Funny to see this thread--I was just looking up when his last post was as I'm watching some kind of Olympic skiing. Made me think of him. You, too, probably.
Yes -- I was at Burke Mt Academy last Friday, Sat, Sun.
I haven't used my wheel chair for the last month. I use a walker when I want to go fast or far. I use a cane for extra safety/stability sometimes. Most walks short of 20 yards I just do without any "helpers." The walking is pretty slow and wobbly; but it gets a little better every day.
There are 5 Burke alumni skiing in the Olympics. 3 Alpine and 2 Nordics. Burke girls (Jesse Diggins and Liz Stephen) were 8th and 12th in the 15 Kilometer Skiathalon. 1/2 on Classic Skis and 1/2 on Skate skis. Those are very good results for Americans. The girls think they have a really good chance for a bronze medal in the 4 X 5k relay.
Mikaela Shiffrin is still the favorite for the Slalom Gold, and maybe a medal in Giant Slalom. Slalom is the last day of the games. GS two days earlier.
It is always fun for me to watch the Olympics as I know many of the athletes and coaches.
I am very pleased and proud to say that Mikaela is , very simply, tha nicest teen ager I have ever known. She is unbelievably humble, thoughtful, kind. She is just a super kid. And the most talented skier I have seen since Ingemar Stenmark in the 1970's. The first time I saw Mikaela ski she was 12 years old. After four turns, I had tears running down my cheeks;and I turned to her coach and said:" She will win World Championships and Olympic Gold.
Last year she waon the world Slalom Championship at age 17 (and a senior at Burke.) (The last 17 year old to win a world Alpine Championship was Diann Roffe in 1985. I was her coach. And, like Mikaela, she was a Senior at Burke Mt. Academy. If you have a chance to watch her ski in the slalom, don't miss it. She is a phenomenal athlete. And a beautiful person.
Thanks to all the commentators in this thread for your caring and thoughtfulness regarding my health. I am, happily, still on the mend.
P.S.
I have watched all of the UConn games -- with great pleasure and admiration. Mo Jeff is a wonder. She will be the starting Point Guard on the next US Olympic Team. And should be 1st Team AA PG this year.
Head to head, she outplayed Odyssey BIG TIME in the Baylor game.
