deep gratitude to be able to give back and inspire young racers. It wasn’t all that long ago I was in their ski boots making laps on the slopes with my friends (aka the gaper gang we called ourselves). I feel that it’s my part to help in any way I can.

Come end of July, it was off to New Zealand for three weeks to get back on snow with the whole team. It was the first time since our season ended. Our coaching staff was mostly new again, so getting used to each other and the way we work together is a must. The first ski block of the summer tends to be more technique based, so a lot of gs was our main focus. Fundamentals and volume are important. This camp was very productive and I even figured out some issues with my setup towards the end:)

After being home for two weeks working hard in the gym, we headed south again for more winter skiing (summer in the Northern Hemisphere). This was my fourth trip to Chile and first time to Portillo. I was in awe of this place and the rich history of skiers who have come before me. Walking around the hotel are pictures of past teams who made Portillo their training hub. It is the best place for speed training, with the firm snow, tough terrain, and fast speeds. Even though the second week consisted of a massive snow storm that left us going stir crazy, it was an extremely productive camp. One of the factory guys from Rossignol canted my boots to fit my body alignment better, and now I am feeling so much stronger and in balance over my skis. It has made a huge difference, and I am skiing the best I ever have! It’s crazy how something so minimal can make a huge difference.

Decided to catch some air in downhill training!

The summer is winding down and fall is knocking on the door. The excitement of the new season is flowing through me and I can hardly wait to start racing again. All of our on-snow prep period is finished until we head to Colorado at the end of October.

Now, it’s back to hard gym training and mentally preparing for the race season. It is quickly approaching and I anxiously looking forward to it!

Next stop Utah!!!!!!

Much love, Jacqueline