The Saint Anselm College club Ski Team just finished up their 2025 season. To end their season, sophomore Jamie Lemire was able to race for the team in the Regional Champions and skiied very well. However, the SAC Ski team will tell you that the team’s greatest success isn’t how they individually ski, but how they have created a ‘family-like’ team bond.
Sophomore Jamie Lemire said she would describe the Ski Team bond as just hanging out with close friends. “I think of it more as going skiing with my friends than going to practice,” said Lemire. “There are only 11 of us on the team so everyone has to know everyone. We have long car rides and countless chairlift rides to spend together. I made my closest friends at SAC on the ski team.”
This tight-knit bond Lemire describes seems to be the driving force behind helping any teammate that is facing challenges in their individual skiing. Freshman Brandon Couture shared a story of falling on his first ever race, and that without the support and positivity of his teammates, he may not have finished that race. Couture shared, “In my first race this year I fell, and my confidence was completely shattered. To be honest I didn’t even want to do racing anymore… I forced myself to do it anyway. When I was getting ready to go down the hill every member of my team all shouted in unison, “Go Brando! You got this!” That moment when everyone is cheering for you gives you so much confidence that you can do anything, and I completed my first race.” Couture’s experience is inspiring and shows how neccassry a team is, even when you are racing all by yourself.
The team’s supportive nature is what leads to individual success. Senior and President of the team, Audrey Abucewicz, describe how the individual racer’s time is given a point which is totaled for the team. Abucewicz states that the sport is unique because each member performs independently. “Ski racing is somewhat unique because we are competing individually, but that still leads to an overall team score. In order to score, we have a minimum number of athletes that have to complete their runs at each race. If we can all perform well individually, that will lead to the overall success of the team.” It makes sense then for the team to be so supportive of each other, if the racers ski well, the team skis well.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that the team is like a family. Since they are one of the smaller teams in Eastern Region’s MacConnell division, they do not necessarily always come out on top. Lemire states, “We might be one of the smallest teams but we are definitely the loudest when it comes to cheering. I know that whatever place I come in at the race will be enough for our team!”
The team therefore, simply skis for enjoyment, and when they do well, the team can celebrate as a whole. Junior Eleanor Florek-Grader states how she simply just enjoys being on a team because she can ski with close friends. Florek-Grader stated, “Skiing is seen as an individual sport, but there are so many unseen components that involve a lot of people, time, and effort. We all like to ski, but we like to come together as a group to have a good time, and that has given me a lot of freedom in my skiing. I am not as stressed or focused on my performance outcome, but how I am feeling in my skiing.”
Another reason why the Ski Team’s bond is exceptionally tight this year may be because the team has no official team coach, all the races and practices were student run. Florek-Grader described how having no coach this year definitely aided in creating an even more supportive team. Florek-Grader said, “The team is motivating in a special way I think, especially this season because we did not have a coach… With this, we are all working together, which is motivating because we have to show up for one another. Without formal feedback from a coach, the team helps one another out, and I always am so appreciative when one of my teammates takes the time to pay attention to my skiing and offer advice when they could simply be focusing on their own.” Florek-Grader expresses that it is so meaningful when a teammate takes the time to watch her performance. Because of that, she knows that no matter what happens, she has her team to back her up.
Couture supports Florek-Grader’s statement of how meaningful being on the team is because he has also felt understood since joining the team. Couture says, “Being a part of a team made me feel understood…We all want to get better and help each other get better and I haven’t had that bond on a team before.”
Overall, the SAC Ski Team win’s in being the most supportive and positive club sport at Saint A’s. Their authentic want for their teammates to perform well shows on every smile when they watch their teammate race. Abucewicz states, “There is a lot that goes into making our season successful and there has always been a great group of people leading it. I wouldn’t trade my time on the ski team for anything, it has truly been the best part of my 4 years on campus.”