Discipline, Dedication & Giving Back

Dec 17

If you have been paying any attention to the local race scene, Tricia Mangan has become a household name. A HoliMont native who made her debut on the Olympic stage back in the 2018 games, Tricia has had some setbacks over the last few years but nothing could stop her dedication to this tedious and rewarding sport.

After the Olympics Tricia continued to race with the US Ski Team for one more year, but decided mid-season to race with Dartmouth College instead. “This was a super hard decision for me, but ultimately I’m really glad I made it,” she said in an interview with ellicottvilleNOW. Racing for Dartmouth taught Mangan a lot about herself. It forced her to become more self-reliant and also rekindled her passion for ski racing. She was quick to note, “Not that I lost it, but it definitely made the fire bigger!” This can happen in ski racing, as a coach myself, athlete burnout even at the lower levels is a constant forethought.

There is this collective shift happening in the mindset of coaching and how we are working our way back from result driven training to progression based training. Mangan tells me, “Skiing for Dartmouth definitely made me stronger because I had to figure so many things out about the sport for myself, and it was a lot more challenging.” This showed her how much she really cared about skiing and “it just made me more motivated to overcome obstacles.”

But after last season Mangan came to a deep realization that if she wanted to compete on the World Cup stage, she couldn’t do it with the Dartmouth team. “This spring I joined Team X Alpine which is an all girls, professional team based out of Park City, Utah.” Mangan has her own World Cup Super-G start so when she travels to the World Cup she will join the US Team, but is not actually on the national team. This is similar to what Bode Miller did at the end of his career, training separate from the National team. “I feel so lucky to be a part of this team and am very grateful for the opportunity and all the resources Team X Alpine has!”

Despite ski racing being an individual sport, the team function is of key importance. It can provide a kinship that creates bonds for a lifetime. “My teammates are awesome and we all push each other to get faster while also being each other's biggest supporters,” Mangan says.

When asking Mangan about her early days and what it is like to come from a grassroots program like HoliMont, I was surprised at her answer. “Coming up from a program like HoliMont taught me how to charge in any and all conditions along with giving me the ability to absolutely send it on race day.” Growing up at smaller resorts don’t have the training opportunities large resorts have but she quickly found out that that doesn’t really matter. “If you’re willing to give it everything you have on race day, the timer doesn’t care where you grew up.”

The discipline needed to get to the level Mangan has attained requires certain sacrifices. She walked me through a typical training day. Currently they are in the middle of a training block so her day consists of on-snow training in the morning, dryland in the afternoon with rest and recovery for the remainder of the day. “I actually am finding myself with a fair amount of free time these days which I’m trying to fill up with reading, continuing to take some online classes, and learning as much as possible,” she says.

On race day Mangan gets in the zone by listening to some good pump up jams and thinking through her game plan. “Once I push out of the start gate I know what to do and I have no regrets at the bottom if I execute the plan.”

Here in Ellicottville Mangan is on a billboard for HoliMont that serves to inspire young athletes every time they drive by it or hear her story. How does it feel to know that you are making that type of impact on the next generation of racers?

“It is still very shocking every time I see it! And I sometimes lose sight of the impact I have had and hopefully continue to have. But it’s really really important for me to give back to the community in any way I can. Honestly, it makes the hard days easier … when I know I’m racing and training to represent my whole ski racing community and not just myself. I have been trying to give back as much as possible, working with the younger racers when I’m in town, but definitely want to continue to give back and help young Ellicottville rippers succeed! I’m trying to do a better job of making myself available to these younger athletes, but I want to encourage them to feel free to reach out to me as well!”

FAST FOUR FUN FACTS:

1.What gear are you rocking this winter?

I ski on Rossignol skis and boots, I have POC helmet and goggles, and Leki poles and protection.

2. Favorite post training meal?

Egg sandwich on an everything bagel with hot sauce, bacon, cheese and spinach.

3. Favorite colors?

Blue and green.

4. What song do you have on repeat?

A French techno song my brother showed me, Derniere Danse by Ugg’A. [As a French techno fan myself I can understand why it pumps Mangan up, and I may or may not be listening to it on repeat as I write this article.]

Follow Tricia on Instagram (@tricia_mangan) and on Facebook (Tricia Mangan). To make a donation, check out Mangan’s athlete page through the World Cup Dreams Foundation. All donations through this platform are tax deductible. “I really appreciate all the support I’ve received from the HoliMont community over the years both financially and moral support!” worldcupdreams.org/blogs/current-fundraisers/patricia-mangan

What struck me most about Mangan is her outlook. It is one that is earned through discipline, dedication and understanding the importance of giving back, even if it is just a few kind words of support. “At the end of the day my strongest attribute is my ability to believe in myself on race day and ski my heart out,” she says. This is a message we all could stand to take note of whether it is on the slopes, in the classroom, at home or in the workplace; if you do something, believe in yourself and “ski” your heart out.

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