1. “Skiing is the closest you can get to flying while you’re still pretty close to the earth”-Paul Wojick

There’s a certain feeling that skiing gives you that nothing else can come close to. Gliding at hyper-speeds across drifts of snow and icy patches while the rest of the world sits inside by the fireplace is pretty cool. It’s exhilarating.

2. Ski friends are the best friends

The friends you make ski racing will be the best friends of your life. Not only that, they’ll be different than your school friends and will teach you more about life because of that. The memories made with your ski friends will last forever. Ski racing teaches you camaraderie and friendship better than anything I know.

3. Skier’s booty

Skiers have the best butts. It’s obvious, and has been noted by the New York Times. What better reason to take up the sport?

4. Mental toughness

To be a successful ski racer, you’ve got to have grit. Grit is mental fortitude against adversity. In a game where winners are defined by microseconds, it takes a lot of grit to keep working when it’s negative 20 and your school friends are inside watching TV. This mental toughness is the best skill you’ll take away from ski racing that will help you succeed in the real world. Throw on a speed suit and get out there.

5. Leadership and self-improvement

As my friend Garrett, a long time ski racing coach, told me, “What did teaching teach me? It taught me to be a better person and accept that everybody needs help no matter what.” Ski racing is an excellent course in leadership development. You’ll be in charge of your personal development and will need to take leadership roles within your team

6. Get in shape…fast

Ski racing in hard, make no mistake about it. From knee-deep ruts in slalom courses to multiple long practices each week, the sport is physically demanding as well as mentally demanding. Skiing is one of those sports where, no matter what you do to prepare for it, nothing really helps except actually doing the sport. Though, squats never hurt.

7. What else are you going to do in the winter?

Seriously, would you really rather be huddled under blankets and watching movies? Ski racing is bad ass, and you’re a bad ass if you ski race. End of story. Putting on a pair of Side Zips and skiing in the winter months gives you a more exciting season, when everyone else goes into hibernation.

8. Hot cocoa tastes better when you earn it. 

It’s true, and if you’ve had a cup of hot cocoa after a hard slalom practice, you know what I’m talking about.