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“It's just definitely really hard.”
But, in the end, the sacrifice is worth it, he said.
“I get all the experiences of going to Austria and Germany and Japan and all these places that most people will never go to in their lives. And I am doing it with the sport I love so it's definitely worth the sacrifice.”
Nick Alexander is the third member of the team and the current American points leader. He's put aside for now his dream of being a pilot and is washing dishes to supplement the support of his family and community so he can jump. That community, Lebanon, New Hampshire, is a big part of his making the Olympics, he said.
“There is a lot of people there who have helped me out, it's unbelievable. There is actually a few businesses that have helped me in Lebanon.”
“I really wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.”
New rules might force him to get new skis, which at $700 a pair is a big chunk of money, he said.
“If I didn't have Lebanon, I wouldn't have skis.”
But for these athletes, the lack of funding hasn't changed their drive. And while most people will never remember their names or recognize them on the street, they've made it to the top of their sport, putting aside everything to follow a dream and succeed. And then there is the added bonus of doing something most of us can only do in our dreams—fly.
“If you ever had a dream about flying, that is what it is like, pretty much exactly. You actually feel like you are flying, like you can get some lift and just sort of take off,” said Alexander.
