Open Letter on Diversity in Our Sport

[S.H.]

I was devastated when I learned that no matter how well I skied, I would never be as fast as a good skier who outweighed me by 100 lbs (at least in the DH where fast has true meaning ). Don't believe me? I dare you to find a light weight DH globe winner.

Nicole Schmidhofer, the 2019 DH globe winner (and SG runner up) is 5'2" 130.

 

[François Pugh]

Nicole Schmidhofer, the 2019 DH globe winner (and SG runner up) is 5'2" 130.

I guess I could compete with the women. Maybe if I self-identified as female?

 

[karlo]

FILM EVERYTHING and edit.... put to music a la
Realize that many of our cultures historically motivate through music much more than the mainstream. For example, drums were historically a way to communicate w/o slave holders understanding the message. The bass drum represents a heart beat....

Use the Korean model referenced in the post above. Change the music. I would love to ski in such video's. Or, just be a stand-in.

 

[markojp]

I guess I could compete with the women. Maybe if I self-identified as female?

D. Rhalves isn't a large guy.

 

[François Pugh]

Rahlves has more than 50 lbs on me.

 

[Tricia]

Rahlves has more than 50 lbs on me.

Wow, you must be really small.
Daron is 5'9" 180 lbs

 

[scott43]

Our Ben Thomsen is a stout little pony...

 

[fatbob]

I think this thread is the perfect example of how skiing marginalises certain groups. What started as serious and appropriate has ended up as banter on how short certain entirely white dudes are.

 

[scott43]

I'll get'er back on track. Great to see Ryan Reaves get solidarity from his opponents last night in Vegas. Reaves, who was born in Canada but has dual citizenship through his dad, is the great-great-great-grandson of the first black lawman west of the Mississippi River.

Reaves took a knee. Lehner, Seguin and Dickinson joined him. Here's why

Ryan Reaves wasn't the first NHLer to make a gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement this post-season. But he was the first to do so and not find himself alone. Three others joined him to demonstrate their allyship.

thehockeynews.com

 

[fatbob]

Yeah I'm not so sure why it's even an issue AFAIK all sporting events in the UK since recommencement have had solidarity across all teammates in taking a knee, other than

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/53632508#:~:text=Israel%20Folau%20made%20a%20%22personal,the%20Black%20Lives%20Matter%20movement

.

 

[crgildart]

I think this thread is the perfect example of how skiing marginalises certain groups. What started as serious and appropriate has ended up as banter on how short certain entirely white dudes are.

I actually posted a satirical reply to that convo them immediately deleted it as I realized that was what I was doing..

 

[Tricia]

I think this thread is the perfect example of how skiing marginalises certain groups. What started as serious and appropriate has ended up as banter on how short certain entirely white dudes are.

Thanks for the harsh reminder.
Turns like this start out innocent enough but end up marginalizing the real issue at hand.

 

[KingGrump]

Thread drift is inevitable after page 3 for most threads.

Like most conversations in real life, things often go off on tangents and would boomerang back. That is what make most conversations lively and interesting. I call it ebb and flow.

I do find the latest drift interesting. I am a short fat old Asian dude. Never realized white dudes come in short version too.
Common ground.

 

[François Pugh]

It's ok; we are on page 12, after all.

 

[David Chaus]

Thread drift is inevitable after page 3 for most threads.

Like most conversations in real life, things often go off on tangents and would boomerang back. That is what make most conversations lively and interesting. I call it ebb and flow.

I do find the latest drift interesting. I am a short fat old Asian dude. Never realized white dudes come in short version too.
Common ground.

I disagree. You are not a "short fat old Asian dude." I would never call you a dude.

Getting back to serious discussion, these days when I teach a class of kids, I see as many non-caucasians as I do caucasians. Indian, Asian (all flavors), Latino, and a few kids whose parents recently emigrated from West or East Africa. I don't know what it will take to get these kids into the higher echelon of representation in racing and coaching, but I sure as hell am going to do my best to have them love the sport, and maybe improve a little in the process. If I had anything to do with marketing at ski resorts I'd be trying to find out where I can find more, because they're making the effort to show up and spending not insignificant amounts money to be there.

 

[KingGrump]

I would never call you a dude.

Don't hate me for looking pretty in Carhartt.

Getting back to serious discussion, these days when I teach a class of kids, I see as many non-caucasians as I do caucasians. Indian, Asian (all flavors), Latino, and a few kids whose parents recently emigrated from West or East Africa. I don't know what it will take to get these kids into the higher echelon of representation in racing and coaching, but I sure as hell am going to do my best to have them love the sport, and maybe improve a little in the process. If I had anything to do with marketing at ski resorts I'd be trying to find out where I can find more, because they're making the effort to show up and spending not insignificant amounts money to be there.

IMO, that is the route to diversity in skiing. Get them hook on rec skiing. The rest will come.
My family decided long ago NOT to travel the "kid in race team" route. Gets too much in the way of our "skiing for enjoyment" model.
We skied in the NE every weekend. We traveled to ski out "west" often. Lots of ski instruction - for all of us.
All of us still enjoy skiing. None of us have experienced the usual burn out syndrome shared by many families with kids in "race teams."

However they are hooked. It's all good.

P.S. just saw the "Asian (all flavors)" comment. I know what flavor I am - Spicy fermented stinky tofu.

 

[Tricia]

IMO, that is the route to diversity in skiing. Get them hook on rec skiing. The rest will come.
My family decided long ago NOT to travel the "kid in race team" route. Gets too much in the way of our "skiing for enjoyment" model.
We skied in the NE every weekend. We traveled to ski out "west" often. Lots of ski instruction - for all of us.
All of us still enjoy skiing. None of us have experienced the usual burn out syndrome shared by many families with kids in "race teams."

However they are hooked. It's all good.

That's good parenting!

P.S. just saw the "Asian (all flavors)" comment. I know what flavor I am - Spicy fermented stinky tofu.

With a hint of Kings Hawaiian?

 

[GB_Ski]

IMO, that is the route to diversity in skiing. Get them hook on rec skiing. The rest will come.

But the problem is minorities aren't going into this sports, not just trying to keep a few of them who tried in the sports. If you can't fill the pipeline with bodies, your sports will die.

And @David Chaus , can you go to the marketing people and say, for those kids, let's offer them a free lesson, a lift ticket and rental if they bring a friend next time? Not sure if it'll work, but maybe, just maybe, some will become a life long skier.

 

[Yo Momma]

But the problem is minorities aren't going into this sports, not just trying to keep a few of them who tried in the sports. If you can't fill the pipeline with bodies, your sports will die.

... and the answer is... You have to start somewhere! ..... https://www.nj.com/news/2020/01/thi...oing-something-different-in-njs-ski-town.html

Sorry.... I've been out of touch for a bit on the "Ski Tip"

 

[crgildart]

... and the answer is... You have to start somewhere! ..... https://www.nj.com/news/2020/01/thi...oing-something-different-in-njs-ski-town.html

Sorry.... I've been out of touch for a bit on the "Ski Tip"

More of this please!