Emily Cook
Determination is an aerialist, former U.S. champion and ex-gymnast named Emily Cook, who grew up in suburban Boston and never let go of a dream to compete in the Olympics. Sidelined by injury after making the 2002 Olympics Team, Cook missed three World Cup seasons while rehabilitating her badly injured feet but returned in the summer of 2004, competed in the winter of 2005 (making the World Championships Team)...and reached her Olympics in '06 in Italy. And, Cook says, she's not done yet.
Update (for the ’07 Season):
Coming off the best season of her career, and having overcome multiple surgeries and two-plus years of rehab to achieve her long-held dream of competing in the Olympics in February of '06, Cook has decided to keep jumping. In the preseason, she was blending classes at the University of Utah with training while setting a new goal: a medal at '07 Worlds.
Crash landing (a bit of history):
The top U.S. female aerialist leading up to the Salt Lake Games, Cook secured herself a spot on the Olympic team with a win at the 2001 Gold Cup. But two weeks later, and two weeks before the Opening Ceremony, she crashed during a training jump in Lake Placid and caused serious damage to both feet. With the Olympic aerials competitions taking place in her hometown of Park City, Cook watched from a wheelchair with a red white and blue cast with stars on one foot and an orthopedic boot on the other. Her teammate Speedy who took her place visited daily and even showed the world what the US aerials team is made of by flashing NBC cameras with gloves saying “Hi Emily”. Emily’s coaches, teammates, friends, family and sponsors supported her through the Salt Lake Olympics and on to Torino.
Back on the hill:
Cook underwent the first operation to repair her feet a week before the 2002 Games began, and her second surgery -- one she didn't anticipate having to endure and a major setback in her rehabilitation -- took place in June 2003. But through all of the surgeries and the rehab, Cook thought about the 2006 Opening Ceremony, and the chance of walking in with her U.S. teammates was too strong to give up. She rejoined the World Cup circuit three years after her crash in January 2005. Two months later, Cook placed seventh at the 2005 Worlds, tops among Americans. Despite the abbreviated season, she finished 14th in the 2004-05 World Cup standings.
Just one year after returning to her sport, Cook won the 2006 Olympic Trial and secured her spot on the 2006 Olympic Team. Walking into the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games with her teammates, she said was the most amazing moment of her life
Pleased to compete (an ’06 Update)
Emily Cook made her long-awaited Olympic debut at the Torino Games. And while it wasn't the performance she'd hoped for, she was pleased nonetheless. Cook stumbled after coming down on her first jump, but got up with a smile on her face and waved to the crowd. “Being at the Olympics in Torino was an honor and truly a dream come true.”
Start-Up:
Cook, whose mother died when she was 2, skied at 4 and moved into freestyle when she was 14 as a member Carrabassett Valley Academy’s heralded program in Maine. A gymnast and diver as a youngster, she was a combined skier to start. By 17, she had made the U.S. Freestyle Team and moved to Park City to train fulltime. She was on two Junior World Championships teams, saw her first World Cup action in acro and earned her first World Championships berth in 1999. Cook also earned the aerials bronze at the 1999 Junior Worlds in Finland.
Personal:
Not one to waste time, Cook founded "VISA Champions Creating Champions," a mentoring program in which winter Olympians from a variety of sports work with youngsters who otherwise might not be exposed to their sport...Another of Cook's pet projects is helping promote Right to Play, which strives to bring sport and play to the most disadvantaged children worldwide, and - in her words - "giving kids a chance to be kids"...No Surprise Dept.: Asked for one word to describe herself, Cook said "Unstoppable"...When she wasn't been able to train, Cook coached young kids in aerials at the Utah Olympic Park...She enjoys SCUBA, flyfishing with dad, yoga and pilates, reading, learning to surf and to ride her new dirt bike, a Honda CRF 150.
Determination is an aerialist, former U.S. champion and ex-gymnast named Emily Cook, who grew up in suburban Boston and never let go of a dream to compete in the Olympics. Sidelined by injury after making the 2002 Olympics Team, Cook missed three World Cup seasons while rehabilitating her badly injured feet but returned in the summer of 2004, competed in the winter of 2005 (making the World Championships Team)...and reached her Olympics in '06 in Italy. And, Cook says, she's not done yet.
Update (for the ’07 Season):
Coming off the best season of her career, and having overcome multiple surgeries and two-plus years of rehab to achieve her long-held dream of competing in the Olympics in February of '06, Cook has decided to keep jumping. In the preseason, she was blending classes at the University of Utah with training while setting a new goal: a medal at '07 Worlds.
Crash landing (a bit of history):
The top U.S. female aerialist leading up to the Salt Lake Games, Cook secured herself a spot on the Olympic team with a win at the 2001 Gold Cup. But two weeks later, and two weeks before the Opening Ceremony, she crashed during a training jump in Lake Placid and caused serious damage to both feet. With the Olympic aerials competitions taking place in her hometown of Park City, Cook watched from a wheelchair with a red white and blue cast with stars on one foot and an orthopedic boot on the other. Her teammate Speedy who took her place visited daily and even showed the world what the US aerials team is made of by flashing NBC cameras with gloves saying “Hi Emily”. Emily’s coaches, teammates, friends, family and sponsors supported her through the Salt Lake Olympics and on to Torino.
Back on the hill:
Cook underwent the first operation to repair her feet a week before the 2002 Games began, and her second surgery -- one she didn't anticipate having to endure and a major setback in her rehabilitation -- took place in June 2003. But through all of the surgeries and the rehab, Cook thought about the 2006 Opening Ceremony, and the chance of walking in with her U.S. teammates was too strong to give up. She rejoined the World Cup circuit three years after her crash in January 2005. Two months later, Cook placed seventh at the 2005 Worlds, tops among Americans. Despite the abbreviated season, she finished 14th in the 2004-05 World Cup standings.
Just one year after returning to her sport, Cook won the 2006 Olympic Trial and secured her spot on the 2006 Olympic Team. Walking into the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games with her teammates, she said was the most amazing moment of her life
Pleased to compete (an ’06 Update)
Emily Cook made her long-awaited Olympic debut at the Torino Games. And while it wasn't the performance she'd hoped for, she was pleased nonetheless. Cook stumbled after coming down on her first jump, but got up with a smile on her face and waved to the crowd. “Being at the Olympics in Torino was an honor and truly a dream come true.”
Start-Up:
Cook, whose mother died when she was 2, skied at 4 and moved into freestyle when she was 14 as a member Carrabassett Valley Academy’s heralded program in Maine. A gymnast and diver as a youngster, she was a combined skier to start. By 17, she had made the U.S. Freestyle Team and moved to Park City to train fulltime. She was on two Junior World Championships teams, saw her first World Cup action in acro and earned her first World Championships berth in 1999. Cook also earned the aerials bronze at the 1999 Junior Worlds in Finland.
Personal:
Not one to waste time, Cook founded "VISA Champions Creating Champions," a mentoring program in which winter Olympians from a variety of sports work with youngsters who otherwise might not be exposed to their sport...Another of Cook's pet projects is helping promote Right to Play, which strives to bring sport and play to the most disadvantaged children worldwide, and - in her words - "giving kids a chance to be kids"...No Surprise Dept.: Asked for one word to describe herself, Cook said "Unstoppable"...When she wasn't been able to train, Cook coached young kids in aerials at the Utah Olympic Park...She enjoys SCUBA, flyfishing with dad, yoga and pilates, reading, learning to surf and to ride her new dirt bike, a Honda CRF 150.
