From Quarterback To Olympian: Jack Young On Passion Before Specialization
Most kids are told to pick a sport and stick with it. Jack Young ignored that advice, played every sport he loved, and earned his spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Here's what his journey can teach us all about chasing passion before chasing perfection.
Mindset Is Trainable. That’s The Defining Lesson of the 2026 Olympic Games.
Over the past month, I’ve sat down with 25% of the 2026 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team. We’ve talked about growing up skiing in small mountain towns. About catastrophic injuries and Olympic debuts. About standing in the start gate feeling alive with adrenaline. About fear. Confidence. Burnout. Balance. And the decision to keep going. The questions varied. But every conversation ultimately explored the same idea: how do the best American athletes build and sustain their mindset?
Riley Jacobs Built an Olympic Career by Trusting Herself
When Riley Jacobs drops in, she’s doesn’t overcomplicate it. Her mentality is simple: just do the thing. And it’s taken her all the way to the Olympic halfpipe. A result of years of showing up, rebuilding after injury, and learning to trust what she already knows how to do.
How Kendall Kramer Stays Mentally Fresh and Builds Momentum
Kendall Kramer’s Olympic journey has roots to her background as a multi-sport athlete. A Division I National Runner-Up in cross country running, she built the engine, and the mindset, that would carry her onto the Olympic stage. Her story shows why the strongest athletes aren’t defined by results, but by the mentality they build over time.
Mary Bocock: Patience At Speed
Sisters, speed, and the U.S. powerhouse. Before her Olympic debut, Mary Bocock sat down with Back The Team to chat about racing alongside her sister Elizabeth, why the U.S. women’s speed team is stronger than it’s been in years, and the mindset it takes to win in the unforgiving sport of ski racing.