Jit's Journal: Fisher on Fire!

Jit’s Journal: Fisher on Fire!When a breakthrough happens it’s like having all the weight lifted of your shoulders, and replacing it is weightless confidence. A breakthrough can be many things; maybe you figure something out in your skiing, you get a certain result, or you win a race. What ever it is, it can transform how you ski instantly. This is due to the confidence it produces. Our sport is all about confidence. If you lack confidence you lack the ability to win.

Some may say that too much confidence can make you seem arrogant or over confident; well, they’re not the ones who are risking their life at 80 mph so they can file it off. I’d rather be overconfident than scared any day of the week. Don’t get me wrong, I have gone through many periods in my ski racing career where things weren’t coming together and I was unsure about my situation; but you have to learn to get it together and be ready for the next day. The best ski racers in the world are the ones that believe they can win every time they step into the start gate.

Speaking of breakthrough, how about Erik Fisher! Fish, as he is better known, just had a breakthrough of his own. Showing the Europa Cup tour he is a force to be reckoned with, Fish took down his first podium in Veysonnaz, Switzerland. Fish placed fourth in the first of two Europa Cup downhills and followed it with an encore the next day crushing his way to second place. The second DH was also part of a combined and Fish ended up fifth in that.

This should be no surprise; Fish was the bronze medalist in last years World Junior Championship DH, and is a leading contender for this year’s Nor-Am DH title. I have known fish for some time and this humble guy from Idaho is going places. Fish’s confidence is sure to be sky high as he heads into the up-and-coming Nor-Ams; congrats buddy.

Keep you eyes on Fish because he’s going to be the future of our speed team, and because he’s on fire.

As for me, therapy has become very repetitive; with the occasional new exercise to spice it up a little. As many of you injured and former injured athletes out there know, the lack of excitement in the recovering phase to an injury is the worst part. Looking at my friends skiing in Europe makes me froth at the mouth for the chance to return to the ski hill. I think about the speed and freedom I feel when I am out skiing and it keeps me up all night.

Finding it hard to sleep I am awoken with therapy in the mornings; where my two physical therapists Randy and Brad grind on my knee. I find myself walking into therapy and hobbling out at the end of the session. Is that normal? At my physical therapy we have a digital icing machine called a Game Ready. I have to laugh at the people that come up with the names of these products. Game Ready! Ha! It should be called Game Over!

A woman recently sent me an e-mail asking me if I got scared of the high speeds that can exceed 80 mph in ski racing. She also asked if I am scared at the chance that I might kill myself doing this sport.

First of all; if you grow up doing a certain sport, you are accustomed to your surroundings and what’s going on. I have been doing this since I was two years old. Going fast is a part of my life. I drive fast, I eat fast, etc. Do I get scared? Not often. For me personally, I thrive on that stuff. The ganglier the course, the better I ski. It’s those scary moments or places in a course that force you to bring your skiing to the highest level and make you feel alive. Do I fear dying while I am ski racing? If I die doing what I love then it doesn’t bother me. Death is another part of life to me so when I kick out the gate in a DH or SG I have no fear in putting my life out there. To put it simply; I will give it everything I have, even if it kills me. Till next time, train hard, have fun, and ski fast.

-Jit

Tim Jitloff was the 2005 Sprint / Ski Racing Junior of the Year. He will keep his online journal here all season. You can e-mail him your comments or questions at jitskiracing@yahoo.com. To read more athlete journals, or to hear industry insiders in their own words, click here.