Krista Consiglio '11 started skiing at the same time as she started walking. But when her father showed her an article about Picabo Street, the nine-time World Cup champion and gold medalist in the 1998 Olympics, skiing became her passion.
"You go as fast as you can down the hill, not against another person," Consiglio said. "It comes down to you and your training."
After graduating from Stratton Mountain School, a skiing academy in Vermont, Consiglio came to Brown this year. Her collegiate skiing career started with a score of stellar accomplishments. Consiglio has won four of the 10 races in the regular season and finished in the top 10 in every other race. With a total of 225 points, she became the first Bear to earn the overall individual title in the MacConnell Division of the East Region, 46 points ahead of her closest competitor.
The decision to attend a skiing academy for high school was Consiglio's decision, she said.
"Once you get to a certain age, you go to a ski academy. When I was 12 or 13, I asked myself - Do I want to be serious about skiing or just be a weekend skier?" Consiglio said after leaving her hometown of Bethany, Conn. "I loved it so much that I decided to go to an academy and my parents supported me all the way."
Consiglio's high school life was, "centered around skiing," she said.
"I worked really hard in high school. If I was not on the hills (competing), I was in the gym, conditioning."
During her junior and senior years of high school, Consiglio competed in about 50 races during the skiing season, from December to April. She was one of the nation's top recruits last year and Head Coach Mike LeBlanc worked hard to get her come to Brown.
"I knew she was going to be one of the best (skiers on the team)," LeBlanc said. "But it was pretty incredible how well she did and how consistent she was. It is important to the team because we need people to finish the race. She is probably one of the best team skiers in my eight years of coaching."
Consiglio earned her first race title at the UConn Carnival on Jan. 18, and continued with wins in the giant slalom and slalom at the Plymouth State Carnival on Jan. 27-28. She finished the regular season at Mount Ascutney, taking first and fourth in her final two races of the regular season.
Unlike most other sports, where the athletes know the competing conditions, in skiing, "every race is different," according to co-captain Meaghan Casey '08.
"The trail is different, the course setup is different, the condition is different, the ice is different," Casey said. "To get from the top (of the hill) to the bottom is an accomplishment because you contribute to the team. Because Krista skis so well and so fast, she helps the team dynamic significantly and helps the team score."
Consiglio is equally, "amazing" during conditioning by setting records during practices, according to LeBlanc.
"She is incredibly strong and fit. She has one of the best physical conditions I've seen, not just in women, but men skiers as well," LeBlanc said.
When judging where her strengths lie, Consiglio "has several skills that stand out as an athlete," LeBlanc said.
"She has power, balance, vision and no fear. She has a great background in skiing. Mentally, she is confident and not afraid at all," LeBlanc said.
The transition to collegiate skiing was not a difficult one for Consiglio, who said she likes the "more relaxing environment" and the mutual support among the teammates in college.
"The coach and the team are very supportive. It's a lot more fun (than high school)," Consiglio said.
Besides racking up points for the team during races, Consiglio's personality and attitude are also enjoyed by her teammates.
"Everyone on the team loves her because she has a great personality," Casey said. "She is lively and enthusiastic, has a great attitude and consistently supports her teammates."
Along with the team, Consiglio will compete in the upcoming NCAA Regionals in Middlebury, Vt. on Friday, Feb. 22. LeBlanc believes it will be just "one test" that Consiglio will meet throughout her college career as she faces "some much better skiers (and) the toughest competition so far in the year."
But heading into the Regionals, Consiglio doesn't have any specific goals in mind.
"I am not the type of person to set particular goals," Consiglio said. "I just want to enjoy myself and have fun."
