Picabo Street is considered the greatest female speed skier in American history. She won an incredible collection of World Championships and Olympic medals. Her can-do attitude, risk-taking qualities, and determination to overcome challenges have continued to inspire others, both within and outside the professional sports arena.
As a child, Street was a rebellious tomboy. Born to self-admitted hippie parents, she grew up as the only female child in a tiny town in Idaho and competed against the boys in every possible manner. Her desire was not to "be as good as the boys…[but] be better."
Enthralled with the adrenaline of high-speed sports, she started skiing at the age of 6. By the time she was 10, Street was already competing against much older girls, and in 1989, at the age of 17, she joined the U.S. Ski Team.
However, in 1990, the defiance that had defined her childhood caught up to her. Partying became more important than training and she ended up suspended for indiscipline, poor behavior, and being out of shape. Ever determined exceed expectations, her winning attitude broke her out of her bad habits, and she returned to the U.S. team six months later.
She made her World Cup debut in 1992 in the slalom event and in 1993 she took the ski world by storm at the World Championships. At the 1994 Winter Olympics, she won her first silver medal in the downhilll. In 1995, she became the first American woman to win the World Cup women’s downhill season title, that she repeated again in 1996. Well on pace, she won a super-G gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Nevertheless, just like the ski slopes, her journey has been full of obstacles which she has always taken in stride. Although sustained multiple injuries over the course of her career, she always committed to a return to competition. After the 1998 Olympics, she suffered another serious crash. Following two years of rehab, she returned to the ski circuit in 2000 and raced at the 2002 Winter Olympics before retiring.
Since then, the queen of the slopes has continued to inspire. She has served as a sports analyst and commercial spokesperson for various companies and co-founded the Picabo Street Academy, which provides individualized schooling to students training in sports and the arts. Even further details of her impressive career are soon to be revealed, as a documentary exploring her childhood and difficult rise to fame is currently being produced by the Olympic Channel.
"I feel responsible as a role model," she said, "Young ladies need to know it's OK to pursue your dreams. I remember opening up my mother's yearbook and not seeing a picture of one women's athletic program. That to makes me want to cry. It's sad."