The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) announced today that one of their distinguished athletes, Joy Rondeau, has been named to the 2016-17 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Development Team. Rondeau, who is a Colorado native from Granby, has been training with the National Sports Center for the Disabled competitive Nordic/Biathlon program for nearly two years under the direction of Shawn School and Mark Birdseye on a year-round basis.

“We are excited to see one of our own being represented on the 2016-17 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Development Team,” said Mark Birdseye, NSCD Nordic Coach. “Joy is an outstanding athlete and all around hard worker and we are eager to see what the future holds for this amazing woman. We wish her the best of luck.”

Rondeau was named to the 2016-17 Development Team following a Spring Camp she attended in Bend, Ore. She is a sit Nordic skier and her training has included a rigorous amount of on snow winter Nordic training combined with summer dry land training that includes strength training in the weight room, mountain boarding on the roads of Grand County, speed intervals on the track on her mountain board and other cross-training activities. Rondeau competed in her first World Cup Paralympic Nordic event this past March for the U.S. National Paralympic Nordic Team in Germany.

The 2016-17 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Team is made up of seven renowned athletes, five of which are Paralympians. Two-time Paralympic medalist, Oksana Masters, will headline the team and will be joined by military veterans Sean Halsted (retired Air Force), Bryan Price (retired Army and Paralympic medalist) and Andy Soule (retired Army). The remaining athletes include Rondeau, Mia Zutter and Jake Adicoff. In addition to Rondeau, Oksana Masters and Andy Soule have trained with the NSCD in the past.

Rondeau looks forward to continuing her training and development in the sport and hopes to represent the U.S. in the next Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea. For more information on this year’s team, visit the Team U.S.A Paralympics website.

How did you get to this point?

It hasn’t been easy but God has given me strength and endurance I never thought possible. My coaches and I have had to make a lot of sacrifices. Being an athlete is a life style. I’m not just an athlete during my training sessions but 24-7. I always have to be mindful of what I eat, if I’m getting enough sleep what I’m doing during my off time everything can have an impact. I couldn’t do it without my coaches. They push me and encourage me.

How hard have you had to train?

I train 6 to 7 days a week all year round. I ski or mountainboard almost every day and lift two to three times a week, and dry fire once a week. Nordic is all about pushing yourself past what you think is your limit. The more you can stand the suffering the better you’ll do.

Your goals (future/present)?

My short term goals are to keep improving my skills, make it to the Paralympics in PyeongChang South Korea and to do well there. Outside of Nordic I hope to learn how to balance training, school and my social life while keeping God first. I hope to learn how to better manage my time so that I can get the most out of my day.

My long term goals the next 5-10 years are to keep skiing on a competitive level and become a CPA.

Anything additional you would like to add about being named to this team, your background, etc.?

I am so excited to be named to the 2016-2017 Paralympic Nordic developmental team. I could not of done it without my support system. Feel extremely blessed to part of this tightknit community. I owe a huge thanks to the Lord, my family, my church, my coaches, my friends and everyone else who has help me along the way. Without their encouragement I wouldn’t have even had the courage to try