I was 9 years old when I saw Norge Ski Club in Fox River Grove the first time. I thought it was cool, and a few weeks later I went on my first jump.
Norge was great. The program is excellent with experienced coaching at every level. I had lots of fun jumping and making new friends.
As I progressed in my jumping the thought about competing in the Olympics become more realistic. Making the National team at age 16 was a big step. Now I had a path to follow and more opportunities to compete.
My first Olympics was in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea. Walking into the stadium for opening ceremonies was surreal, and it makes you really appreciate what you’ve accomplished. For me that’s when I knew I was an Olympian.
Closing ceremonies are a bit different and more of a celebration. Whether or not athletes have accomplished their individual goals, everyone was happy to be a part of the experience. Meeting athletes from other sports is rare for us so we got to be very social and make memories inside and outside of our sports. There’s a strong sense of community that’s totally unique.
Ski jumping has taken me all over the world. Some of the places where I compete do get me more excited than others. Going to Scandinavia is always exciting, but my favorite place is Japan. It’s different from what I’m used to: the culture is great, the food is delicious, and it’s just a nice change from my normal routine.
In season when I’m not competing, I’m usually at our European base in Slovenia. Ski jumping takes up most of my time but when I get the chance I love to explore. When I’m back in America I’m just trying to spend as much time with family and friends as possible. I also really enjoy downhill skiing so any chance I get I’m out on the slopes.
Training is how you would imagine. It’s my full-time job so it takes up most of my day. I wake up at 7, go to the jumps for several hours, head home for lunch, rest for an hour or so, then off to the gym. After training all day we might have some free time, or we might have some ski-jumping-related errands to run. We are always working on things like equipment to make sure our jumping stays at a high level.
Diet is important. Because weight is such a huge factor in our sport, it’s important to stay thin and as light as possible. As a result, we must watch how much food we eat. It’s a delicate balance of feeling strong and energized versus keeping weight off.
After Beijing there’s still a full month of competition. I have not yet decided what lies beyond this season for me. There are so many things I want to do and some tough decisions to make. When the season ends, I’ll head back home to Park City, rest for a couple weeks, reflect on the season and decide what’s next.
Publisher's Note: Kevin Bickner qualified in first place in the January U.S. Olympic Trials and was one of three Norge athletes competing at the Beijing games last month, along with Casey Larson (Barrington) and Patrick Gasienica (Chicago). Ski jumping had yet to be held when this issue went to press. To see how they did, go to USANordic.org.