Growing up in Tahoe, Michelle Parker started skiing before she was 2 years old; she has been racing since she was 6. She competed in the Junior Olympics, and started her freeskiing professional career at the ripe old age of 15. She is a champion in slopestyle and has a huge passion for skiing and filming in the backcountry. We caught up with Michelle as she was rehabilitating from a knee injury that cut her season short last year.
Snapshot
- Age: 22
- Home base: Squaw Valley, California
- Occupation: Professional skier
- Nicknames: Parker and Mimi
Notable Accomplishments
- Won the 2009 Aspen Open Slopestyle competition, her first event after an ACL injury
- Seven-page profile in Freeskier magazine
- Took a heli guide school course for three weeks in Haines, Alaska, in 2008 — it consisted of avalanche training, medical training, and crevasse rescue
- Filmed backcountry skiing segments with Matchstick Productions in 2009
- Placed 2nd in the U.S. Freeskiing Open Slopestyle in 2007
- Placed 2nd in the Boreal Preseason Rail Jam in 2006
- Placed 3rd in the U.S. Freeskiing Open Slopestyle in 2006
- Competed in the U.S. Freeskiing Open Halfpipe, the 6th Winter X Games, and the 2nd World Ski Invitational Slopestyle in 2006
- Has traveled the world and met amazing people!
Q: You’ve been on skis just about all your life — what do you think has made you so successful?
Michelle: Growing up, I would study the other girls during competitions. If they were doing something that I couldn’t, I’d go home and practice it until I could do it. Skiing every day as much as possible has helped make me a better skier. I’ve put a lot of hard work into becoming a professional skier and maintaining my career. I’d say the biggest thing that’s helped me get to where I am is the fact that I love skiing so much. It’s always been my biggest passion. I never use the word “training” when it comes to skiing. There isn't anything that will keep me away from the mountains for too long.
Q: What do you love about the sport?
Michelle: The freedom! I’m in charge of everything I do. I don't have any coaches — just peers that push and teach me. And I have the freedom to express myself through skiing in so many ways other than skiing itself. I write, I give creative input to the companies that I work with, I’ve been able to explore photography, and I get to travel all over the world.
Q: Considering all you’ve accomplished on skis, what stands out for you?
Michelle: Pursuing the filming side of skiing has been one of the biggest challenges. Part of the challenge has been pushing movie companies to include women in their movies and convincing them to give me a shot. The film part of my career is really just beginning. For me, filming takes a lot more hard work and effort than competing does. And it's not instant gratification like when I’m competing. Instead, you have to wait until the end of the year to see your results come out on film. It’s exciting and it keeps me working hard all season.
Q: You’re both a competitive skier and a film athlete — how do they compare?
Michelle: I think of competitive athletes as being competitive with each other, and film athletes as being competitive within themselves. I do both and enjoy both for different reasons. When I film, I’m in charge of my time. When I’m competing, I have to stick to a set schedule. If I place well in a competition, I get a paycheck right there while standing on the podium. But when you stomp a line or trick while filming, you have to wait until October to see if your segment makes it into the movie. Competitions are often scheduled around television time slots, so there’s not a lot of leeway when it comes to weather. Whereas when filming, I try to be out there when the weather is optimal and avalanche conditions are good. Filming takes a ton of motivation and hard work. It requires early mornings, shoveling snow, getting your sled stuck, spending lots of money, and facing dangerous conditions. Competitions are set up for you, you don’t have to build your own jump, and there are fewer variables. So they are two very different challenges, and I like the variety that each offers.
Q: Could you tell us about the knee injury and how the rehab is going?
Michelle: Back in March, we were filming a segment in Retallack, British Columbia. It was the last shooting day of a nine-day trip. My body was tired but the filming was going well. The location we were in had a 15-foot cliff with a nice takeoff, and the landing couldn’t have been more perfect. So I checked it out from a few different angles and then headed up to the top of the line to get the shot. It was a pretty straightforward cliff — just point it to the lip and go for it. There was no question in my mind that I’d stomp the landing. But I ended up landing on a rock! It was the most pain I’d ever felt, and I knew instantly that my knee was pretty messed up. I was flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital, and an MRI revealed a blown ACL; a torn meniscus; a torn medial patellofemoral ligament, which holds the kneecap in place; and severe cartilage damage. Not the way I wanted to end the trip or my season!
Over the summer, I had two surgeries and I’ve been working hard at rehab ever since. I spend almost every spare minute in the gym and physical therapy. More than anything, this injury has toughened me mentally, even beyond what I thought possible. Rehab has been a very painful process, and it still is to this day as I try to get my range of motion back. But I just saw my doctor, and the muscles in my legs are nearly the same size again. So I’m excited that all this pain and hard work is paying off!
Q: How would you describe a perfect day of skiing for you?
Michelle: Out in the backcountry with good friends on an epic powder day. It’s such an amazing feeling to be surrounded by tall, white mountains, with endless possibilities.
Q: What’s the most difficult thing about the sport for you?
Michelle: Being away from home is the hardest part. My family means the world to me, and it’s hard to go months without seeing them. I communicate with them as much as possible when I’m away, but I love coming home. There’s so much to look forward to. And I always make sure that the first meal I eat when I get home is made by my mom!
Q: Speaking of eating, how important are nutrition and hydration to you as a skier?
Michelle: I try to take good care of my body, even more so as I get older, and I’ve always eaten pretty healthily. Most of my diet consists of locally grown produce when it’s available, and organic foods. I grow what the climate in Tahoe and my travel schedule allow me to during the summer, and I try to get all the nutrients I need from what I eat. Right now, in particular, what I eat is super important. I’m trying to regain muscle after my injury, so I make sure to get enough protein every day. I also eat as many veggies and fruits as I can find to get my carbs. And I drink lots of water every day.
Traveling is challenging, and that’s where I have to pay even more attention to what I put into my body. You’d be surprised at how hard it is to find fresh fruit and veggies in some places. Options on the road are usually pretty slim, and traveling with a bunch of younger boys doesn’t help much!
Q: How about for a day of skiing — what’s your typical regimen before, during, and after?
Michelle: I’m a fan of my morning coffee, but after that I’m drinking as much water as I can carry if I’m out in the backcountry. I also bring dried fruit, nuts, an apple, and an orange, and I usually pack a sandwich. I like to snack constantly throughout the day. PowerBar
® energy bars also come in handy, especially at the end of the day.
During competitions, I usually have to force breakfast down. I don’t get as hungry while skiing in the park, and my nerves sometimes get the best of me. Typically, I’ll eat a little something from the ski lodge, but knowing that nerves can be an issue, I try to get carbs into my body the night before. Back when I played soccer, a big pasta dinner was a tradition of mine before game days, and that carries into skiing for sure.
After a long day in the backcountry, on the hill skiing, or if I’m mountain biking or climbing, I need something to replace what I’ve lost during exercise. So when I get home, I drink a glass of PowerBar
® Recovery beverage. In fact, that’s my favorite PowerBar product. I think it tastes super good.
I continue to hydrate after exercise and I do a lot of stretching. I also love doing yoga. Finally, I try to get enough sleep. Sleep is so important for promoting recovery.
Q: What’s your next goal?
Michelle: First, I’d like to make a full recovery from my injury and come back even stronger than I was before. My ultimate goal is to put together a super well-rounded part in a movie, with big mountain lines, backcountry jumps, park jumps, and rails.
Q: Finally, do you have any words of wisdom for up-and-coming skiers?
Michelle: Always have fun and a good attitude! And remember: when it’s dark, you can see the stars.
You can find out more about Michelle at www.michelle-parker.com. Also, if you’re interested in knowing about other PowerBar® Team Elite™ athletes or how you can join the ranks, click on the Team Elite link at PowerBar.com.
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