Waterville, MAINE - In honor of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Colby Athletics will profile a few of the many Colby athletes who can recall an experience that shaped what being a female in sports means to them.
 
Olivia Amber '17 joined the Mules in 2013 from Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin. She quickly made herself known across the NCAA ski world with an outstanding first year on the Nordic Ski team, earning top-10 finishes at Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) carnivals and earning a ticket to the NCAA Division I Ski Championships. In fact, Amber qualified for the championship event in each of her four years, skied her way to All-East selection twice, and ended her journey as the first Colby Nordic skier to earn All-American with a 9^th place finish in 2017.  Following her graduation in 2017, she received numerous offers for spots on professional ski racing teams as well as a full sponsorship opportunity with Salomon Nordic US. It's safe to say Amber has made a serious impact on the Colby Athletic Department.
 
"Early successes helped fuel the fire.  I've always been intrinsically motivated to push my limits."
 
The drive that led to Amber's success started at a young age. "Sports have always been more than a pursuit to me, they have been my way of life," she reflects.  While there was no lightbulb moment or decisive experience that guided Amber towards her passion for athletics, early achievement at a young age fueled her fire. She notes, "I was always successful at racing in both running and cross-country skiing, and when I was winning races in both sports at a young age. I think those early successes helped fuel the fire.  I've always been intrinsically motivated to push my limits." This love and passion for competition has sparked inspiration for many of her teammates to follow.
 
Amber's legacy has and will continue to transcend long beyond her graduation in 2017. Tracey Cote, Head Coach of Nordic Skiing at Colby recognizes the impact of her former skier's path.  "As our first All-American Nordic skier, Olivia proved to all the women, and men, on our team that competing at this level was possible. To not only make an individual mark on a program, but to pull that program up to a whole new level is a testament to Olivia's competitiveness, perseverance, and grit."
 

"To me, being a strong woman means believing that you, as you are, are good enough. It means always bringing your most authentic self to the table… including (if you're about it) the girly, glittery, pink stuff!"

Coincidentally, Amber notes that her biggest role model in the world of athletics is a strong woman herself, Cote.  "As an accomplished adventure racer, runner and skier herself, (Coach Cote) has a special way of getting people to believe in themselves," Amber said. "It was through her strong leadership and friendship that I learned the true power of women in sports. She didn't just teach us skills, technique and strategy within the confines of racing, but she showed us that striving for excellence in sport was far more than just for oneself, but more so for the team." Cote enters her 24^th year as the Mules' head coach this season and has led countless athletes to success during her time on campus.
 
Amber ultimately decided to turn down her offers to continue Nordic Skiing at the professional level, however the skills she has developed through being an athlete have been highly translatable to her career after graduation. She reflects, "My time as an athlete is actually incredibly valuable in gaining skills like goal setting and time management – skills that I exercise in my job every day. Colby's rigorous academics and strong commitment to athletics showed me that I could prioritize both academics and athletics." Amber's experience on Mayflower Hill played a large role in preparing her to continue the pursuit of athletics after graduation, which she has done in ways other than ski racing. She notes that the balance between academics and athletics that Colby provided has helped her manage being a professional athlete while simultaneously having a full-time career.
 
Amber now finds great success in running. She started racing Ultras in 2019, where she quickly picked up a spot on the Salomon North American Athlete Team. She has completed seven races and

finished with five podiums, including first place in her group at the 2019 Quad Dipsea, Pacifica Foothills Trail Run and the Chabot/Redtail Ridge Trail Run. Cote says, "Olivia and her teammates are continuing to do amazing things beyond college and my biggest reward is seeing their success carry over to life beyond Colby."
 
Something she'd like her fellow athletes to know is, "A lot of people say finding a balance is crucial to being a great student-athlete. Having a social life, doing well in school, getting involved in extracurriculars, excelling at your sport - it's a lot to put on a young adult's plate let alone pushing them to find a balance with it all.  I have found that it isn't really about finding a balance, but rather, managing my priorities. As long as I'm psyched about what I am prioritizing, I can use my social life, sport, and work as complements to each other. Using prioritization forces my decisions to be value-based which makes it feel less like I'm making sacrifices and, consequently, makes it way less stressful."
 
Keep an eye out for Amber's name in the running world, as well as on the All-American Wall in the new Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center.

To navigate to Colby's NGWSD page, click here. 
 
Written by Amelia Lubrano '21