Counting down the days to New Zealand.....by OST Member Ella Both

"For the month of July I am in Collingwood doing a summer school course to lighten my courses for the upcoming school year. Everyday I go to school from 8:30 until 1:00. Presently I am taking grade 11 English where the entire course has been crammed into 4 weeks.  It’s a lot of hard work and it keeps me busy during the day. After school I go to dryland training. This is not something new fro me – during the offseason my days consist of school and then dryland. I work hard in the gym so that when I get back onto snow I’ll be able to ski longer days at a higher intensity.

In August my team and I are going to New Zealand, and I could not be more excited! It is going to be an experience of a lifetime. I’ve missed skiing since my season ended, and I’ve been looking forward to it for months. I can’t wait to get on snow and to see the improvements I’ll have made since last year. I’ll also be breaking in my new Head boots and skis. I’m definitely in the best shape I’ve ever been in, and I can’t wait to see it in my skiing. In my spare time I’ve been watching a lot of skiing video and it’s almost torture to watch something that I miss and enjoy so much. It’s annoying to be so attached to a sport that is so reliant on the weather.

My plan is to fly through school in July, and get to New Zealand as soon as I can. I’m counting down the days!"