For freshman Seppi Stiegler, skiing comes as naturally as walking, and it’s really no surprise. Seventeen of his 19 years have been spent with skis on his feet, and now, as a first-year collegiate athlete, he is eager to prove his abilities on a new plane of competition against the nation’s best.
Competing at this level takes a special type of dedication. “I could barely walk when I started to ski,” said Stiegler. “When you start something when you’re little it feels a lot more natural.”
Growing up in the small town of Jackson, Wyo., Stiegler had his whole childhood to develop his skills. “Skiing isn’t that big of a sport, so growing up in a town where it’s a big deal was nice,” he said.
Stiegler attributes much of his success in the sport today to his parents’ support as a child. “It was great that they got me going at such a young age. I didn’t really know what was going on.”
As a high school athlete, Stiegler saw success racing for a local club team. Although the competition was there, he said there were no specific rankings, just a combined effort by the team to go to all the races.
Stiegler’s decision to attend DU didn’t come easily, and he considered numerous other schools before making up his mind. As a Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management major, he was drawn to the reputation of Daniels College of Business as well as DU’s championship ski program. “I’m happy at DU,” he said. “It’s a little awkward being in the city, but it’s going well.”
So far skiing for DU, Stiegler has ranked consistently well in competition. This weekend’s invite hosted by University of New Mexico in Taos saw him finish third in Slalom, ranking him well for the NCAA championships. “It was my career best,” he said proudly.
Assistant Alpine Ski Coach Chris Berg said Stiegler has the momentum to become the team’s next star athlete. “He has performed extremely well this season, well above and beyond the coaches’ expectations,” he said.
Although training, practices and course work take most of his free time and prevent him from much casual skiing, Stiegler said he loves to hit the back-country when he visits home.
As far as pursuing a career in skiing after college, he said it’s a possibility. “I hope to eventually become a member of the U.S. ski team,” he said.
Until then, keep an eye out for his name high up on the scoreboards and don’t be surprised if he continues to place well throughout his collegiate career.
