Before they kick out on the world’s biggest stage, ACA sat down with the men’s speed team to answer some burning questions about their lives, their racing careers so far and what pushes them for more. 

Q: Who is your athletic idol? Your mentor?

Brodie: Don’t have one in particular. When it comes to mentorship, I have been fortunate to have many great coaches and teammates that I looked up to (such as the Canadian Cowboys who were still around when I made the team) and I have always done my best to draw whatever lessons I can from them.

Broderick: Joining the team at the end of 2014, Manny Osborne Paradis took me under his wing on the speed side and has been a great mentor and friend to me. Even before being on the team, I went to Mike Janyk and Manny's ski camp. Growing up in the Whistler Community those two, along with Robbie Dixon, pushed me to be the skier I have become whether by example, through friendships, or showing me the ropes.

Jack: My idol Growing up was Didier Cuche. It was always fun to watch him ski, and he represents all the best parts of skiing.

Q: What made you click into your first pair of skis?

Brodie: Skiing was a recreational passion shared by my parents, and something they wanted to pass on to my brother and me. They got us excited about trying it before even my earliest memory of being on the Whistler bunny hill. 

Broderick: My parents clicked me in as I learned how to walk at 1 year old

Jack: My dad made me click into my first pair of skis.

Q: What keeps you motivated to compete at this elite level?

Brodie: I am certainly motivated by results goals I have not yet achieved, but outside of that I find a lot of my motivation comes from the potential to inspire younger athletes.

Broderick: I really enjoy it, I love skiing, training, racing and pushing my limits. Being an athlete has been a lifelong dream and the lifestyle is fun. It is challenging being away from family and normal life at times, but I feel very supported by my family, girlfriend and friends in pursuing my dreams.

Jack: There are a lot of things that keep me motivated through the season. The greatest motivator I have is the desire to compete and the ability to do what I love for a living.

Q: What are your goals for yourself? Your season? Your Olympic moment?

Brodie: This season I had the goals of moving into the top 20 ranking in super G, the top 30 ranking in downhill, and qualifying for the Olympics. I’m very excited to have achieved that last one. When race day comes around and I get my Olympic moment, my goal is to trust myself and leave it all on the hill in that run.

Broderick: My goals are always to prepare myself for the challenge and put my best foot forward.

Jack: My goals this season have been straightforward. I would like to bring some hardware back to Canada at the end of the season. I would also want to show my best skiing every time I leave a start gate, proving that I can be an overall contender in the future.

Q: When did you know you’d “made it” as a speed skier?

Brodie: From an early age my coaches could see that I would likely grow into a speed skier. I felt comfortable with the speed and enjoyed it from the beginning, but it’s still essential to develop strong technical skills. When I made the National Development Team and was quickly sent to some camps with the speed team, that’s when I felt like it was becoming the clear path for me.

Broderick: The WC podium at the beginning of this year made all the hard work feel worth it, as well as a sense of belonging. As a speed skier it's a long road, and in the beginning, you're thrown in the fire. As soon as you push out of the start of a World Cup downhill, it's the beginning and you know then and there if it is for you or not.

Jack: [sigh!]

Q: If you could ski any other discipline what would it be?

Brodie: Definitely GS. We still train a lot of GS in the off-season and I have always enjoyed that discipline. I definitely still have aspirations to compete in GS at the World Cup level.

Broderick: I ski all the discipline. I still love slalom and always had the dream to race in Adelboden. Never say never. As far as skiing goes, I grew up skiing the whole mountain and terrain park and I'd love to get back to that someday after my racing career.

Jack: [sigh!]

Q: If you could compete at an elite level in any other sport, what would it be?

Brodie: Mountain biking has always been one of my favourite off-season activities, so I think it would be really cool to compete in that.

Broderick: Baseball, I grew up playing baseball and love the sport. I could and still do go out and play for hours.

Jack: If I had the opportunity to compete in a different high-level sport it would most likely be hockey, It is a sport I grew up playing until around the age of 17 and it holds a firm second place to skiing as my favourite sport.

Q: What advice do you have for any developing athlete who looks up to you and wants to be in your boots one day?

Brodie: Developing a strong work ethic is a necessity but learning to have fun along the way is key. Never stop challenging yourself and embrace your failures because they will teach you the most.

Broderick: Keep up with as many sports as you can and eventually, you'll know when you need to specialize -- you run out of time! Work hard, ask questions, go out every day to get better and have fun.

Jack: The advice I would give young athletes is to enjoy what you're doing. It is a lot easier to improve if you are not taking what you have for granted.

Q: Will there be a special thought in your mind when you are at the start of the races at the Olympics? Will you be thinking of someone special or something special to inspire you to give your best?

Brodie: Being at the games makes me think about my family and everything it took to get me here. I’m grateful for the entire community that shaped me into the athlete I am today, and when I get in the start gate I hope to channel all that support into a calm focus that lets me ski freely and execute. 

Broderick: I'll stick to my preparation, trust all the hard work and go for it.

Jack:  [sigh!]

Q: Are you bringing a good luck charm or special item to the Games?

Brodie: Nope, just making my own luck. 

Broderick: Nothing special, just the Maple leaf on my chest and the support from Canada at my back! Let's go!

Jack: I don't have any good luck charms but i do bring my speaker on every trip. It's always nice to have the ability to listen to good music.

TONIGHT:

Men's DH : 8:00pm MT | 10:00pm ET on CBC Sports! GO Canada!