Then, his downhillers combined forces with the Whitman nordic teams to capture Four-Way titles at the U.S. Collegiate Ski Association's national championships. Without question, it was the most successful ski season in Whitman school history. When Olson began building his ski program powerhouse in 1990, one of the keys was finding the right material for a solid foundation. He found the right stuff in Stephanie Palmer and John Finley, a pair of rock solid student-athletes who served as cornerstones as the program developed. Both earned individual All-American honors in the process.
Success breeds success.
Whitman sells itself. Student-athletes learn that Whitman will support them as far as they can go. While trophies and titles are nice rewards, there are no shortcuts to success, Olson tells his skiers. His year-around training program requires dedication to hard work, improvement and the quest for excellence. It's something I've worked very hard to develop.