Surprises, Team Bonding, and Taylor Swift

Pickleball camaraderie Photo @mikedawsy // @usskiteam

Mikaela Shiffrin: “This weekend was just above and beyond my expectations.”

Stifel US Alpine Ski Team women know how to have fun. But they really enjoyed themselves when they gathered in Denver for an unforgettable weekend. Mikaela Shiffrin invited the women’s team to join her at Saturday’s Taylor Swift concert. But the USSS, her teammates, brother, sister-in-law, and close friends also surprised her and her mother.

Shiffrin informed SRM, “I was racking my brain, trying to think about a way to get all of the Women’s Alpine team together during the summer. This weekend was an amazing bonding experience and something we’re all super excited to be part of.”

Idea hatched

When the Denver Taylor Swift concert was announced, Shiffrin took charge and planned a special night for her family. However, once she realized how expensive it would be, in true Shiffrin fashion, she decided to aim even higher. She researched securing a suite to accommodate her family and the Stifel US Alpine women’s team. She was determined to bring her team together. Shiffrin expressed, “It’s just hard to get all of us in one place at the same time. And I realized the only way to do it was to offer something that truly nobody would want to miss.”

Almost instantly, all but two of her 2022-23 teammates eagerly confirmed their attendance, and with the assistance of the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Union Station, Shiffrin swiftly arranged accommodations for everyone.

Shiffrin regrets only filling the suite to capacity with her favorite people before the rookies joined the team, but they were on her mind.

Conspirators provide a surprise

Shiffrin’s brother convinced her to gather the family and meet Friday night for a modest birthday celebration for their mother at Denver’s Woodie Fisher restaurant. However, unknown to her or Eileen, the USST, her brother Taylor, his wife Kristi, and Shiffrin’s dear friends, the Resnicks, planned for it to be much more than a small gathering.

Instead, the conspirators had hatched a plan to turn it into a giant surprise celebration for Eileen’s birthday and Mikaela’s successful season. They even arranged a live musical performance by Noah Kahan. A tremendous loving crowd greeted the two women as they entered the venue.  Not only were the beloved longtime friends and teammates present, but also valued partners, like USSS’s CEO Sophie Goldschmidt and close friend Stifel CEO Ron Kruszewski.

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The vibrant celebration commemorated Eileen’s birthday and celebrated Mikaela’s successful season. The evening also featured the presentation of a magnificent Chihuly sculpture to Mikaela. While the renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly did not attend the party, his wife Leslie was there to ceremoniously present the exquisite artwork they named “The Mikaela.”

Shiffrin says, “It was the whole team, my family and the majority of the most meaningful people in our lives, my mom’s life, and my career over the last 20 or so years. So many people were able to make it. That evening was really, really, really fun and was a total surprise.”

Teammates enjoyed the weekend

Teammate Alice Merryweather commented, “This weekend was truly incredible. I’m amazed that the ski team pulled off totally surprising Mikaela on Friday night. It was really special for all of us to be there and celebrate her accomplishments, especially in light of her recent ESPY win and just everything she has done for the sport. The surprise party was truly an honor to be a part of.

The weekend, as a whole, was just magical. I roomed with Paula (Moltzan), who I hadn’t gotten to catch up with in ages, and it was such a joy to spend time with her. Having the whole team together in a non-sport environment is very meaningful for us to stay connected and support each other as humans. So I think this weekend will have a long-lasting impact on the women’s team dynamic.”

World Cup racer Isabella Wright was equally enthusiastic about the experience: “This weekend was so much fun! We had a busy weekend making amazing memories with the team. I roomed with Breezy (Johnson), but Paula, Alice, Jackie (Wiles), Alix (Wilkinson) and myself were all in the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Union Station, which was an amazing location and we were all rooming next to each other.”

Pickleball camaraderie

Shiffrin also scheduled a pre-concert Saturday doubles pickleball tournament to entertain her guests and create camaraderie. “Pickle is so much fun; it’s really fun. It’s something that everybody could be part of. Even some of the ladies returning from injuries could participate at some level. I lost one of my matches to Eric (Resnick) and Liv (Moritz). They pickled Bella and me. We didn’t score a single point, and I giggled the whole time.”.

One of the aspects of the weekend Shiffrin was most excited about was being with the up-and-comers, some of whom she doesn’t see racing on the World Cup.

“There are many up-and-comers I haven’t been able to spend time with. Here we could hang out with each other for the whole weekend. We got to chat and play pickleball together. The tournament was a mixed draw. So many of us were partnered with people we are rarely around. Even though we’re teammates, we’re not always together. And that was one of my goals – to have a chance to bond with more of the women on my team, not only the women I see more regularly when training and racing.

The champions of the pickleball tournament were Sara Resnick and Kjersti Moritz. Eileen Shiffrin missed the tournament, but in Mikaela’s words, “If Sara and my mom were playing together, I think that they probably would’ve beaten everybody by miles.” Perhaps they would have pickled the entire field.

Up-and-comers were welcomed

One up-and-comer who is not around Shiffrin much is 20-year-old Dasha Romanov, who offered this opinion: “The weekend was super fun! Having everyone together was really special and memorable! Spending time with everyone was incredible. It was a really different environment than when everyone is on snow.

It was fun to see everyone get all dressed up and just be relaxed! Everyone’s competitive sides definitely came out when we played pickleball. I was teammates with Taylor Shiffrin and, unfortunately, we did not win.  It was my second time playing and everyone was very sweet and also patient with me. Super tired now from the weekend; it definitely required more energy than a ski race! I’m really happy we got to spend time together and it was really sweet of Mikaela to organize it all.”

Ava Sunshine added to the enthusiasm: “This weekend was an amazing experience, especially getting to spend time with everyone when many of us live in different places during the summer. I roomed with Mary (Bocock), Elisabeth (Bocock), Storm (Klomhaus), Emma (Resnick) and Lauren (Macuga)! It meant a lot. It is so rare that we’re all in the same place, so it was extraordinary to have fun together. I was with (Aleksander Aamodt) Kilde in the pickle tournament. We did alright winning some matches but were ultimately bested by Paula and Elisabeth. I was exhausted and slept 12 hours. Now I am doing great.”

Finale

After cleaning up and putting on their party clothes, the women departed their hotels for the Grand Finale—three hours of Taylor Swift.

Shiffrin concludes, “It’s not that often that we all get together, all of us at the same place at the same time. I don’t remember a time in my career when it did happen; this is it.”