Hometown: Prior Lake, MN
Team Birkie Member Since: 2023
College: The College of St. Scholastica - Duluth, MN
How did you get into skiing and coaching?
I started Nordic skiing relatively late during my freshman year of high school. I had always loved alpine skiing but had recently gotten into endurance sports like cross country running and track. Nordic skiing seemed to combine those two so I decided to give my high school team a try. I found that I really enjoyed it and from there I just kept getting more and more involved in the sport. I joined the Loppet Nordic Racing ski club my junior year of high school and got more competitive, racing at JNQ’s the rest of my high school career. I went on to ski at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
After college, I knew I wanted to have a career in education/ coaching. I enrolled in a Masters of Education program and while I did that, I began coaching my old high school team. I found that teaching and coaching Nordic Ski athletes was something that I am very passionate about. From there, I got involved with helping coach with Loppet Nordic Racing and CXC, and for the past two years I’ve been working and traveling with these teams, providing coaching and race/ wax support at JNQ’s and SuperTours. In the 2023-2024 season, I joined the Team Birkie Marathon team and competed again as an athlete. Throughout this season I started assisting with coaching and wax service and eventually transitioned over to full-time Development coach.
What are your most fond memories of skiing?
Skiing with my high school team during our Birkie Trails camp over Christmas break is up there. Another would be skiing and racing with my college teammates, the trails in Duluth are some of my favorites in the region. Lastly, traveling and supporting the athletes I’ve been working with the past three years. Seeing them develop as an athlete and as a person has been a lot of fun.
Favorite place to visit in Minnesota?
My favorite place to visit in Minnesota is Grand Marais. I love the north shore and my family had a cabin there when I was growing up so it holds a lot of memories. Duluth is a close second.
What keeps you motivated to coach?
The athletes I help coach and support. Seeing their determination and grit motivates me to be a better coach.
Jake Stiele
