Ben’s Transition to Full Time Skiing

Hello everyone,

My name is Ben Boelter, and I'm excited to begin my first year as a professional skier with Team Birkie. I recently graduated from the College of St. Scholastica, where I spent the past five years balancing academics with NCAA Nordic skiing. Throughout that time, I learned how to manage the demands of being a full-time student while competing at a high level—an experience that has shaped me both as an athlete and as a person.

With graduation behind me, I’m now able to fully dedicate myself to skiing and take full advantage of the incredible resources and support offered by Team Birkie. In this blog post, I want to share two main updates: our summer training camps in Cable, Wisconsin, and what life looks like now that I’ve transitioned from student-athlete to full-time skier.

Summer Training in Cable

Being part of Team Birkie and training out of Minneapolis has been an amazing experience so far. I've had the opportunity to explore new running and rollerski routes around the city, but the highlight of my summer has undoubtedly been our training camps in Cable.

Cable feels like our “home away from home.” So far this summer, we've had three week-long training camps there. These camps offer a chance to step away from daily distractions and fully focus on training and team bonding. The trail systems around Telemark provide endless opportunities for high-quality sessions, and the varied terrain keeps every workout engaging.

Pre Bounding Session in Cable

One of the biggest advantages of training in Cable is access to the rollerski track—one of the only ones in the Midwest. It's an incredible resource for intervals, time trials, and race simulations. The ability to train in such a race-like environment is invaluable as we prepare for the winter season.

Transitioning to Full-Time Skiing

After five years of balancing school and sport, it feels both strange and exciting to no longer be heading back to class this fall. While I occasionally catch myself feeling like I forgot to do an assignment, I’m quickly reminded that my sole focus now is skiing.

Without the demands of coursework, I’ve already noticed a significant increase in the amount of time and energy I can dedicate to training. I'm optimistic that this shift will allow me to reach new levels as an athlete and continue to grow in the sport.

I'm incredibly grateful to be part of Team Birkie and to have the opportunity to pursue skiing at the professional level. I’m looking forward to what this season will bring and can’t wait to share more updates along the way.

Thanks for reading!
Ben Boelter