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03/20/2020 12:00 AMWhen Micky Wehrle first put on a pair of skis, he instantly fell in love. Starting on the courses of Powder Ridge in Connecticut and then expanding to the Green Mountains of Vermont, Micky developed a passion for cruising down the slopes. Now a junior at Hand, Micky is a member of the Tigers’ ski team who competes in the slalom and giant slalom events.
From the scenic views to the sounds of shredding through the snow, Micky knew right away that he was going to be skiing for years to come.
“I got into skiing at a very young age. My parents would always take my brother and I to local mountains and, after that, our family really got into the sport,” says Micky. “We decided to rent a Vermont house with another family in Weston, and that’s when I really started to get obsessed with it. I would ski from the time the lifts open until they closed, and I never stopped. Now, I’m 14 years in, and I’m still going strong.”
There are a variety of avenues for Micky to travel with the Hand ski team. Currently, Micky’s events are the slalom and giant slalom, and he works hard to hone the skills that he needs to succeed in them.
“There are all sorts of different events you can compete in. Slalom is an event focused on quick feet and smart decision-making where the turns are closer together. Giant slalom is faster with the gates more spread out. It’s really a speed event,” Micky says. “I prefer skiing slalom for the most part. I have always been better at it, because I have quick feet and use that to my advantage when competing in that event.”
Micky has turned in some impressive results on the slopes this winter. Most recently, he competed at the Eastern High School Championships, where he skied against the top athletes from each state east of the Mississippi River. Micky learned a valuable lesson in perseverance at the meet.
“In the slalom race, I took a tumble on my first run, which was unfortunate,” says Micky. “I was upset with the way I went out, but I kept a good mindset going into giant slalom. I knew exactly what I needed to do and placed 23rd out of 130 racers. It was a great result for me. I’m happy I kept a positive mindset after falling in the first event, and dropped the hammer the next day.”
Micky has earned several accolades while skiing for the Tigers. Micky garnered All-State Second Team honors in his sophomore and junior seasons and hopes to make the First Team as a senior.
“I want to earn First Team next year for my senior year in the worst way,” Micky says. “In years past, I have also received awards for slalom racing at my ski club in Vermont. I was recognized as one of the top skiers in the program.”
Micky has skied for Hand since his freshman year of high school.
“I’ve taken advantage of every moment I have skiing in the winter time since I only ski on the weekends for Vermont racing and two times during the school week for high school racing,” says Micky. “Competing in Vermont against kids who ski every day for the ski academy is a challenge. In order for me to keep up with them, I have to maximize every moment I have on the snow, whether it’s in Connecticut or Vermont.”
Aside from skiing, Micky also competes for the Hand boys’ soccer team, which won its fourth-straight Class L state title last fall. Like skiing, Micky has participated in soccer since he was child.
“Soccer is another one of my favorite things to do along with skiing,” says Micky. “In my free time, I also enjoy playing other sports like basketball and pond hockey in the winter, just to have fun and stay active.”
Micky would like to ski at Northeastern University in Boston after he graduates from high school. Micky dedicates a lot of time to academics and gets great grades at Hand.
“I am looking to maybe ski club in college. Most of the schools I’m planning on looking at have club teams,” Micky says. “Club racing in college is a great way to meet new people and ski for your school. It has piqued my interest for some time now. Aside from that, I need to keep good grades in school. I have learned the importance of time management. As long as my work is done, I can keep skiing.”