When I was applying to colleges, I didn't have the grade point average or SAT scores of my scholarly sister, Laura. My high school guidance counselor asked me why I wasn't applying to more challenging schools, and my only response was that I didn't have the grades my sister did...

A few years ago, I had a friend approach me about having awful nerves before an upcoming speech. She had been asked to speak for a charitable cause she was closely connected with. My friend was dreadfully shy and the thought of...

During my senior year in high school, I decided I'd take up the popular sport of soccer to keep myself in shape during the off-season from skiing. Everyone told me it would really help my overall fitness for skiing. I didn't necessarily love soccer, but I was a fairly natural...

If you are anything like me, you have high hopes of achieving a lofty New Year's resolution, but as the days and weeks pass by, your resolve starts to dissolve. Typically, these resolutions are tied to something we are passionate about or value strongly, yet we let it go after...

I am terrified of heights, something few people would imagine of an aerial skier who launches herself high in the air at every competition. I would literally go in the woods and lose my lunch every time I had...

In summer training for a Freestyle Aerial skier, it's tough to simulate the experience of skiing off a snow jump. The closest thing we can find is a hard-bristled plastic surface, like a big upside-down scrub brush, that we call "the meanies" -- for obvious reasons if you fall. Aerial...

Many people think that because I took part in an individual -- versus team -- sport, there wasn't a teamwork element. I absolutely guarantee that I wouldn't have my Olympic medal if I didn't know how to find, rely...

The year before my second Olympics, my coach put together a training log for me that included a lot of aerobic work such as step classes, running and biking. I was an aerial skier, so coming from a sport where a "run" lasted three seconds and had nothing to do...

I was thirteen years old when the Olympic Games came to Los Angeles in 1984. My family traveled three thousand miles, across the country, to experience the games firsthand. We had always been Olympic junkies, so we were excited to see the events "up close and personal."

I was...

In our senior year, high school students are often invited to share an excerpt of our memories, interests and goals in the yearbook. Among a list of past events and friends' initials, I wrote "Olympics 1992." Because I was a dedicated athlete and made no secret of my dreams, everyone...

As the athletes head to the Olympic Games in London in a short few weeks, most of them realize they have one shot at success. Some Olympians have a few hours to pull off the feat of bringing home an Olympic medal. Some have a few minutes. And a lucky...

With just over three months to the Summer Olympics in London, many people are picking their favorites to win bronze, silver and gold. As I recall my own experiences leading into my second Olympic games, I've learned not to count out the media's underdogs.

When I returned to competition...

Photo courtesy of Nikki Stone

Experienced athletes often like to say that we are so confident, we could execute a maneuver or skill with our eyes closed. Aerialists have to perform each new trick hundreds of times into a pool before we're ever allowed...

Photo courtesy of Michael Spencer

I dedicate my post this week to a lady who lived her life in a way that many can only dream of. Sarah Burke, you are an icon, a hero, an inspiration, and a class act. When my flame...

Photo provided by Nikki Stone

With the weather being unseasonably mild, I slipped on my shorts to head outside for a late afternoon run. I knew that a few people might gasp at someone wearing shorts in the middle of winter in a...

Photo provided by Nikki Stone

After my second Olympic Games, I was invited to visit several children's hospitals. I still remember my first tour of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital just outside Boston. As an Olympian, I couldn't wait to inspire the...

When I qualified for the Freestyle Skiing World Cup tour, I began competing with athletes from all over the world. As an unknown skier my first year on the tour, I had no sponsors, and my parents had to...

When I started college, I had just broken onto the World Cup skiing scene, so I decided to pursue both ventures at the same time. The prospect of trying to find success in both skiing and academics was daunting. Getting through four years of school while trying to qualify for...

With so many people starting college or new jobs and positions, I thought it an appropriate time to share a story about my first year on the Freestyle Skiing World Cup tour. No matter how much knowledge and skill we carry to the table, there is always an unsure feeling...

It's been a long and heartbreaking week with the tragic passing of a friend and ex-teammate. The hardest part is seeing how challenging this has been to his family, best friends, and supportive teammates. This week I wanted to share a story that once helped give me some...