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  • Former USST Racer Davis Finds Success in Soccer

    Former USST Racer Davis Finds Success in Soccer

     

    Skyler Davis competes at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow. Davis retired from skiing following the championships and took up soccer at UVM. He was recently named captain of the team for the 2015 season.
    Skyler Davis competes at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow. Davis retired from skiing following the championships and took up soccer at UVM. He was recently named captain of the team for the 2015 season.

    In 2011 Skyler Davis made headlines by claiming third place in the 1.4 km classic sprint at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Rumford, Maine. This was just the beginning of a successful year for the then 19-year-old, which ultimately ended with a naming to the U.S. Ski Team D-team. In 2012 Davis’ success continued with a standout-24th place in the freestyle sprint at his second ever World Cup in Canmore, Alberta. In 2013 the former SMS T2 skier had another successful U.S. Cross Country Championships, qualifying second in the 1 km classic sprint before finishing just off the podium in fourth.

    Though he did not reach his goals at U23 Championships that year in Liberec, Czech Republic, Davis was hungry for a bounce back in 2014. However, the young skier virtually disappeared from the cross country ski world after nationals in Soldier Hollow, Utah. As it turns out, Davis was ready to go back to school.

    “School was the biggest deciding factor for me,” Davis said in a phone interview. “I loved my team [and] I loved my coaches, Gus [Kaeding] and Sverre [Caldwell], at the time when I did retire. I was in a really good situation actually because the T2 Team had just started to really send off. We were doing well, we had a good group of guys, the coach was great, but I really wanted to enter school before another Olympic year went by.”

    “If I made the Olympics I would keep skiing and then probably enter [school in] the fall and if I didn’t, I would stop skiing and enter the spring semester which started I think honestly 12 to 24 hours after senior nationals ended that year,” he added.

    Even though Davis was headed to school, he didn’t want to leave athletics completely behind. Searching for a continued relationship with sport, he turned to an old passion of his, soccer. “As I viewed it, it was my chance to stay at a really high level…Soccer was something I had a really strong background in. I was very raw going back into the sport but it definitely was what I was looking for,” Davis, who played on northern Vermont’s premier soccer teams throughout elementary and middle school, stated.

    Prior to the of the 2014/2015 ski season — knowing that he might not qualify for the Sochi Olympics — Davis met with many division 1 soccer coaches and ultimately decided that the University of Vermont (UVM) was the right fit for him. “The deciding factor with UVM was the coach, I really love the coach, and I really like the team,” Davis said.

    Though Davis was ineligible to play until the following year, he was allowed to join the team for practices and training, which proved to be a challenge. Suffering from ailments ranging from shin splints to back problems, Davis worked to transition from low-impact skiing the high-impact movement required in soccer. That, in combination with intense lifting sessions, left Davis wondering if he would be able to reach the level required for large university soccer program. “That was definitely an interesting two plus months where I was like, I might get cut. I really wasn’t sure,” stated Davis.

    But the former cross country ski racer took on the challenge, and managed to impress the coaches and the team enough to maintain his roster spot for the following year. Still, he was ineligible to play in the fall and patiently waited for his chance this past spring. “Once the spring started up for games, we play about six games in the spring, I was able to actually carve out a roll on the team at center back so I actually played every minute of every game in the spring,” said Davis.

    This past June, Davis was named as one of the two captains for the upcoming season — something he credits to both his relationships with his teammates and some lessons he learned from skiing.

    “I think nordic skiing definitely helped me as far as being a good role model and leader for the team because with nordic skiing you have that work ethic that surpasses basically any other sport,” Davis said. “There definitely are moments where it brings me back to my nordic skiing training where we will be doing intervals which are obviously a little bit differently tailored, but the get me excited compared to other people.,” said Davis.

    In a recent press release by the University’s athletic department, the program’s staff had nothing but praise for the former USST member.

    “Skyler is a natural born leader who has a tremendously positive impact on the program from day one”, Head Coach Jesse Cormier said. “He has established himself as a strong, mature voice in the locker room and is an exemplary student. He has made amazing progress in training, his game has changed so much and is reflective of the consistent growth we have seen from the group as a whole. I’m excited for Skyler to play in his first match, he was waited a long time and prepared well to say the least.”

    The newly named captain is currently in Burlington, Vt. preparing for the upcoming season. “It has been ratcheting up pretty quickly,” Davis said. “Basically every day we train together. We have about half the team here now and preseason starts in about a month, so everyone is filtering in soon…Once we get about 20 to 25 guys we can really make it competitive with playing and training.”

    Though the  2015 soccer season at UVM is currently his biggest athletic focus, Davis certainly has not forgotten about his love for skiing. “Hopefully, after I’m done with soccer I’ll be able to get back to skiing and other more nordic ski related activities,” he said.

  • Despite Women’s Strength, Stereotypes Still Nip Sports Performance – With No End in Sight

    Despite Women’s Strength, Stereotypes Still Nip Sports Performance – With No End in Sight

    If Marit Bjorgen can't change people's perceptions about what women can accomplish in sports, then what can? (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus; facebook.com/FIS Cross Country)
    If Marit Bjorgen can’t change people’s perceptions about what women can accomplish in sports, then what can? (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus; facebook.com/FIS Cross Country)

    MONTPELLIER, France – Women’s sports have come a long way in the last half century. But they are still nowhere near on par with men’s sports, in terms of participation, depth of field, or funding. What is stalling the progress?

    One limitation is stereotypes, which in many ways have changed startlingly little. It’s taken as a fact that women’s bodies aren’t capable of the types of performances turned in by men. Yet in a recent review published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, authors noted that innate physical differences can’t fully explain the difference between men’s and women’s athletic performance.

    Many stereotypes and expectations have psychosocial effects on women from the very day they are born: what they wear, how they play, how adults interact with them. As girls get older, there’s the expectation to look pretty, to get married, and to have a family – and maybe leave a promising career to take care of the kids. All of this contributes, research shows, to the differences in both participation and performance between the sexes.

    Among the researchers who published that review is Julie Boiché. She’s a psychology researcher at the Epsylon Laboratory, a collaboration between three universities housed in this southern French city which bills itself as an “interdisciplinary research unit dedicated to the human sciences and health.”

    Sports aren’t what Boiché, a slim woman with biceps that Michelle Obama would envy and an elegant streak of white through her dark-gray hair, set out to focus on. In her career so far, Boiché has studied gender stereotypes and expectations in many aspects of life, from academics to professional settings.

    But it’s not a strange direction for her take, either. Boiché plays rugby, a sport which in France is definitely considered to be for men.

    “There was a student who came [to our team] and did a survey about it, talking with some of the male staff members,” Boiché recounts. “She felt that we were tolerated, nothing more. And sometimes we had feedback where they’d say, ‘actually, we’re really surprised that you can play!’”

    Of course, most people don’t come right out and say that, even if they think it. Stereotypes can be expressed in subtle ways, yet still have a huge impact.

    And while nordic sports are pretty egalitarian – at least compared to rugby – there are plenty of ways that these gender expectations are ingrained into athletes’ daily lives: the relative rarity of female coaches, even for female athletes. The shallower depth of field at almost every level of racing. And, fairly uniquely to skiing, the different distances for women and men.

    “I think it definitely marks differences, to say, ‘you can’t do the same distance because you’re just a woman’,” Boiché says of the setup. “Nothing legitimizes that, because you are just as highly-trained of an athlete. You can run the same distance, even if the male and female times are different.”

    So what is the impact of being reminded, weekend after weekend, that you’re different from a man? And why are situations like this deemed “okay” by the sporting world and the general public? That’s what Boiché and her lab has set out to study.

    Experiments and Surveys

    In psychology, stereotypes are defined as sets of beliefs about behavior or personality that are shared by a group of people. There are two ways to consider their effects: as internalized, or as situational.

    The internalization hypothesis tests the idea that the extent to which someone is affected by a stereotype depends on whether they endorse it or not. If they believe that a stereotype is true, then it will have an effect on them.

    The situational hypothesis is more broad. It states that anyone can be affected by stereotypes, as long as they are exposed to them. It doesn’t matter if they agree with the stereotype, if they are ambivalent, or if they actively fight it.

    Boiché gives an example of a situational effect from the academic realm.

    Fast and Female in action: Annie Hart, Sophie Caldwell, Jessie Diggins and Erika Flowers on Oct. 7 at a Fast and Female event in Park City, Utah. (Courtesy photo)
    Fast and Female in action: Annie Hart, Sophie Caldwell, Jessie Diggins and Erika Flowers on Oct. 7 at a Fast and Female event in Park City, Utah. (Courtesy photo)

    “Some very famous studies show that if you present a task as a drawing task, girls and going to be better, but if you present it as a geometry task, they will be worse than boys, even if it is the exact same task,” she explains. “It is just the stress, the pressure induced when you know that your group is considered as worse and you are afraid of confirming those stereotypes. You become less focused.”

    In sports, the internalization hypothesis is mainly used to study participation, while the situational hypothesis is used to study performance.

    “In the [internalization] sense, what we are working on is to what degree people agree with the stereotypes that men differ, and that sports are not as appropriate [for women],” Boiché says.

    This approach seeks to answer questions like those raised by Canadian Olympic gold medalist Chandra Crawford’s Fast and Female events: how can adolescent girls be encouraged to stay in sports?

    “We assume that if people endorse such stereotypes, then girls would be less likely to engage in sports,” Boiché explains. “Maybe they associate their gender with other kinds of activities. The idea is that in adolescence, gender identity becomes increasingly important and young women that identify strongly with femininity, if they endorse the stereotypes, would be more likely to drop out.”

    Assessing how people endorse these stereotypes is not an easy task for many reasons, but primarily because people are not always honest.

    “Women won’t necessarily tell you if they consider sports not to be for women,” Boiché laments. “But they will make choices in different proportions in men. You see that females drop out more than males, but at the same time they would deny that this is because of stereotypes.”

    The situational approach, on the other hand, can be studied in a less biased and more experimental manner; it is often applied to individual tasks. For instance, researchers can present a female athlete with a stereotype, and then ask them to perform a skill or technique. Women who take sports seriously probably don’t buy into the notion that athletics are a male domain – yet knowing that others do can still affect their performance.

    Confronting Reality

    In a world where Marit Bjørgen exists, along with Brittney Griner, Lindsey Vonn, Serena Williams, and Abby Wambach, and where women have made appearances everywhere from NASCAR to the Kentucky Derby – why do these stereotypes still even exist?

    Changing people’s perceptions, says Boiché, is hard. She and PhD student Melissa Plaza recently completed a study looking at participation by sex in a variety of sports, as well as people’s perceptions of those sports. They found nearly a perfect match: if more women did a sport, it was considered “appropriate” for women. If more men did a sport, it was considered a “men’s sport.”

    (There is also a stereotype against men doing sports that are perceived to be more appropriate for women, which Plaza believes is very important to study more. But the problems for women, she says, are greater: “It is not the same degree of conflict. For instance, a male dancer is going to be athletic anyway, [conforming to norms] since in social life men are expected to be muscular, even if they are not very large.”)

    Boiché called it a vicious circle.

    “As long as people think like that, it will be hard to change behavior,” she says. “Young children and adolescents don’t want to play a sport that is not ‘appropriate,’ and the parents won’t push them.”

    The women recount a story about a young participant in one of their studies. The girl wanted to play rugby; she signed up secretly because she knew her parents wouldn’t approve. Her mother found out and actually forbade her from playing; she was worried, she said. It’s a dangerous sport, and her daughter might break her nose.

    The kicker? It was a rugby family. The mother had not forbade any of her sons from playing.

    “People actually believe these stereotypes, that women are just physical capital and you have to keep that,” Boiché marvels.

    “It’s crazy,” Plaza agrees. “You have to change behaviors before you can change perceptions.”

    It’s a seemingly impossible proposition. So in the last part of her PhD, Plaza hopes to study whether it’s possible to change people’s perceptions before changing their behavior.

    For questions like this, researchers use computers and ask participants to do a task, like associating two words. Do they click faster, for example, when they’re presented with “men” and “sports” than with “women” and “sports”? This type of “implicit” study removes the bias and dishonesty the researchers encounter with survey-based methods.

    The plan is to examine whether being shown images of female athletes affects the way that participants make these associations.

    “That’s the question – if we present a model of someone that contrasts stereotypical behavior, will people realize that this person is as able in these sports?” Boiché asks. “And then that she’s not a man, that she’s feminine? Maybe that can change things.”

    Modern Complexity

    She could be talking about Plaza. Sitting across the table, the 25-year-old researcher wears a pink shirt with delicate shell buttons; and her long hair bounces as she moves. Her posture is perfect. She’s on point and slightly nervous, since she wasn’t sure she would be comfortable doing an interview in English. (She speaks, of course, very well.)

    So when she talks about broadcasting images that contrast stereotypes, you imagine, well, her. Besides conducting experiments and writing papers, Plaza is a professional soccer player, which is why she’s so interested in these questions in the first place. The midfielder has played an average of 78 minutes in 16 matches of the French championship league; in that time she has received two yellow cards for the Montpellier team, which is ranked fourth in the country.

    (For American skiing, this moment came when Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall – flipping their blonde hair and batting their lashes – marched atop the World Championships podium. Fast? Athletic? Feminine.)

    Despite the many, many examples of women who go completely against the stereotype that ladies shouldn’t do sports, and that those that do are more like men because of it, Boiché points out that as yet, they have “no solutions.”

    Even in 2013, women’s sports are often treated as a lower level. Plaza, for instance, is paid a fraction of what even the worst male players on French professional squads receive. Her team, she says, practices even more than the men’s team – and the women hold jobs or are students, while the men just play soccer. Sports aren’t perceived in the same way in every country, and soccer is a particularly striking example. In the United States, it’s seen as neutral, or appropriate for both men and women. In Europe, Boiché says, “it’s really the male sport.”

    So Plaza, and other female athletes, are exposed to stereotypes all the time, even if they don’t buy into them.

    “In the last few years, all these sexist declarations have been made by coaches,” Boiché fumes. “When you do the kind of job that we are doing, it’s surprising. You say, ‘what? We’re in 2013 now!’ Just this year there was a soccer coach who said – he was unhappy with what a woman commented on the radio – and he said ‘well, I never talk about soccer with women, they don’t get it and she should just go back to her kitchen.’”

    And even within her team of highly dedicated athletes, Plaza still sees women who endorse the stereotypes that she studies.

    “I often hear that they will have to stop their career at 40 so they can have children,” she says. “But what is the problem? You can have a child and then go back to your career. It’s not a problem for me.”

    It’s just one example of what the researchers often encounter in their work: women who at the same time endorse and completely reject stereotypes. Another example has to do with body image.

    “For women, at the same time that they are happy about their body because it is efficient, powerful, and strong, it also doesn’t fit societal expectations – like to be good-looking, you have to be thin, little, delicate,” Boiché says. “So not really muscular.”

    This presents some athletes with a mental tug-of-war, an internal disagreement. Until the stereotypes disappear, these contradictions will likely continue to be a source of both conscious and unconscious stress for female athletes.

    Solutions?

    Besides their experiments, Plaza and Boiché discussed some more society-level topics that are often brought up when discussing women’s sports. For instance, what if there were more female coaches? Would that provide more role models, and keep girls playing sports for longer?

    But the lack of female coaches is a product of the same stereotypes that limit women’s participation as athletes, plus all of those that go along with professional life, or even just the desire to have children and spend time with them at home.

    “The characteristics of the job are more appropriated for men, because you have to be self-confident, you have to be a leader, you have to be many many things that are male-typed,” Plaza said. “So maybe that’s a barrier for women to be able to get this opportunity.”

    Then there’s the media aspect. Women’s sports exist, but they aren’t broadcast as often. Plaza thought that changing that ratio might help change people’s perceptions, seeing female athletes more frequently might make it more “appropriate” to be one.

    But Boiché wasn’t sure.

    “I think the hard thing is that when people have a really strong opinion about something, it is really hard to make them change,” she said. “I’m not sure coverage would change this kind of vision.”

    For Plaza, the best she can do to try to solve the problem is to keep researching, and trying to understand what drives people’s perceptions.

    That, and keep playing soccer.

    “For the moment we have no choice but to keep playing, to stay involved in the sport and to be better and better,” she concludes.

  • World Cup Soccer Fantasy Challenge Winners

    The World Cup is over and Spain walked away with their first-ever Cup.  But the true glory is reserved for the winners of the FasterSkier World Cup Soccer Fantasy Challenge.

    We asked FasterSkier readers to submit their World Cup soccer squad, consisting entirely of cross-country skiers. The responses were excellent, with a combination of wit, thought, and silliness.  In fact, they were so good, it was difficult to single out the top picks.  We easily could have picked at random and been happy with the result.

    But we pushed ahead and selected the top five overall.  We have included a selection of  submissions below, with the top six leading off.  The rest are in no particular order.

    Congratulations to winner Nellie Dow, who receives a soccer ball signed by Andy Newell, and to runner-up Pasha Kahn who wins a slightly less glamorous mini soccer ball signed by FasterSkier journalists.  Who knew second place could be so painful…

    1. Nellie’s Nordic Nerdery (NNN) (Nellie Dow)
    2. XC Galacticos (Pasha Kahn)
    3. Langrenn IK (Adam Doogan Smith)
    4. Airplanes Made out of Biceps (Joe Howdyshell)
    5. Euros ’10 (Brandan Fontana)
    6. Granola Crunching  Chumps (Sadie Bjornsen)

    Team Name: Nellie’s Nordic Nerdery (NNN)

    Submitted By: Nellie Dow

    Coach: Inge Braten

    Justification

    He’s tough – even with a broken hip he wanted to be on the Tour de Ski with the Canadains last season. And that’s the kind of football he will demand from my squad.

    Striker: Laase Paakkonen

    Justification

    With a nickname like ‘The Hammer’ you really cannot go wrong picking a young Finn to head your attack. He’s going to pounding balls into the back of the net like crazy.

    Left Wing: Tim Tscharnke

    Justification

    Speed up front is essential, and Tscharnke has it to burn. As well, he’s young, surprising, and people underestimated him this season. Also, he’s German, and they shelled the Aussies 4-0.

    Right Wing: Devon Kershaw

    Justification

    With the Hammer finishing, Tscharnke’s speed, the top line needs some sandpaper. Devon Kershaw is the guy who isn’t afraid to work hard. He’s not the biggest, but he’ll go to the trouble areas, work his butt off, and as we saw in the Tour de Ski two seasons ago, he’s not afraid to get the mitts up with Hellner in tight corners. He can also be jaw-droppingly brilliant at times, which shocks dimmer-witted opponents who have chosen Justyna Kowalczyk or Axel Teichmann to backstop their squad.

    Stopper: Anders Soedegren

    Justification

    The Stopper: doesn’t need to be flashy, or an exceptionally fast sprinter. He needs to have guts, determination, brains and above all the skill to make it work. Sodo has all of that – he knows what’s going on at all times, knows when to turn the screws, and doesn’t goof about. Solid and dependable.

    Left Midfielder: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    Somebody in the middle has to have top end speed, and Joensson has speed to burn. He’ll be able to track down balls on the wings far speedier than his opponents, and has the skills to make them pay as well.

    Right Midfielder: Dario Cologna

    Justification

    Right mid is often considered the premiere position in football; it is Christiano Ronaldo’s office. It is for the smooth, the skilled, the professional, all of which describe Cologna’s attitude and actions on the World Cup.

    Sweeper: Ivan Babikov

    Justification

    You want your toughest guy and most reliable dude playing sweeper – there is no one tougher or more reliable than Babikov.

    Center Back: Petra Majdic

    Justification

    Sure, it’s obvious. She’s tough, shes strong, she’s big, she absolutely moshes opponents. But in NNN’s team system, cooperation and teamwork is key to success on defense. And she is the key to making her two defense partners better.

    Left Back: Katja Visnar

    Justification

    A fellow Slovenian of Petra’s, she is a young sprinter who is quick enough to run with the big guns. She can be dangerous depending on the day, but her close association with Petra and great communication between the two are what make this a lock.

    Right Back: Vesna Fabjan

    Justification

    Two Slovenians are called a gaggle, but three are called a dam. Fabjan rounds out the NNN’s D trio of Slovenians, making it without a doubt the fastest, toughest, best communicating defense corps on the field.

    Goalie: Nobu Naruse

    Justification

    You need a bit of a nut, as well as experience, in the net to hold your squad together. Naruse has the experience part down, and if you google him, you’ll understand the second part. He can hold down the fort in even the hairiest of conditions.

    Team Name: XC Galacticos

    Submitted By: Pasha Kahn

    Coach: Inge Braten

    Justification

    He may be old, but he has the experience and professionalism to get the job done.

    Striker: Alexander Legkov

    Justification

    Why Legkov? A good striker is all about scoring goals at whatever the cost. Legkov’s desire to win would translate into goals, even if it involves controversial fouls, dives, and possibly even handballs. That doesn’t matter, every effective striker is a dubious shark looking for opportunity. Legkov is the man for the job.

    Left Wing: Ola Vigen Hattestad

    Justification

    Hattestad’s speed and size make him menace down the left wing. Additionally his size and height along with Emil would be an asset heading in free kicks.

    Right Wing: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    Size and speed make Emil a threat down the wing. Speedy runs and crosses would threaten the opposition’s defense.

    Stopper: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    Serving as a second striker behind Legkov, Hellner would be the confident and creative presence in midfield, he would create opportunities for Hattestad and Joensson to make runs and would serve balls up to Legkov. Hovering around the 18 line he would fire frequent strikes from outside the box, win every air ball, and psychologically devastate the opposition with his Materazzi-like comments.

    Left Midfielder: Tobias Angerer

    Justification

    You just know he will deliver a consistent performance. Angerer would have a good passing game and vision for creating opportunities on the attack

    Right Midfielder: Anders Soedergren

    Justification

    Anders has never been afraid to lead a ski race even when everyone else is. That bodes well for Anders to make fearless runs at the opposition’s defense. He is also the type of skier to ski selflessly for the benefit of a teammate, another rare skier quality, which suggests that he would be the type of selfless midfielder that plays a good passing game.

    Sweeper: Ivan Babikov

    Justification

    Ivan would never stop moving his feet, and would be the engine of the team. This position would allow Ivan to cover a lot of ground but wouldn’t require him to run at high speeds. He would play back and defend tenaciously, throwing in some tough tackles, but he would also bring the ball forward and be a menace defensively throughout the field. The distance-covered stats would always show Babikov covering at least 14km a match.

    Center Back: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    Who but the big man would you want on your back line?

    Left Back: Ivan Batory

    Justification

    The Beast from the East is virtually unstoppable. When he isn’t winning challenges, he’ll be winning icy cold stare downs. Its been said that Ivan Batory once killed a man over a poker game in the Carpathian Mountains. It’s also rumored that his visage may grace Slovakia’s production allotment of Euro coins.

    Right Back: Valerio Checchi

    Justification

    Italians are born to defend. Valerio is reputedly the best player amongst the Italian xc squad, so that bodes well for his defensive ability.

    Goalie: Petter Northug

    Justification

    By far the hardest position to fill, Northug is the best choice. A goalie should have some height, they should be fearless, a little crazy, and aggressive. Northug has some height and the athleticism to be a goalie, and his concussion in the spring xc ski cross shows that he has no qualms with injuring himself, something most skiers are too timid about. His natural aggressive qualities are perfect for a goalie. Standing in the box while the action happens out on the pitch would be like a pressure cooker for Northug. By the time the ball got close to him he would be so pent up with competitive energy that he’d be twitching. This would translate into ridiculous saves and outrageously physical challenges on attacking strikers, likely injuring them for the season. He also would be the type of goalie to try scoring in the final minute if we were trailing by a goal.

    Team Name: Langrenn IK

    Submitted By: Adam Doogan Smith

    Coach: Thomas Alsgaard

    Justification

    In his day, the Norwegian was one of the best footballers in the world. Like so many world class athletes, after he hangs up the football boots, he looks for place in management and passes on his experience and wisdom of being on top of the world to those he is mentoring and is able to put the best team on the field. Though young for the coaching position, he has shown why he is the right man for the job.

    Striker: Jesper Modin

    Justification

    Models his game after Niklas Bendtner. An intimidating striker towering at 6’7″, he rarely looses aerial battles in and around goal. Add his rawness and speed, he makes the perfect striker. Though young and inexperienced, he has a lot to learn and lots of room to improve on his great all-round game which is a scary thought for those whole already play against him.

    Left Wing: Emil Jönsson

    Justification

    Models his game after Lionel Messi. His blazing speed will open up room for himself down the flanks where he can either cut in or cross it into the box. His control and technique make him one of the best players in the world. He’s not tall enough and that is why he’s not the central striker, he will not win any head balls. His improvement in endurance has made him a first team regular as his fatigue is minimal during a 90 minute match. Is also a very effective supporting striker.

    Right Wing: Andrew Newell

    Justification

    Models his game after Andrei Arshavin. Though Alsgaard sings praises about the American in practice, when it comes to game time, Newell seems to falter. He needs to work on his consistency to become as world renowned as his teammate Emil Jönsson. His coach believes he needs more competition in training to go from a good player to a great player. A similar skill set to Jönsson, he is also taller which makes him an aerial threat as well.

    Stopper: Petter Northug

    Justification

    Models his game after Stevie Gerrard. The teams clutch player. Comes through time after time to win matches in the dying minutes. He is a game changer. His stature makes him very strong on his ball. He can control the game with his explosiveness and is always marked closely by the opponents because of this.

    Left Midfielder: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    Models his game after Christiano Ronaldo. Links up well with his fellow countryman Jönsson especially on the overlaps to try to space to throw crosses in for Modin. Although not the most explosive or best sprinter on the team, his control and trickery on the ball is vital to his game. Excellent crosser of the ball, he also doubles as the teams penalty kick taker and freekick specialist.

    Right Midfielder: Lukas Bauer

    Justification

    Models his game after Cesc Fabregas. He sits slightly deeper in the midfield which enables him to utilize his vision of the play in front of him. While he doesn’t have the same explosiveness as Northug, he has the vision and instincts which allows him to thread the needle and makes him the best playmaker on the team.

    Sweeper: Alexander Legkov

    Justification

    Models his game after Gerard Pique. Though not the fastest player, he is dominant in the air and stays calm under pressure. The most defensive minded player on the back line and rarely jumps up into rushes. It took a while for him to make his way into the first team regulars, but once he got here, he’s never wavered and will be a mainstay in Langrenn IK for many years to come.

    Center Back: Dario Cologna

    Justification

    Models his game after Thomas Vermaelen. One thing you need in your final defender is consistency, and that’s what Cologna brings to the squad. He will always be there to organize and push up the line, but be in there to defend set piece and clear out the box. Not only a great defender, he is also a player that goes up for set pieces and notches up 5-10 goals a season.

    Left Back: Tobias Angerer

    Justification

    Models his game after Patrice Evra. His endurance and sprint speed (especially late in matches) makes him very dangerous when he links up with Hellner on the left flank for balls into the box. Having grown up playing with the tender Teichmann, they have a great understanding which becomes extremely valuable when pressure is on the back four defenders. He is much more offensively minded than the Italian Piller Cottrer, but that doesn’t mean he is not an outstanding defender as his tracking back skills are the best on the team.

    Right Back: Pietro Piller Cottrer

    Justification

    Models his game after Dani Alves. With defending height coming from Cologna and Legkov,Piller Cottrer is the perfect wing-back who has the experience and footballing instinct to help out in both ends of the pitch. He knows when to jump in on the counter attack and when to stay in his native position. More of an offensive defender, the reliability of Cologna and Legkov allows the Italian to roam up and down the left flank all game. Much like his ski career, his positioning on the pitch is stellar and he is rarely caught out.

    Goalie: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    Models his game after Gigi Buffon. He’s been a star since he was a junior. The level head of the team, stay almost eerily calm under all conditions. He xoesn’t let distractions get the best of him. His demeanor demands respect from his back line and they know what he wants from them. Instead of yelling at them after making mistakes, he just gives them the emotionless stare of death and they know what needs to be done.

    Team Name: Airplane made out of Biceps

    Submitted By: Joe Howdyshell

    Coach: Ulf Morten Aune

    Justification

    Damn mean looking. Knows how to breed a culture of size, strength, speed, and physicality.

    Striker: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    Incredible finishing speed, uses his “turbos” to find the opening every time.

    Left Wing: Pietro “Killer Piller” Piller Cottrer

    Justification

    Nothing screams Italian flair like a little yellow hat with a bobble. Expect him to make a lot of flashy moves no one see coming. Also, dives at the slightest contact.

    Right Wing: Maurice Magnificat

    Justification

    1. He can do anything.
    2. Best. Soccer. Name. Ever.

    Stopper: Martin Bajcicak

    Justification

    Kamikazi!!!!!

    Left Midfielder: Devon Kershaw

    Justification

    Tireless and punchy, good over short distances, but able to last the whole game.

    Right Midfielder: Anders Sodergren

    Justification

    Attacks, attacks, attacks

    Sweeper: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    Big mean, and still fit. Would be an excellent mid, but CAN’T SCORE A DAMN GOAL.

    Center Back: Polsa!!

    Justification

    Big, intimidating, talks a lot of $hit.

    Left Back: Anders Gloerson

    Justification

    It’s all about the intimidating combination of 36 abs and an old mans haircut.

    Right Back: Borre Naess

    Justification

    Neck? What neck.

    Goalie: Petter Northug

    Justification

    Just when someone thinks they’ve won, he crushes their dreams.

    Team Name: Granola Crunching Chumps

    Submitted By: Sadie Bjornsen

    Coach: Ben Husaby

    Justification

    King of Hustling

    Striker: Amy Glen

    Justification

    Not afraid to get nasty at all costs. Very aggressive!

    Left Wing: Caitlin Patterson

    Justification

    For one they work better together, and there mad Agony Hill speed and aggressiveness pair together to make a killer front duo.

    Right Wing: Scott Patterson

    Justification

    For one they work better together, and there mad Agony Hill speed and aggressiveness pair together to make a killer front duo.

    Stopper: Jessie Diggins

    Justification

    She will be good at distracting the other team with her hilarious jokes and constant chattering. She is also not afraid to get nasty when it comes down to it.

    Left Midfielder: The Hoff

    Justification

    Will never stop running, has no endurance threshold. Plus you never hassle the Hoff.

    Right Midfielder: Liz Stephen

    Justification

    Always in motion. Manages to run circles around everyone while moving the ball.

    Sweeper: Turbo Turzian

    Justification

    She is so big and powerful.

    Center Back: Monica Markvardsen

    Justification

    Backup to Jessie Diggins

    Left Back: Sylvan Ellefson

    Justification

    Good looks distraction

    Right Back: Simi Hamilton

    Justification

    Wooing distraction.

    Goalie: Pat Casey

    Justification

    Either on the ground, or in the air the length of him should cover all shots.

    Team Name: Team Dream

    Submitted By: Paul Quackenbush

    Coach: Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset

    Justification

    Stellar at press conferences and too old to play.

    Striker: Petter Northug

    Justification

    Too bad if I get penalized, it had to be done. Northug is going to be the new Wayne Rooney, except with better stamina and acceleration.

    Left Wing: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    He’s accustomed to being behind Northug.

    Right Wing: Vincent Vittoz

    Justification

    He looks like a soccer player.

    Stopper: Kris Freeman

    Justification

    He can run all day, while still being an imposing force on defense.

    Left Midfielder: Giorgio di Centa

    Justification

    Quick and light on his feet, he also adds experience to the team.

    Right Midfielder: Andrew Newell

    Justification

    He has the speed and finesse to make daring runs down the right flank.

    Sweeper: John Kristian Dahl

    Justification

    Try getting past him on a breakaway. Not going to happen.

    Center Back: Ivan Babikov

    Justification

    He looks and acts exactly like a center back should.

    Left Back: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    Consistent, especially when it matters most, he will work well with his fellow swede.

    Right Back: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    Fast and strong enough to handle any forward.

    Goalie: Billy Demong

    Justification

    He’s good at flying through the air.

    Team Name: Team RAWR (Real Athletic Women Ripping-it-up)

    Submitted By: Shelby Aseltine

    Coach: Rikard Grip

    Justification

    The “110%” attitude let Sweden take home more medals then ever before in Vancouver. I’m pretty sure that attitude would apply to soccer pretty easily.

    Striker: Magdalena Neuner

    Justification

    She’s fast and she’s accurate. For striker, that’s really all that she needs.

    Left Wing: Andrea Henkel

    Justification

    Once again, a very sharp shooter. But she also has experience, making her a good choice for left wing because she knows where to place the ball.

    Right Wing: Justyna Kowalczyk

    Justification

    She has the power to take corner kicks and place them right in the goal box for a perfect header into the goal. Not to mention she’s also one of the fastest skiers in the world (Actually she IS the fastest skier in the world)

    Stopper: Therese Johaug

    Justification

    With her good looks she could stop anyone.

    Left Midfielder: Marit Bjoergen

    Justification

    Marit is a girl who could go forever up and down the field because she has just so much endurance. She’s also a smart skier, which would probably make her a good wing because she needs to be able to time her runs up and down the field. As a midfielder she’d also be able to be on the offensive and the defensive, which is something that she also does with her skiing.

    Right Midfielder: Charlotte Kalla

    Justification

    She’s young and ambitious not to mention extremely talented. And with her new focus on her sprinting ability (according to FIS News which I assume doesn’t lie) she should be able to book it up and down the field and be able to get back on the defense if she’s up front.

    Sweeper: Kikkan Randall

    Justification

    She’s called Kikkanimal for a reason.

    Center Back: Kristina Smigun-Vaehi

    Justification

    She has probably the most experience out of this entire squad which makes her a prime candidate for being center back. She can make good calls and she can control the field.

    Left Back: Kristin Stoermer Steira

    Justification

    In addition to being an extremely talented and efficient skier, Kristin is also an extremely talented runner (think 16:02 5k). Like Kristina, she also has a ton of experience, making her an excellent back.

    Right Back: Anna Haag

    Justification

    With her and Kalla on the field, they’re sure to make an unstoppable team (think silver medal team sprint Vancouver 2010).

    Goalie: Petra Madjic

    Justification

    If she can win a bronze medal with broken ribs and a punctured lung, she can stop a ball from going into a little net.

    Team Name: Nordic Soccer Obliteration

    Submitted By: Derek Hartman

    Coach: Tor Arne Hetland

    Justification

    Fast paced, aggressive attacking style.

    Striker: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    He is very fast and knows how to toy with the opposition. This should enable him to play games with the opposing defense and get by them with speed and skill.

    Left Wing: Andy Newell

    Justification

    Fast down the wings. Fits into Hetland’s aggressive and fast paced attack.

    Right Wing: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    Still provides speed down the wings, but can also provides a good work ethic to win the balls and drive them forward for Emil.

    Stopper: Ivan Babikov

    Justification

    The guy just keeps on going. He is going to win every battle in the centre of the formation and good luck getting him to quit.

    Left Midfielder: Tobias Angerer

    Justification

    He’s German, so you have to find a spot for him on the team. Plus he is good at winning some battles and always seems to hang around in any of the battles.

    Right Midfielder: Lukas Bauer

    Justification

    Along with Angerer and Babikov, he provides a midfield that will be tough to beat and will take the battles and just keep coming back.

    Sweeper: Petra Madjic

    Justification

    She is fast, big and can take some pain. As a result, it will be tough to get by her as the last line of defense.

    Center Back: Marit Bjoergen

    Justification

    She’s jacked and so would be tough to get by in the centre of the defense.

    Left Back: AK Saarinen

    Justification

    Nothing flashy, but an all around solid player (skier) to help shore up the defense. Consistency means it will be tough to beat her and you know she will always show up.

    Right Back: Ben Sim

    Justification

    He’s Australian and has had to fight through a lot just to get to the World Cup circuit. As a result, he is battled tested and knows what it takes to be successful.

    Goalie: Petter Northug

    Justification

    No one gets by him one-on-one.

    Team Name: Rossigoal

    Submitted By: Luke Costley

    Coach: Matthew Voisin

    Justification

    Matt loves coaching and can’t get enough of it. He never wants to retire.

    Striker: Kris Freeman

    Justification

    Fiery and explosive, this big center forward has the ability to take over a game. His intensity only creates problems for the other teams and he scores most of his goals when he is angry.

    Left Wing: Andy Newell

    Justification

    Speedy and slight, Newell will create counter-attack problems for most defenses and can be dangerous from the perimeter. He will also be tough to defend on set pieces.

    Right Wing: Emil Joensson

    Justification

    Joensson also brings speed to the table, making him a perfect fit for the right flank. His hill climbing ability will translate nicely into hard runs down the sideline and service into the box.

    Stopper: Petter Northug

    Justification

    The other team will not cross midfield. End of story. Jaa, the King of Norway is here.

    Left Midfielder: Lukas Bauer

    Justification

    The Czech Republic’s aging golden boy will be a solid role player that is dependable and consistent.

    Right Midfielder: Ivan Babikov

    Justification

    Determined and disciplined, he can provide support for the strikers and midfielders.

    Sweeper: Dario Cologna

    Justification

    Cologna, often likened to a water polo player, will use a strong upper body and a range of speeds to fend off both big and fast strikers.

    Center Back: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    Big and brawny, Teichmann provides the back line with another speedy “big man,” about the equivalent of Kevin Garnett taking up a spot in the center of the park.

    Left Back: Nikita Kruikov

    Justification

    The first installment of the Russian-dominated back line, Kruikov has the size and physicality to rough up opposing attackers.

    Right Back: Alexander Panzhinskiy

    Justification

    Similar to his compatriot, Panzhinskiy can be a physical presence to disrupt the flow of the other team.

    Goalie: Oeystein Pettersen

    Justification

    Athletic and seasoned, the Norwegian will preserve the clean sheets for the team.

    Team Name: Northug’s a Chump

    Submitted By: Zach Hudson

    Coach: Mark Skildum

    Justification

    a unique blend of Monster fueled insanity and motivational brilliance.

    Striker: The Sausage

    Justification

    Perfect Target Man would be strong on the ball, also intimidating.

    Left Wing: Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset

    Justification

    Ask errant wax techs how he likes it when people get in his way

    Right Wing: Freeman

    Justification

    All those heinous OD’s mean he can put in the running a la Dirk Kuyt

    Stopper: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    The man’s name is Axel what other Justification is needed

    Left Midfielder: Ola Vigen Hattestad

    Justification

    All that speed has to have a place somewhere on the pitch

    Right Midfielder: Torin Koos

    Justification

    deserves to be on a team somewhere

    Sweeper: Teodor Peterson

    Justification

    He sure swept Brian Gregg away at the World Cup Final

    Center Back: Sodo

    Justification

    I can’t leave him out, he’s the man

    Left Back: Sten Fjeldheim

    Justification

    You always want experience and wit at the back

    Right Back: Vincent Vittoz

    Justification

    Provides some trademark French guile, plus I imagine he’d be adept at drawing fouls

    Goalie: Marty Hall

    Justification

    Because every team needs a crusty veteran shouting confusing encouragement

    Team Name: Demongster Detonation

    Submitted By: Isiah

    Coach: Thomas Alsgaard

    Justification

    because it’s what he’s doing in “retirement”

    Striker: Andy Newell

    Justification

    Fast and agile, as long as he doesn’t crash out he should score some points.

    Left Wing: Simi Hamilton

    Justification

    has experience filling in for Andy at a big event

    Right Wing: Johan Olsson

    Justification

    will probably remain in front of Petter until the end when Petter surges and scores the game winning goal. proof http://www.statisticalskier.com/?paged=2

    Stopper: Garrot Kuzzy

    Justification

    http://www.johnnyklister.com/post/356224355/garrott-kuzzy-gets-in-fist-fight-with-olympic-selection nuff said

    Left Midfielder: Billy Demong

    Justification

    because he’s the man

    Right Midfielder: Petter Northug

    Justification

    good at everything, exactly what a midfielder should be

    Sweeper: Oystein Petterson

    Justification

    Sweepers need to be big, hence “the sausage”

    Center Back: Axel Teichmann

    Justification

    besides the awesome facial hair which provides the intimidation factor, his name is Axel which is like a car axle, which if you’ve ever run over a chicken you know they f shit up

    Left Back: Christian Zorzi

    Justification

    starting to get a little old – here he wont have to run too much, perfect for a sprint specialist

    Right Back: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    used to being behind Northug

    Goalie: Tobias Angerer

    Justification

    so he can collaborate on more gloves

    Team Name: Nub Dusters

    Submitted By: Erick Anderson

    Coach: Simi Hamilton

    Justification

    Yeah this kid trains for skiing…but not that hard…pure talent, get him on the field anywhere..actually not, U.S. Skiing has slim pickins as it is for potential medal winners well put him on the sideline so he doesn’t get hurt, maybe he can come in and take a penalty kick or something

    Striker: Emil Jonnson

    Justification

    I once heard that strikers had to be crazy, fast, and athletic…check check and check

    Left Wing: Emile Johnson

    Justification

    A skier that can run and kick a ball?? Can we make him our captain and coach too?

    Right Wing: Andy Newell

    Justification

    Never met the man, but anyone who can sprint on the world cup circuit as well as skateboard and rip back flips on nordic skis and mud in a huge truck I am sure could hack it on this team

    Stopper: Axel Teichman

    Justification

    Axel Teichman….who is gonna mess with Axel Teichman really? Enough said

    Left Midfielder: Morgan Arritola

    Justification

    Think she used to play soccer…and lets be honest how good can a bunch of men nordic skiers really be??? Bend it like Beckham??

    Right Midfielder: Giorgia Di Centa

    Justification

    Could we really have a team without at least one scrappy Italian on it…hopefully they would let these guys play with the pom pom hats still too.

    Sweeper: Sylvan Ellefson

    Justification

    A nordic skier that can run, and kick the ball at the same time, put him on the field anywhere

    Center Back: Petra Majdic

    Justification

    Anyone who can fall off of a course into a crevasse, break her ribs and still win a medal in the olympics is tough enough to stand people up on defense for this team…

    Left Back: Marit Bjorgen

    Justification

    I once saw a creepy video of marit Bjorgen lifting a anchor up and down, and then flexing for the camera…with that said dont think she will be muscled off the ball…and I dont think she will get tired either

    Right Back: Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset

    Justification

    There is NO chance this guy is good at soccer, he was on the Norwegian cross country running team too for a bit i think. That being said, hes definitely the man and gives our team way more street cred…anyways petra majdic and marit bjorgen got the D covered anyways

    Goalie: Ole Einar Bjorndahlen

    Justification

    Our single biathlete of the team…figure we can just stand him there with a gun and the intimidation factor will take care of the rest

    Team Name: Team Norway / USA Combo

    Submitted By: R.O.

    Coach: Bjoern Dahlie

    Justification

    Take the historically best skiers and the historically worst soccer players and put on a team

    Striker: The Sausage

    Justification

    What’s his cele like?

    Left Wing: Petter Northug

    Justification

    Well, he does win a lot.

    Right Wing:

    Petter Northug

    Justification

    What, you don’t think he’s not boss enough to cover both sides?

    Stopper: Petter Northug

    Justification

    I might just be over-hyping him, but after the South Africans see him play, they will put his picture on their bread.

    Left Midfielder: Marcus Hellner

    Justification

    I don’t know how their going to work on the same team, or even how he is going to join Team Norway, but he does add a touch of class to this team.

    Right Midfielder: Justin Freeman

    Justification

    Midfield takes running right?

    Sweeper: Petter Northug

    Justification

    He tends to clean up.

    Center Back: Andrew Newell

    Justification

    He’s been trying to reach the center (of the podium)for a while now, it might be the back, but hey…

    Left Back: Simi Hamilton

    Justification

    Kid has potential, just want to have Andy there in case.

    Right Back: Lars Flora

    Justification

    Got to balance old with new

    Goalie: Petter Northug

    Justification

    You probably know why

  • World Cup Soccer Nordic Ski Fantasy Challenge

    World Cup Soccer Nordic Ski Fantasy Challenge

    In the few minutes of downtime between rollerski workouts, you may have caught wind of the fact that the “other” World Cup is underway in South Africa.

    With no skis to wax or race results to pour over, and posting anonymous gibberish on the FasterSkier comments providing only so much entertainment, what better way to wile away summer hours than to watch some soccer.

    Soccer has a place in the ski world – usually as a way to blow off steam or settle scores left unresolved on the race course. And so FasterSkier presents the first “World Cup Soccer Nordic Ski Fantasy Challenge,” also known as “There Isn’t Much Going on in The Ski World Right Now, So Lets Have a Contest #1.”

    No, you are not picking the winners in South Africa, the most goals scored, or the best goalie. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a World Cup soccer team drawn entirely from the world of nordic skiing.

    You must pick one player for each starting position, a coach, provide a team name, and most importantly, provide an explanation for your choices. Submissions will be judged by the usual panel of experts, with points being awarded for creativity, cohesiveness, and to the team that has the best chance to win it all.  Anyone who makes Petter Northug their striker is automatically penalized five points for lack of originality.

    Prizes to the top three.  Winner gets a soccer ball signed by Andy Newell.

    Simply fill out the form below. We need your name and email in case you win.

    World Cup Soccer Nordic Ski Fantasy Challenge