Both Speed and Smarts Make One Athlete Successful

Annie Hart of St. Paul, Minnesota is the 2009 Minnesota State High School Champion, 2010 State runner-up, a three-time All State recipient, 2010 Junior 5k champion, three-time Junior Olympian, and a U.S. World Junior team member.

But skiing isn’t all that Hart can do well. She also ran on the St. Paul Academy cross-country and track teams and excelled academically throughout her high school career, earning her the honor of being named 2010 Star Tribune Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The Minneapolis Star Tribune selected Hart and male counterpart Eric Satterthwaite, a swimmer, for having “reached the peak of high school athletic achievement” in having won a state championship in addition to their enviable academic records.

While not on the ski trails, Hart worked hard at her academic pursuits, earning a 3.85 GPA, two Distinguished Honors for Excellence in science and English, and winning an award in the Minnesota High School Press Association sportswriting competition as three-time editor of her student newspaper. “I’d say the most challenging part about so being involved was finding a way to stay relaxed, rested, and happy through it all. It is a skill that I think will help me no matter where I end up going.”

“I think the best lesson I learned is to never give up,” Hart told FasterSkier of her experiences. “There were so many times when it would have been so much simpler to move on and say well maybe next time, but I have achieved things that I never would have had I taken the easy path.” She will certainly not be taking the easy path now that the challenges of high school are over. Dartmouth College is expecting another high-caliber addition to their already impressive Nordic team. Dartmouth “would be a difficult place to turn down,” Hart said. “Not only do they have amazing academics, but the ski team is equally stunning.”

After a summer living at home and working with Minneapolis Ski Club (MSC) and with the Central Cross-Country Ski Association (CXC) at a regional camp, Hart will begin her training with Dartmouth coaches and team. “I think I will miss some of it,” she admits, referring to the unique atmosphere of the Minnesota high school Nordic circuit. But, “I’d say that I am in fact ready to move out and move on.”