From local ski hills to the PyeongChang Olympics, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) encompasses all athletes that share a passion for skiing and snowboarding. We explore what makes each skier and rider a champion with stories from the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing, next to kids winning a NASTAR medal, landing their first cork 7 or joining a club team. Alongside USSA’s mascot Champ, take a look at how all of these athletes strive to be Best in the World.
Aerial skiing is a test of an athlete’s physical and mental strength. This season, Chris Lillis (Pittsford, NY) passed that test with flying colors. Confident in his jumping ability and himself, he went above and beyond expectations, earning his first World Cup starts and, at 17 years old, becoming the youngest man ever to win an International Ski Federation aerials World Cup.
“It’s definitely been a whirlwind of a season,” said Chris. “I’ve been setting new goals throughout the whole year and it’s been a crazy fast progression. I always knew I had the ability to do it, but I never really saw myself doing it this year. It’s been great.”
Chris’ journey to the top of the podium began 14 years ago on the slopes of New York’s Bristol Mountain. Despite its small size, Bristol has a reputation for turning out some big time freestyle skiers, including Chris’ older brother Jon and younger brother Michael. Aerials is a family affair for the Lillis’. All three brothers came up through the local club program with the goal of making the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. Jon and Chris have achieved that goal, and Michael isn’t far behind.
Chris competed with his brothers Michael (left) and Jon (center), shown here circa 2012, on both the NorAm and World Cup circuits this season.
“We’re pushing each other and making each other better, but it’s always been about supporting each other and helping each other train.” Chris said of his relationship with his brothers. “When I train with Michael, I share what I’ve learned and things that have worked for me, and Jon has shared his skills with me.”
Getting the inside scoop from his older brother may have given Chris a one up, but aerials is still an individual sport. Chris has had to learn how to train, progress and compete in ways that works best for him.
“I think the biggest challenge in aerials is dealing with the harshness of the sport,” stated Chris. “You’re learning how to push through what hurts and the injuries that aren’t life or death, but you also need to have self discipline and back off when you need to. I learned this last summer. I was trying to do as many triples as I could, probably more than I should have, and had a back injury that was giving me some trouble. I tried to push through it, but I really had to learn how to dial it back and work with our physical therapists to recover. You have to make sure you have your eye on the big picture.”
In his first World Cup appearance at the Visa Freestyle International at Deer Valley Resort, Chris lead the U.S. men's team with a top-10 finish.
So, what’s the big picture for the middle Lillis? Staying on top of training and school work, upping his degree of difficulty (quad twisting triple flips, anyone?!) and looking ahead to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
“Going to the 2018 Olympics has always been a goal, and winning a World Cup definitely makes it feel like it’s more possible now,” said Chris. “I’m excited to have my World Cup starts for next year, get in lots of training this summer at the Utah Olympic Park, stay motivated and ride this train as far as I can.”
Life as an elite aerialist is full of ups and downs, but pushing through and staying motivated has never been a problem for Chris. He’s at the mercy of a terrifying triple kicker, three seconds of air time and a hard hitting landing, but his unwavering passion for the sport is what has and will continue to elevate Chris to new heights.
“There’re a lot of unknowns,” stated Chris. “How dangerous it is, how much it’s going to hurt, the potential of danger is always something that’s on an athlete’s mind. The fear that I have, or the reservation of whether I’m ready to do it or not, has never outweighed my desire to excel in the sport. Whenever I get scared, I take a deep breath, think about the things that I’ve trained for, think about what I want, and go for it.”
We sat down with Chris to explore what he believes makes a champion. Here’s what he had to say:
Q: In your words, what makes a champion?
CL: A champion is someone who always wants it above all else. Whether that means you have one great season or one terrible season, it’s knowing that no matter what, you’ll be back out there the next season ready to go.
Q: Do you remember the first time you felt like a champion? Tell us about that moment.
CL: My World Cup win was one of the first times I felt like I accomplished something huge. Not because I won a World Cup, but just mentally the way I dealt with the stressful situation. I had never made a super final before that, so I wasn’t even prepared mentally for that. Calming myself down, taking it step by step and just thinking about the aerials and then landing. Being able to compete under pressure and land my jumps really made me feel like I had achieved something big.
Q: What is the biggest piece of advice you have for aspiring kids who want to be sitting where you are today?
CL: Anything is possible. No matter what adversity you face when you’re younger or what anybody says, whether it be yourself or someone else. The person that always gets to you is yourself, so never think that anything is too big to do. It may not be next week, next month or next year that you do that big thing. But if you go through the process and stay on the track to get there, and you really commit and train, nothing is too big to do.
Now, we want to hear your answers! Tell us what makes you a champion on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and include #WhatMakesAChamp.
