NYSEF Athlete of the Month is 19-year-old Post Graduate (PG) Jake Reynolds. Jake, a Northwood School and NYSEF Winter Term alum, has been alpine skiing at Whiteface since he was 2. His father, John and the rest of the Reynolds family have been a part of the ski racing world for generations. “I come from a family enamored with skiing, so I get to see many of the people I look up to every day,” Jake says. Being around Whiteface for most of his life, Jake appreciates the hard work that goes into making the training so successful every season. “I know the whole PG team appreciates the daily effort from NYSEF staff to prep the race hill and supply the best surface for us,” he noted.

Since joining the NYSEF PG Program, “I’ve had the chance to race in series such as Nor-Am Cups…these races have given me the opportunity to compete against top tier athletes,” Reynolds says. On the subject of motivation, Jake notes “I set a goal that was very meaningful for me. My goal is to ski Division I,  and I want to be among the best there. Between NYSEF’s venues and their coaching staff, this program was going to give me the best chance of accomplishing that.” Men’s Head FIS Coach Thomas Vonn said, “Jake had a great season and continues to improve at an impressive rate. This past season Jake scored multiple personal bests and was a regular on the podium in many of the FIS races he entered, including grabbing a FIS Eastern Cup win and scoring his first NorAm points.” 

Coaches like Vonn and Assistant Coach Alex Shearer teach Jake and his teammates how to take care of their bodies through conditioning and proper nutrition, as well as how to maintain their race equipment so each can perform at the highest level. As far as training and improvements this season, Jake commented, “ we regularly have the ability to train Super G. Even for athletes like me who want to ski in college where Super-G is not raced, training speed has shown to improve the tech performance of our whole team.”

Jake’s main goal is to ski Division I at an NCAA college or university in the upcoming seasons. Coach Vonn added, ”In the past year and half Jake has gone from being a motivated kid that no one had heard of– not being on anyone’s national or collegiate radar– to becoming one of the top juniors in the country, and being sought after by D I schools. I have no doubt Jake will continue to improve. He has the ability and drive to reach any goal he sets his mind to.”

In the off-season, Jake plans to “do plyometric, cardio, and resistance training to maintain my physical conditioning.” When not focusing on skiing, he enjoys fishing and playing tennis. 

Congratulations, Jake!