(This is the ninth in a series of Class of 2016 perspectives. The student-athletes featured will write about their time at Colby.)
Kim Bourne
Nordic skiing
Lake Elmo, Minn./Mounds Park Academy
Majors: Spanish, psychology
Annual goals for a Nordic skier each year include getting stronger, getting faster, and improving your results. My senior year at Colby, I set goals for myself that followed this formula. Looking back, however, I'm not sure that I met a single one. But my end-of-season disappointment allowed me the opportunity to step back and reflect on what my time as a Colby skier had taught me. I began to see that it wasn't my results that defined my experience; it was my teammates who had been there every step of the way.
I didn't love my four years at Colby because I raced fast, I loved my four years at Colby because I was surrounded by the most amazing individuals I've ever met. My teammates were my support system; we shared victories but more importantly, they were the people who challenged me to grow.
My coach Tracey Cote always said that being on the Nordic ski team prepares you for the world after college. You learn how to work with a variety of people in a close environment and in a multitude of situations. I spent almost every day of my life at Colby with my teammates: workouts, meals, racing, and bonding as a team. It's undeniable that being a part of the team taught me how to work with people in close proximity every day. Although difficult at times, I became more aware of how my actions influence others and how others make an impact on me. A negative attitude, strong leadership, poor planning, or a fun activity have an impact on the group as well as the individual. I wish I had taken more time to appreciate the team. Every day posed a challenge, be it the weather, race course, snow, or wax, and without the support of my teammates and coaches I would not have performed as well as I did.
The athletic, academic, and personal growth I experienced during my four years at Colby is largely because of my teammates. They came to know my strengths and my weaknesses. Starting the moment I joined the team, they were challenging me to be better.
To have such a positive experience with truly wonderful people is a great gift. My time at Colby was full of great happiness, and I owe thanks to all of those people who touched my life.
