Ski Jumper Paige Jones (OLY) on Facing Fears
Paige Jones grew up in a ski town, where your favorite Olympian could be in the same aisle as you in the grocery store. Or be your babysitter. Where tourists to Park City, Utah saw Olympians and celebrities, Jones saw them as ordinary people. Being an Olympic athlete was not unattainable; it was seen as possible.
“It contributed very positively to how I perceive goals and achievement, because to me, Olympians were never put on a pedestal,” says Jones. “Those goals can be achievable to anybody.”
Facing Fear
Her Olympic goals began when Jones started ski jumping at age 9. She started on the 5 meter hill. Then 10m. Then 20m. Always chasing improvement and the next milestone, 9 year-old Paige thought ski jumping was not only fun but also thrilling.
“When I was younger, it was definitely good for some confidence building, getting out of my comfort zone, and kind of leading me towards being an adrenaline junkie,” Jones says.
Eventually, the progression in the hills didn’t go up by 5 metres. They went up by 20. Jones recalls the biggest transition for her at the time was from the 40 to 60 metres hill. When she made the transition, it wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid. She admits she had anxiety about facing the challenge. Instead, what helped Jones was in the moment of fear, she knew she had to tackle fear head on.
Jones is the first to say: “The fear is always there, but I think a lot of what makes a good ski jumping athlete is being able to go and do it anyways.”
Mind Over Matter
Courage isn’t the absence of fear but acting in the face of fear. Controlling what you can control takes some pressure off.
“I wear earplugs when I compete, so that I can't hear the announcers, so that I don't hear how far other people are going, how far I'm going to need to go, what else I do in competition,” Jones says. “I do a lot of box breathing, so in for 5 seconds, hold for 5, out for 5. And then obviously visualization before helps a lot.”
Another important component to Jones’ success is being grounded by realizing she is more than a ski jumper. Outside of training, Jones is a mentor to the next generation and a volunteer with a Lake Placid ski club. “I find a lot of fulfillment out of it. It kind of helps me strike that balance a little bit better.”
With ski jumping being a niche sport, Jones’ activity in the community gives young athletes the chance to see themselves as Olympic ski jumpers too. Talk about full circle.
“The idea of you can see it, you can be it, you can achieve it, is very real, and I wanted to be able to have that impact on other students around the country who may not have regular access to athletes like myself,” says Jones.
Enjoying the Process
Like many high-level athletes, Jones has felt burnt out in the past. The key to finding her love for the sport again? Enjoying the small moments just as much as the big ones.
“If you're just looking towards the end of the tunnel and not enjoying the entire time, it's not going to be worth it in the end. Finding small moments of joy in the process is going to make that goal when you finally reach it so much more enjoyable.” Jones acknowledges.
Jones reminds us that sport is supposed to be fun. Yes, accomplishing goals is great. But, what really adds value to the daily grind is enjoying the process. So when you accomplish your aspirations, it will taste that much sweeter.
Stories like Paige’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. Join us!