Alix Wells hobbled towards her Olympic dream when she was named to the B.C. Alpine ski team in November. Unfortunately, the hard-luck skier's days on the slopes are numbered this winter after breaking her leg during a September team training camp in Chile.
"I won't be racing this season," says Wells, one of 16 skiers named to the team, which is based on points accumulated last season. "I'll just be getting back on snow and getting comfortable again, but I'll definitely race next season.
"I just cannot see myself not skiing," she adds. "I want to get back out there as soon as possible."
The 16 year old worked hard to achieve her dream of making the provincial team, leaving her family and friends last year and moving to Invermere to train with BC ski coach Gregor Druzina, which makes being back home for her Grade 11 year at Kelly Road Secondary a bit of an adjustment.
"At first it was hard to adjust to it because it's not what I'm used to, but now I've kind of settled in," says Wells. "It's good to see my friends, but, I think, when I do get to go out on the road I'll be very happy."
The cast was removed from Wells' right leg last week though she still has several weeks of physiotherapy before returning to the slopes. Wells says, her goal in the spring will be to get comfortable and confident on skis again so she'll be able to work towards the next step in her skiing career - making the national team in Calgary.
"I think to go to the Olympics would be pretty cool," she smiles.
Unlucky break
It's the second time Wells has suffered a broke leg, having sustained a serious break two years ago while playing soccer requiring surgery.
"I did not think that I'd get here so it's an achievement I feel I worked pretty hard for," says Wells. "When I broke my leg I was a little negative and I wasn't sure that I'd come back."
Thankfully the second break was a clean one.
"It was actually the first run of the morning," she says. "We were on Super Do skies, which are pretty long skis. I just leaned over, fell and broke my leg. It wasn't a bad fall or anything."
But for mom and dad back in Prince George it was an uneasy wake-up call.
"The phone rang at five o'clock in the morning," says Ian Wells. "It was Gregor, the B.C. team ski coach, to tell us that Alix was in the hospital and she had a broken leg. My wife took the call.
"We felt terrible for Alix because she's put so much effort into coming back from [her first] broken leg and just the commitment she's made to skiing and the sacrifices she's made over the years, moving away from home last year in order to make the team and things like that," adds Ian.
It was five days before they would see their daughter back on Canadian soil.
"We knew it would be tough on her, but she held up very well on the phone call and did a great job," says Ian. "It's hard when your kid's halfway around the world, your here and she's in the hospital."
The fact their daughter had spent the previous year away from home made it a bit easier for Wells' family.
"We knew she was in good hands," says Ian. "Alix is mature beyond her years."
Her maturity came in handy last year when she was training in Invermere, balancing homework with skiing. Wells says it's all about managing her time and knowing what's important.
"You're focused on skiing but you have to put aside an hour a day to do homework instead of going on Facebook and stuff like that," says Wells. "It's tough, but it's manageable."
For Ian, receiving official word two weeks ago about Alix making the BC alpine team was cause for celebration.
"It's nice that they're thinking highly of her even with an injury to take her on the team," says Ian. "They obviously think she's got potential. That's some good news."
