Freestyle Skier Grace Henderson Didn’t Get Lucky, She Got Relentless

There’s a certain kind of athlete who doesn’t just love their sport. They choose it again and again. Through the lonely periods, the injuries, the setbacks that would give most people a clean excuse to walk away.

Grace Henderson is that kind of athlete.

“This road has been very long for me,” Grace told Back The Team.

Long like making the U.S. team in 2017, showing up to her first training camp “super excited… a young kid” who wanted to prove she belonged. “I did all my crazy tricks and blew my knee. I probably should have dialed it back a little bit.” Henderson laughs in hindsight.

Long like having a shot of making the Olympic Team in 2018, then tearing her ACL in the spring before. Sometimes the hardest thing isn’t falling short. It’s falling short when you were right there.

Long like blowing her knee again in 2020. And that’s when the sport asked her the age-old question: “Do I love it enough to keep doing this?”

Long like fighting numerous concussions, a fractured collarbone, a spine broken in 3 places, and two broken heels…at the same time. 

Grace’s story isn’t a straight line. It’s a series of returns. And somehow, every time the sport tried to take something from her, she came back with more perspective. More hunger. More heart.

Her Narrow Miss In 2022… and the Hunger That Followed

Grace was skiing the best she ever had—aiming for a spot on the 2022 Olympic Team—then the sport hit her with the kind of technicality that doesn’t care about your effort.

“With all the regulations and new rules back in COVID times… there was weird point freezing… and as a result, I barely missed the last Olympics in 2022. It really crushed me. I really didn’t think I’d be able to come out of it.”

But she did. With a fire in the belly.

“I came back hungrier the next season, got my first World Cup podium at the first World Cup of the season.”

From there, she didn’t just rebuild her skiing. She rebuilt her mentality.

Henderson’s Mindset Shift That Changed Everything

This is where Grace’s story turns into something bigger than sport. She didn’t just upgrade her skiing, she upgraded her lens.

“This quad I’ve really taken a step back to reflect. I see my friends doing the normal 9-to-5 and I’m traveling all over the world, skiing, doing my favorite thing in the world. And yes, my knee is in pain, and yes, there are really hard days… but look at the life I get to live.”

Upon further reflection, Henderson noted, “That shift in my mindset allowed me to have more fun, enjoy the ups and downs of the process, and earn my spot on the Olympic Team this year.”

Grace Henderson’s journey is not defined by the falls, the fractures, or the near-misses. It is defined by what she chose to do after them. Her story is a reminder that the Olympic dream is rarely a straight path. More often, it is earned through patience, perspective, and persistence.

Stories like Grace’s are exactly what Back The Team is built to share. We’re going behind-the-scenes of the Winter Games through real conversations about mindset, pressure, and performance from the world’s best athletes. Live from Milan as the action unfolds. Follow along!