With snowstorms finally drifting into Michigan, the Milford ski season has officially begun.
After completing two races, the Milford ski team is ecstatic for the long season ahead of them. Races run from early January to late February, but off-hill practices began as early as November. The team consists of two head coaches, two assistant coaches, and 21 athletes. Within the team, there are team captains who are voted on by all members of the team. This year, Aida and Sophia Machuca, 4-year skiers, were elected as the girl’s team captains and the Machucas are more than happy to fulfill this role. “I want to help them [teammates] feel at home like the seniors did for me when I was a freshman,” said Sophia Machuca.
As captains, the Machucas are responsible for managing drill work, teaching new skiers, and setting up and taking down equipment. They both joined the team their freshman year with no race experience, helping them, as senior captains, relate to the freshman who may be nervous about competing for the first time. Giavanna Hysko, a junior at MHS, had been skiing since she was around 6, but did not have any experience racing before joining the team. Nevertheless, the past seniors made her feel welcome when she joined, and she’s now close friends with many of her teammates.
The team is tightly knit despite their differences off the hill. They have a strong sense of community due to their connection, which allows for better team communication and unity. “I like how much our team is bonded,” said Hysko. “That’s pretty rare for a team to have.”
Prior to the season on Nov. 9, the team participated in a program they called the “Ski Swap,” where used equipment is donated to the team and then fixed up and sold by the athletes to raise $3,946 for the team. To raise additional money, they also offered ski sharpening and waxing. This served as a group bonding experience for the members before the season even started as they collaborated to fix the equipment.
Practices consist of running the same slope repeatedly to improve the skiers’ skills. The coaches and team captains often give pointers to improve the team member’s performance, but repetition is essential for improvement. They practice at Alpine Valley, which opened in December and is where the majority of their races take place.
There are eight flights in each race. The coaches decide who to place in each one based on skill level. Earlier flights have better hill conditions, so newer skiers go down then, followed by the more experienced skiers in the worsened conditions. But even before the race begins, the team goes down the hill together to both inspect and get a feel for the course; this lets them prepare for the race and warm up before it’s time to compete. Sophia Machuca said before they compete the team has a conversation about “tactics, skills, and course conditions.”
Despite having only participated in two races so far, the athletes have already demonstrated improvement. Sophia Machuca explained, “I’ve shaved four seconds off my time from last year, which is an extreme improvement.” The team is determined to succeed this season. “What sets our ski team apart is our dedication to skill building and team development,” said Aida Machuca. The team has plenty of time to prepare as both Regionals and States take place in late February.
With the team’s determination, their intense practice, and fantastic coaches and captains, success is all downhill from here.