The kids in Steamboat Springs don’t think twice about being dropped off at Howelsen Hill after school to ski under the lights during the short winter days. They are accustomed to seeing flags lining Olympian Hall, and running into a former Olympian is just another day at the grocery store. Like many other kids in Steamboat, Ben grew up thinking that skiing and jumping off a ski jump was just a regular Tuesday activity.
While the unique heritage of winter sports in Steamboat Springs may not impress these local kids, they sure do have heroes. For Ben, those heroes were the US Nordic Combined National Team members who won Olympic medals in Vancouver in 2010, many of whom came through the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Ben watched them train and was even coached by them from time to time.
What’s great about heroes is that they show the next generation a path to follow in their dreams. They model discipline, hard work, and how to stay steady through highs and lows. They show what is possible and give kids something to aspire towards. All of this was a powerful influence on young Ben. And, as many of you know, his path followed those athletes from Howelsen Hill to South Korea, where he represented the US in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Following his retirement from Nordic Combined Ben found a way to give back to the sport that gave him so much. Teaming up with the Tread of Pioneers Museum Ben leads Olympic Heritage Tours, introducing visitors and curious locals to the rich history of the sport. The Tread of Pioneers Museum highlights the history and honors the legacy of winter sports in Steamboat Springs through their exhibits and programming.
But this legacy is at risk. Two big obstacles are impacting the future of the sport.
Gender Equality and Olympic Inclusion
Nordic Combined is the only Winter Olympic sport without a women’s competition. Women’s Nordic Combined was poised to make its Olympic debut in the 2026 games. However, it was halted due to the International Olympic Committee making a decision to decline to add women’s Nordic Combined to the 2026 Olympic program.
Rather than adding the women in 2030, the IOC has hinted at removing the men’s competition. This puts the sport at a serious tipping point. This coming winter is the most important for the future of the sport. The opportunity to look up to Nordic Combined Olympian heroes is in jeopardy, as is this legacy sport that is a part of the Steamboat Springs community fabric.
Financial Support Disappears
Financial support of the US National Team has a direct impact on the ability for the US athletes to capture the attention of the IOC this winter. However, support for the National Team took a huge hit this year. Due to financial challenges within the leadership organization overseeing Nordic Combined in the US, the team was directed to self-fund in June 2024. A group of parents and fans sprang into action to establish Nordic Combined USA (NCUSA,) a non-profit with three big goals:
- Inspire the next generation
- Secure inclusion in the Olympics
- Support Team USA today and tomorrow
In a short time, NCUSA has raised over $200,000 with a goal of $500,000 by the end of 2024. These funds support the coaching, travel, and equipment needs of the National Team and marketing efforts to increase viewership and support of development athletes to ensure a strong pipeline of up-and-coming athletes.
It has been said that Nordic Combined is to Steamboat as football is to Texas. Since Carl Howelsen’s arrival and introduction of ski jumping to Steamboat Springs in 1914, the town has enthusiastically supported the sports of ski jumping and Nordic Combined. The Boyd & Berend Group at Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty supports the legacy and the future of Nordic Combined in our town.
When you are in town, be sure to check out the Tread of Pioneers Museum www.treadofpioneers.org. . If you are interested in donating to ensure the future of Nordic Combined, please visit www.nordiccombinedusa.org.
Article Author: SSWC, Stephanie Wilson
