On this episode of Extra Blue I welcome friend and former college teammate, Lizzie Larkins. Lizzie recently wrapped up three years as the assistant coach at Montana State University. During her time there, she also continued her education and graduated from MSU with a Master’s of Science in Sport and Coaching Sciences. It was during her studies that Lizzie conducted a research project titled: Navigating the Transition: How US Nordic Skiers Transition Out Of Competitive Ski Racing. I think this is an incredible topic that is often overlooked. For many skiers, our self-identity is intertwined with being a ski racer.

In this conversation, Lizzie and I talk about what she discovered about this transition, both from her own experience of stepping away from racing and through her research. What she found was that camaraderie is a huge theme for individuals navigating this process and that talking about it or going through it with the safe space to talk about it and feel supported is so important.