Photos courtesy of US Ski & Snowboard.

We are thrilled to announce Mike Jankowski as our new Executive Director of Sport. Mike is an elite performance professional with 20 years of Olympic sport organization experience, including coaching the U.S. Olympic Ski and Snowboard teams since 2003. In his new role, he will lead our ski and snowboard school, high-level sport education, Nordic, events, and summer experiences to deliver high-quality experiences and world-class events. We had the privilege of chatting with Mike while he is preparing for his move to California. Check it out:

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Maggie:

Thanks for taking the time to join us for this interview in the middle of your travels and packing. How are you feeling about the big move to Tahoe from Portland?

Mike:

It’s coming up quick! I’ve lived here in Portland, Oregon for many years, since 1998. Packing up after a few decades is going to take a minute, but I’m looking forward to it, big time.

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Maggie:

That’s a big change. Having lived in Portland all these years, you must have spent a lot of time at Mount Hood?

Mike:

Yeah, absolutely. That was why I moved to Oregon originally back in ’98. I got two jobs right out of college, as a NOLS instructor and at a summer snowboard camp on Mount Hood. Making the choice between the two was a crossroads in my life. I jumped on the snowboard and ski train, and have not looked back since then. I’m going on 30 years of sharing my love and passion for the mountains and I’m just as excited as ever.

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Maggie:

Wow, when you got your first ski industry job right out of college, did you ever imagine that it would become a career?

Mike:

No, definitely not. I did not come from an Olympic or X Games pedigree background by any means. At any of the many jobs I’ve had in the mountains through the years, I’ve always tried to provide good experiences for people by being genuine, authentic, and providing value – whether it’s instructing someone on the mountain for their first time or it’s standing in the start with Shaun White at the Olympics. I didn’t expect to be where I am now, but perhaps, that’s why things have worked out, because I don’t get too far ahead of myself. I just focused on trying to provide value and good experiences for people.

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Maggie:

After so many years of coaching, are there specific characteristics that you developed and brought into your leadership style?

Mike:

Whether I’m coaching or leading, it’s always a two-way street. I want to make sure that I’m checking for understanding. Do they understand where I’m coming from? Do I understand where they’re coming from? My success in coaching and leadership is all about collaborating and cooperating. You form a partnership in order to progress together and you pull together on the same end of the rope to get to where you’re going. 

Maggie:

Okay, jumping into the hardest question of the entire interview, what is your best experience on snow?

Mike:

There have been so many. Being part of the Sochi 2014 Olympic podium sweep with the ski slopestyle athletes,  Josh Christensen, Gus Kenworthy, and Nick Goepper. That day, it felt like things happened so quickly, at such an intense and high level, but the effort of the whole team came together. When you have a good partnership and understanding with the support staff and the athletes together, everyone is leaning on each other, and it’s a magical thing to be a part of. Sweeping a podium at the Olympics– which has only been done a short handful of times in the history of the sport– is something that I’ll never forget. I will have a bond with the coaching staff and athletes forever.

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Maggie:

{laughing} That’s such a “coach” answer! Your best experience on snow is because of these athletes that you’ve helped succeed. If you would have asked me, I would have answered with something about that time I “skied some awesome pillow line” or something. {laughs} but not you!

Mike:

{laughing}  Yeah, my best day on snow was standing on the side of the mountain. I was not doing any skiing or snowboarding, but I was on snow, that’s for sure. (But part of my mind did go to heli-skiing in New Zealand!) For sure those are up there, but nothing compares to these experiences that I’ve had with other people and helping them achieve their goals. That’s what brings you joy as a teacher, leader, and coach. That is something I’ll always love. When I start my new role at Sugar Bowl, you’ll never find me sitting in the office all day. I’m definitely hands-on and I’m going to be out there on the snow with everybody. I’m still ready to jump in there and say, “Hey, I’ll teach a lesson. Let’s bend some knees, make some turns, and have a good time out there.” That’s something that I’ll never stop doing.

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Maggie:

Well, don’t worry, because during holiday weeks, everybody is teaching lessons and jumping in to lend a hand to other departments. You’re talking to the least professional substitute cashier of all time.

Mike:

Oh, yeah?

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Maggie:

Yep, that’s just the kind of place Sugar Bowl is. I’ve seen our CEO jump into the dish pit to lend a hand when the staff needed it. There’s no ivory tower here.

Mike:

There we go. I love that. And for example, once I was walking through a lobby with Bridget and she just reached down and grabbed a piece of paper that was on the ground.  I mentioned it and she’s like, “Oh, I didn’t notice I did that.” That’s the kind of type of leadership that really sets a great example. It’s just really being all in, and that’s how I am too. I’ve known Bridget over the years from Cardrona, we’ve worked together and I’ve seen her come up from ski school to become who she is now. She’s always been a passionate and real person who is no-nonsense about putting in the work.

In addition to the history and independent legacy of Sugar Bowl, Bridget’s leadership is the major reason I was excited to apply for this job. Truth be told, I hadn’t been looking for a new job. But when this position came up, I had to jump at the opportunity. I’m so, so excited to be in my shoes, doing what I’m doing.

Maggie:

What excites you about working at Sugar Bowl? 

Mike:

The independent legacy and the pioneering spirit. Back in the mid-30s, before there were any major ski areas in Tahoe, Hannes Schroll and the founders looked up at the undeveloped mountain. They pointed up at this incredibly rugged, but breathtakingly beautiful summit. They decided, “We’re going to build a chairlift there.” Can you imagine the gusto? And they did it. They built the first chairlift in California and the first gondola in the West. Those sort of foundational blocks are still in the fabric of Sugar Bowl. It’s a huge part of what I want to build on with the team. 

And the founders didn’t stop at building a lift and calling it a good ski resort. No, they recruited the Kleins from Austria to start the Klein’s Ski School, to have a world-class, cutting-edge teaching environment. That pioneering spirit doesn’t just go away– that’s now the fabric of Sugar Bowl. As a person, I’m all about progression, learning, and growth, just like Sugar Bowl. So, that’s why I’m here.

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Maggie:

Wow, you haven’t even arrived at Sugar Bowl yet, and you have already studied the history!

Mike:

I’m sure it makes you proud to be a part of it too. It’s our job to tell that story and to make sure that everybody knows they are a part of something special at Sugar Bowl. 

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Maggie:

You mentioned building, so what is it that you want to build at Sugar Bowl?

Mike:

I don’t want to build a new house or a new pillar here necessarily. I want to build on what we have already created. And like I mentioned with that incredible history of pioneering and progression and learning, that’s what I want to keep building on. I want people to have a tangible experience that they can go home and really feel that they had something special happen when they’re up at Sugar Bowl. As Director of Sport, my job is really where the rubber meets the road, or where the PTex meets the snow.

People enjoy the mountain in different ways, and we want to make sure that nobody feels that their way is less important than somebody else’s, whether it’s on the tubing hill or the double black diamond chutes. The goal is recreation, and “re-creation” is the root of that word. It’s a way for people to come and relax. Sometimes, they can push themselves, sometimes they can just take in that beautiful mountain air to reset and rejuvenate. It’s different for everybody and I want to build many opportunities for people to find joy up on the mountain. We’re going to have a safe, fun, progressive environment for everybody. There’s some cool ideas that I don’t want to let out of the bag yet, but they are going to be really fun and unique and it’s going to be the Sugar Bowl way.

Maggie:

What is something that the average person might not know about what the Olympic experience is really like?

Mike:

We all have fears and goals, ups and downs, and emotions of happiness and sadness that anybody else does. When you’re in the spotlight and on the world stage, it can be even more difficult and challenging to manage. A lot of the success that we’ve found has been through being in the moment, not trying to be anybody else but ourselves. At the gate, a lot of people may look at their competition and say, “No, I have to beat this person or that person.” And it’s like, “No, be yourself and great things will happen. That’s how you got here, and that’s how you’re going to continue to be successful.”

Behind the scenes, it’s not overly glamorous. It’s the same ups and downs that you’ll have at any level of sport, whether you’re playing pickleball with grandma or you’re on the world stage. These world-class athletes are just like anybody else… but they can do triple corks.

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Maggie:

I think our readers are probably going to be curious if you’ve coached any folks that they might know?

Mike:

Yeah, quite a few. Some that stand out are some Tahoe gold medalists, David Wise, Maddie Bowman, and Jamie Anderson, for example. Those are all Lake Tahoe area people, athletes, that were born and raised there. Of course, Shaun White is from California, and I was fortunate enough to be with him at the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 Olympics. Five Olympics with California Shaun, the California kid. 

So, there’s something special in the air up there in California, and that’s something that’s going to continue on and we’re going to do everything we can to keep developing people. Not everybody has to become an Olympic gold medalist, but if you want to, it’s a great place to hone your skills, that’s for sure.

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Maggie:

When you are coaching someone who is performing at the Olympic level, what ratio of the coaching is focused on physical technical skill versus the more emotional/mental side of coaching?

Mike:

By the time you’re performing at that level, you’re typically not talking much about technical tactics when you’re in the start ready to drop. A lot of times there will be a particular keyword like “timing,” “patience,” or “power” that they’ll want to put forward to be in the moment. 

Instead of focusing on the fear or hesitancy that can come with pressure, we try to look at it as an opportunity. So, I would say, “What an opportunity,” when you’re up there. It’s easy to fall into, “Oh, my gosh, so many things can go wrong,” or whatnot. But saying to yourself, “What an opportunity I have to put myself forward on this stage and show my stuff.” That’s an opportunity that we’re thankful for when we’re up there in the start, versus trying not to fail. We’re just trying to be ourselves when we’re up there. We can rely on the training and preparation that we’ve done.

Maggie:

That’s a great perspective. I mean, you could apply it to anything.

Mike:

Yeah, it helps to reframe that a little bit in your mind. It’s not a perfect magic wand, but it does help. It also reminds me of one of the most powerful three-letter words out there, and that is “Y-E-T.” So, if you are ever feeling like you are really bad at something, try to reframe it, perhaps you’re just not good at the thing YET. It’s a powerful three-letter word because we can all grow and learn, it’s an opportunity.

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Maggie:

That’s awesome {laughing} I didn’t realize that I was going to get a little mini-coaching session today, so thank you!

Mike:

There you go, a little bonus. {laughing} But nonetheless, I’m looking forward to working with you and the whole team. The Sugar Bowl team is lean and mean and incredibly passionate. I’m starting to get to know some of my new team members, Jenna, Tom, and that crew. It seems like everybody just loves what they do and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get great things done with this team. I’m fired up to get started this summer!