From Quarterback To Olympian: Jack Young On Passion Before Specialization

Football. Basketball. Baseball. Skiing. Track.

Most people assume that becoming an Olympian means choosing one sport and dedicating your life to it. Jack Young proves otherwise.

For Young, the goal was never the Olympics. He simply was an athlete through-and-through and spent time doing what he loved. He grew up skiing with his parents. Through high school, he was the starting quarterback, a baseball player, and a multi-sport athlete before he ever set foot on the World Cup circuit.

"I loved football and baseball," says Young. "I had a lot of fun. I wasn't that focused on skiing through high school."

And yet, everything he gained across those sports quietly added up. The fast-twitch muscles from basketball. The agility and strength from football. The explosive power from track. Without realizing it, Young was becoming a complete, well-rounded athlete.

Team First

Beyond the physical benefits, playing multiple team sports gave Young something harder to quantify, the ability to navigate team dynamics under pressure.

"I got really good at interacting and existing with really frustrated teammates and people who were not happy with how the results were going," he recalls. "It's a skill that helps so much when you get thrown back into a team setting, whether that's your college ski team, your training group, or the U.S. ski team

That perspective has shaped Young into the teammate and competitor that he is today.

Passion into Purpose

At Colby College, skiing still wasn't his endgame. "I envisioned myself teaching high school history or math after college and skiing for fun," Young reflects.

Then, came a turning point in his junior year. The U.S. was hosting a World Cup which meant that more qualifying spots were available for American athletes. Young saw an opening and made the choice to go all in.

He qualified. Early on, he was just trying not to embarrass himself, fighting to prove he deserved to be there. Then something clicked. He stopped playing it safe and started actually racing. Attacked from the front. Set the pace. Stopped worrying about the result and just competed.

That mindset carried him all the way to his Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games.

His advice? Don't specialize too soon.

"Do everything and do all the sports that make you happy," says Young. "Do not focus on specializing too early. But then, once you do want to specialize, go for it. If you want to see how good you can be at something, the only way to do it is to put absolutely everything into it, but you can't do that too early."

Follow what brings you joy. Stay curious. Pursue your passions, and commit to chasing your dreams one day at a time.

Back The Team is on a mission to interview every single athlete on the 2026 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team. One conversation at a time, we're going inside the mental game of the 2026 Games — building the most comprehensive record of mental performance in Olympic and Paralympic history. Follow along!