My Mentor Mark

In my younger years I was passionate about being a skier. I worked hard on my skiing and was shooting for a place on the national demonstration team. I had a mentor in skiing that taught me a great deal. He was a former national demonstration team member himself. His name was Mark.

I had a lot of respect for Mark as a young man. He had been successful as a ski instructor just as I aspired to be. He was a tremendous athlete. He competed as a runner and cyclist earlier in his life. Mark was in his 50's when I knew him. He had a great deal of wisdom that he would often share with me. I was his protégé and he influenced me tremendously at an age when I was quite impressionable.

I regarded Mark as the best skier on the mountain. He regarded me as being the best skier on the mountain. He and I had a good relationship although I think he regarded me as being a little bit of a pest. I was young and yet to be humbled in any way. Mark was a been there done that type of person who was very jaded. However he took me under his wing and made a lasting impression on me.