Nancy Fiddler was one of North America's top female skiers from 1987 to 1993. She captured 14 National Championship titles, has a half dozen top twenty results in World Cup and World Championship events, participated in two Olympic Winter Games and four World Championships in her career.
Age: 47
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 125
Single or married: married
Hometown: No place in particular, all over east coast!
Current town of residence: Crowley Lake, CA.
Full-time or part-time coach: Full time in the winter, part-time in summer
and fall
On salary/paid or volunteer coach: salary from Tamarack Cross Country
(owned by Mammoth Mtn), stipend from Far West, there's always some free lance
and volunteer work, also.
Athletes or Team working with (or has worked with): Mammoth Masters program
through Tamarack Cross Country. Athletes include Carolyn Tiernan and Ann
Klinefelter, Ilana Levin. I also work with Far West junior athletes, and
have a big kids program at Tamarack for 6-10 year olds. Next winter I
will coach high school and middle school skiing again.
Favorite movies: Harry Potter movies, Holes, Finding Nemo, etc. because
the only movies I see anymore are with my 8 yr. old daughter!
Favorite food: I eat just about everything and like most of it.
Favorite musical artist: I like a variety of music, mostly old fogey rock n'roll,
classical, celtic, nothing that gives me a headache.
Favorite book or TV show: I don't watch TV, it's a waste of time, and
I read a lot, mostly fiction. Recent reads include books by Anna Quindlan,
Anne Lamott, and Ian McKuen. Also recently enjoyed "Seabiscuit",
autobiography by Lance Armstrong, and a re-read of "Little Big Man".
Did you take a vacation after this past race season ended?
Disney World, of course! Now I can say "been there, done that"!
What is your (or your athletes) favorite place to ski? Favorite place to race?
Favorite place to train (skiing or dryland)?
Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center in Mammoth Lakes. We have a long season,
great snow because of the altitude (8,600 ft.). We have more hard wax
days than other Ca. ski resorts. The east side of the Sierra is a great
place to dryland train, as well.
Why do you enjoy being a ski coach? What part of being a ski coach don't you
enjoy?
I like sharing what I know about the all time greatest sport. I really
enjoy teaching the technique and believe that you can improve at any age.
I find that coaching skiing can be creative and I enjoy that process.
I don't like it when people don't listen.
If you weren't a ski coach, what would you rather be doing?
Writing books
What are the five main philosophies you coach by?
1. If you aren't having fun, you should look for something else to do.
2. You can always improve your technique.
3. For masters and young kids, less is more.
4. Rest and recovery are just as important as training.
5. Have a plan and make every workout count.
***Here's another little piece of wisdom. If you are a coach, be an athlete
now and again. Or just be a student of something athletic if you are not
interested in competing. This will open many doors for you. I train
and compete in running in the off season (with a coach) and have learned a great
deal. I also took up Irish dancing in my forties, and that just about
kicked my pretty fit butt!
