About me
I am a 20 year old student athlete from Glenville, NY who graduated from Niskayuna High School in 2022. Currently I am in my Junior year at Russell Sage College seeking my BS in Health Science maintaining a 3.5 GPA. My BS will be followed by a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
My 23/24 season highlights included being named the first recipient of the Jim and Betty Schreiner Biathlon award for youth and junior biathletes. I also recorded Junior race wins at the Empire State Games along with other races in NY and VT as well as a top 5 in an Eastern IBU event competing against top Canadian and American athletes. Unfortunately, my season was cut short with the lack of snow prior to nationals.
The 24/25 Biathlon season will be a busy one for me. I will be looking to qualify for a spot on Team USA at the Junior World Championships in Sweden as well as international racing in Germany and Italy. I am also planning on competing in the Collegiate National Championships in Montana. In December there will be an extended trip to Salt Lake City, Utah for training and competing in the World Team Trials, January and February will include multiple IBU events in the eastern USA in Fort Kent, Maine and Vermont. Several additional local races in Lake Placid, Syracuse and at my home club Saratoga Biathlon during the season. My racing year will conclude in March at the National Championships and Collegiate Nationals in Montana.
This season training started in April and will continue with 15-20 hours a week of roller skiing, cycling, long hikes in the Adirondacks, track workouts, strength training and of course plenty of time on the shooting range at Saratoga Biathlon Club and Mt. Van Hovenberg. Hopefully snow skiing will start in the middle of November with early December races.
Significant changes to my Spring and Summer training this year have resulted in personal bests in my time trials and overall conditioning. I am more prepared for this racing season than ever before and looking forward to getting on snow and racing soon!
Please consider making a donation to help cover some of my training and travel expenses for this season.
My Story
At 11 yrs old all I wanted to do was play baseball! I had no idea that would soon change. After watching the Summer Olympics with my family, we headed to Lake Placid NY. As many know Lake Placid hosted the 1980 and 1932 winter Olympics, its also where my father trained in his attempt to make the 1998 olympic team as a speed skater. After going down the bobsled run and checking out the top of the ski jumps, we headed to the biathlon experience. I got my first taste of the sport and fell in love, even though I had never skied a day in my life.
Now what? We got lucky and found Saratoga Biathlon Club about an hour away from home. We met Curt Schreiner a former olympic biathlete who, with his family, runs the club. They love the sport and built cross country ski trails along with a biathlon shooting range at their family home. They continue to maintain the facility for club members to use year round. Curt and the other club members helped teach me the sport and offered so much support along the way. Soon I started having success at the regional level and wanted more.
Although Covid-19 caused the cancelation of many races, I continued training hard at Saratoga Biathlon Club and Lake Placid and now compete on a national level with the long term goal of making the USA Olympic and world cup team that races in Europe. I know this will be a long journey but with the direction of my coach and trainer, former Olympic medalist and world champion from Germany, Andrea Henkle-Burke I know it can happen.
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
Two top five finishes in International Racing
Three top five finishes at National Championships
Three time New York State Champion
New York State Silver Medalist
Three time Empire State Games Champion
North American Series Champion
North American Series Silver Medal
Over fifteen regional wins
2024-25 ESTIMATED RACING EXPENSES
Hotel and Travel - $8500
Equipment - $3500
Coaching - $2000