Sage Preston ’25, in her second year as Co-Captain for the All-Gender Nordic Skiing team, is a leader and a mentor for new skiers, actively striving to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for each of her teammates.
Preston reflected on her journey into competitive Nordic skiing, which began during the pandemic while staying in Sun Valley, Idaho. There, she challenged herself by racing against seasoned West Coast skiers. Later, she continued skiing at Andover, where she found comfort in the team’s supportive and positive attitude. The encouraging environment, she noted, played a key role in helping her grow and improve as an athlete.
“I did a little bit [of skiing] growing up with my family on winter breaks, but I started competitively Nordic skiing when I was in eighth grade. It was a big jump because I was with all these kids who have been skiing competitively since they were five, and I had barely any experience. West Coast Nordic skiing is a very big deal, and there’s a lot of people who are very intense about it… [Here] it was a less intense environment that was more forgiving, and also I had the experience to learn alongside people,” said Preston.
While winter’s harsh weather can be daunting for many, Preston emphasized her enduring love for the outdoors. She noted how spending time outside was not only central to her experience but also a highlight of her time in Nordic skiing.
“My favorite part is being outside in the winter. Although sometimes at school, we don’t experience this a lot because we don’t have a lot of snow, it’s really cool traveling to other schools and getting to race through the woods and things like that. Being outside, especially during the winter, can just kind of raise your spirits quite a bit,” said Preston.
Hannah Jung ’28 reflected on the unpredictable outdoor conditions that Nordic skiing often faces. She highlighted how Preston has not only adapted to these challenges but also motivated the team to persevere through harder conditions. Jung pointed to the new snow machine as an example of how Preston could overcome weather-related obstacles and continue training effectively.
“Nordic skiing really depends on the weather conditions… This year we got a snow machine, so we were able to make a small hill behind Andover Cottage. I saw [Preston] ski a few times on it. It really showed how we could make do with anything that we have, even though it was a really small hill, she was getting enough practice in and I guess that motivated all of us to try our best,” said Jung.
Preston’s care for her teammates is a large aspect of her approach to leadership. She emphasized how she strives to be a reliable source of support, allowing every teammate to feel valued and comfortable asking for help with issues, big or small.
“I want to be very close with everyone on my team, and I want to be someone that they’re comfortable coming to with any issues they have. I want all my teammates to feel comfortable coming to me with advice, asking me about waxing or loading skis onto the bus or asking for a helpful hint here or there and coming to me for support and comfort before races,” said Preston.
Billie-Christine Colmar ’27 highlighted Preston’s impact on the team as somebody who is able to connect all the members of the team.
“Her connection with everyone on the team and the respect I’d say that the team has for her makes Sage stand out as a leader. We all look up to her and have learned from her,” said Colmar.
As her final high school season of Nordic skiing comes to an end, Preston hopes to continue skiing recreationally, especially with her family who also enjoy the sport.
“I’m not going to compete in college, that’s for sure, but it’s something that’s a big part of my family and back out West. It’s a big part of the culture there. Everybody’s constantly skiing, and since I do spend a decent amount of time there, I’m sure I’m going to keep doing it recreationally, for fun, and for a good workout and a way to get outside in the wintertime,” said Preston.
