One Hill at a Time
For Jill Somero, one of the greatest rewards of coaching isn’t teaching kids how to ski. It’s watching them discover they can do hard things. Every winter at Elm Creek, there’s at least one child who stands at the bottom of a hill convinced they can’t make it to the top.
"I had one six-year-old tell me the dinosaur stomp was not going to work for her,” Jill laughed. "We agreed she’d give it a try anyway.” A few minutes later, that same skier reached the top of the hill with an enormous smile. "The dinosaur stomp works!” she excitedly told her mom after practice. Moments like these are why Jill continues to volunteer season after season.
Jill first fell in love with skiing in sixth grade during an outdoor education trip. What began as a school experience grew into a lifelong passion—one she now shares with hundreds of young skiers, including her own three children. For Jill, skiing has never been about being the fastest. It’s about building confidence, overcoming discomfort, and enjoying winter with others. "It makes me feel unstoppable,” she said.
After several years of coaching, Jill has watched beginner skiers grow through the MyXC program and eventually seen their names appear on high school race rosters. But she knows their connection to skiing can extend far beyond competition. "One day, these same kids will be parents, coaches, and older adults enjoying a slow lap around the Valley Loop,” she said. "It’s a circle.”
That lifelong perspective is part of what makes MyXC so special to Jill. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to discover skiing without pressure or barriers. "It’s so great that this club remains inexpensive and easy to fit into a family schedule,” she said. "Too many sports are so intense right from the start. Your mission to help families enjoy winter is spot on.”
When asked what she has learned from coaching kids, Jill’s answer is wonderfully simple. When they ask, "What happens if I fall?” she tells them, "You get up.”
Sometimes, the biggest lessons learned on snow aren’t about skiing at all.